K. Harris Was "There" at a 90 minute CNN Town Hall

John and The Commentary Podcast Crew Discuss this latest missed opportunity ....

I was listening to John Podhoretz’s The Commentary Magazine Podcast “A Ka-meh-la Town Hall”. I was struck by their analysis and wanted to expand on it.

• Town Hall Overview:

  • Vice President Kamala Harris attended a Pennsylvania town hall, an essential stop in the battleground state, hosted by CNN’s Anderson Cooper. Despite the event’s aim to sway undecided voters, many found Harris’s responses unconvincing and heavy on campaign rhetoric.

  • One notable exchange involved an "undecided" political science professor questioning Harris’s ability to connect with real voter concerns. This interaction raised questions about how genuinely "undecided" these voters were and whether they represented typical American sentiments.

• Key Criticisms of Harris’s Responses:

  • Harris frequently deflected questions, often steering the conversation back to familiar talking points without directly addressing the issues posed. For instance, when asked about mistakes she might have made as Vice President, she sidestepped by discussing the general challenges of parenting—a point that appeared disconnected, given that she has no children of her own.

  • Such evasive answers frustrated viewers who were looking for transparency, especially from someone seeking to prove her capability as a potential successor to Biden. Harris’s approach came across as politically rehearsed rather than genuine, leaving conservative and moderate voters unconvinced about her ability to confront tough issues head-on.

• Attempts to Relate to Average Americans:

  • Harris tried to connect with voters by referencing her mother’s experience with homeownership, suggesting she understood the financial struggles of American families. However, the specifics of her example—that her mother dealt with mortgages while living in Canada—felt out of touch. The American mortgage system and the economic reality of U.S. homeowners differ significantly from Canada’s, so this anecdote rang hollow for many voters.

  • This attempt to establish common ground fell flat, especially as inflation, rising interest rates, and economic uncertainty strain the budgets of working-class Americans who feel increasingly disconnected from the administration’s policies and priorities.

• Lack of Clear Policy Vision and Rhetoric Issues:

  • Harris’s answers often leaned on broad Democratic talking points but failed to outline substantive policy differences with President Biden on critical issues like the economy or foreign policy. Instead of engaging in the specifics that voters wanted to hear, Harris skirted complex topics, such as the administration’s approach to Middle Eastern policies, leading many to wonder if she’s able—or willing—to step out of the party line.

  • Analyst Van Jones’s comment that "Trump gets to be lawless, and she has to be flawless" highlighted a sentiment that Democrats have boxed themselves into, where Harris appears under intense scrutiny, yet frequently resorts to pre-packaged lines without distinguishing herself. This creates a double standard that hinders her ability to relate authentically with voters.

These are all great starting points among others. I was happy to hear about the parenting claims. This too struck me as insincere. Her language should have been more precise and more people would be forgiving on her claim. However, as it stands it comes across as false.

They spent some time calling attention to the Hitler remarks Harris has spent the past week on.

I would argue that everyday for ten years (3k+ days) Team Blue hammering home the rhetoric along this line: Trump is Hitler. Trump is evil. Trump is fascist with a capital F.

Thanks to the democrats, no one has done more to humanize him. You can combine this with the fact for the last couple months Trump and JD have been on a softer personality feature type all access gauntlet.

Chris Lacivita and Susie Wiles were smart to capture and use that.

Add the layer of a democrat party platform which is forever raining down estrogen. Throw in Biden-Harris administrations and both campaigns Press Relations and Surrogates who all willingly decided to prosecute a tone-deaf, alienating "Biden's Moves are The Right Ones" and if you do not see that -- to hell with you!

Culminating in a Female Not-Quite-A-Powerhouse who forever was wearing one shoe several times larger (Biden-Harris failures) than the other.

Hilarity and awkwardness mixed with a sheen of forced Authenticity ensued. She never really grabbed onto any one thing solidly or for long.

Ladies and Ladies, Kamala Harris.