Its main strong point Kamala Harris is that it reinvigorates the Democratic campaign in many ways: it gives new momentum to the party, as already reflected in polls that now lean in favor of Harris (rather than Donald Trump), is largely rallying Democrats and attracting funding — already breaking records for fundraising in one day.
Another strong point of Harris is her age. Trump, 78, built his campaign by emphasizing his advanced age Joe Biden (81 years old) but against the 59-year-old vice-president all his arguments are reversed and hurt him as he is now the oldest contender for the White House in the history of the USA.
Another strong point is her background as a district attorney in California that makes her look tough on crime, which takes away from Trump, who is a convicted felon, the argument that Democrats are soft on crime.
Harris hopes to bring back to the Democratic Party black voters, especially those without a college education who had begun to turn to Trump, as well as young people of an age who felt that neither Trump nor Biden represented them.
In the immediate aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision to ban abortion in 2022, Harris took on the issue, which today puts her in an advantageous position not only against Trump but also against Biden, who, due to gender and age, she was not comfortable talking about abortion.
The weak points
Harris’s main weakness is that she is female and black (and Indian). This feeds into various stereotypes that Trump often uses. But that’s a double-edged sword for the Republican nominee who tends to “get away” with big shots, which could ultimately alienate even more women or black voters.
Another major weakness of Harris is that she is blamed for the failures of the Biden administration, which complicates her message that she represents change. Moreover, polls show that with the distance of more than three and a half years separating them from the Trump administration, voters tend to forget its dark elements and view it more favorably.
Among Harris’ weak points is her “relaxed” side that makes her, for example, laugh her heart out. Trump mocks her for her high-pitched laugh, saying it shows she’s “crazy.” Harris herself has explained that she has “inherited” her mother’s (a great biologist who did cancer research) laugh and that it doesn’t suit her to laugh shyly, covering her mouth with her hand. But many advise her to “collect” this side of her.
Finally, the fact that Harris is in a better position than Biden to take on Trump doesn’t say much unless she proves her worth herself, because the benchmark against an aging candidate who has often looked like she can’t take the his feet or to concentrate his thought is rather low.
It is up to her to bring out her strengths, such as her ability to mess with her opponent. That’s an advantage she gained during her tenure as a prosecutor, and which she has successfully deployed on several occasions — from the 2020 Democratic primary against Biden, when she “interrogated” him about his controversial stance on mixed schools (for blacks and whites) in the 1970s, to her tenure as a senator on the Senate Judiciary Committee, during which her heated arguments went viral.
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