In pretty much every presidential election since the telegraph made the quick transmission of information practical, politicians running for the presidency have, by and large, followed a pattern. That pattern is this: During the primary, they run to the right or the left, depending on the party; then, during the general election, they tack back to the center to gain broader appeal. The nature of our partisan system pretty much requires this.
Most politicians are somewhat nuanced in this, so it doesn’t seem so jarring. But Kamala Harris, since her vote-free anointing as the Democrats’ presidential candidate, has revealed herself to be about as nuanced as a hand grenade in a chicken coop. She’s not just tacking to the center away from positions she has espoused all her political life; she’s running full-tilt away from them. On his X account on Thursday, Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin has some thoughts:
NEW: The Harris campaign confirms to @FoxNews that Harris has reversed several of her prior positions on immigration, including decriminalizing illegal crossings, a pledge to close ICE detention centers, and the idea that ICE should be abolished or “started from scratch”.
Re:…
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) August 29, 2024
Let’s look at some highlights:
NEW: The Harris campaign confirms to @FoxNews that Harris has reversed several of her prior positions on immigration, including decriminalizing illegal crossings, a pledge to close ICE detention centers, and the idea that ICE should be abolished or “started from scratch”.
That’s because she knows – or, at least, the more savvy of her campaign staff knows – that her original positions are losers. A presidential campaign that has as part of its platform throwing gates open even wider is a recipe for a landslide victory, for Donald Trump:
Re: Abolishing or starting ICE from scratch: A Harris campaign official tells FOX her position aligns with the Biden administration’s and what’s in the bipartisan border bill, including increased funding for ICE & border security.
The Biden administration’s policies are aimed, not at keeping people from entering the country illegally or deporting them when they are found, but solely towards the goal of “processing” them more efficiently, so they can be allowed into the country to do, well, whatever:
Re: Closing ICE detention centers: A Harris campaign official tells FOX Harris’ position is the same as the Biden admin’s, which is: “…continuing to ensure sufficient resources to enforce our laws and prioritize detention and removal for individuals who pose threats to public safety and national security, as well as ensure compliance with immigration proceedings and decisions, including removal.”
Assumes facts not in evidence, that the Biden/Harris administration ever cared about ensuring resources for any of these things, while allowing millions to invade the United States and remain.
But these prevarications aren’t the worst of it. It is the lying by the Harris campaign that rankles.
See Related: It Sure Looks Like Kamala Harris Made Up Her Hard Knock Tale of Working at McDonald’s
Leaked Email Reveals ABC News Presidential Debate Rules, Debunks Harris Campaign Narrative
Bill Melugin presents this gem:
“While Donald Trump is wedded to the extreme ideas in his Project 2025 agenda, Vice President Harris believes real leadership means bringing all sides together to build consensus. It is that approach that made it possible for the Biden-Harris administration to achieve bipartisan breakthroughs on everything from infrastructure to gun violence prevention. As President, she will take that same pragmatic approach, focusing on common-sense solutions for the sake of progress.”
Oh, for the luvva Pete. How many times must we correct these lackwits? The Project 2025 agenda is not Trump’s, it never was Trump’s, he has disavowed it many times, in many places. The Harris campaign really needs to stop lying about this; it’s shameless and transparent.
The Biden/Harris administration’s actions on infrastructure have been feckless and ineffective. Remember $7.5 billion for eight – count ’em, eight – electric vehicle chargers? That’s how effective the Biden/Harris administration has been on infrastructure.
See Related: Buttigieg Flails Trying to Explain Why Only 8 EV Charging Stations Have Been Built by Biden Admin
In her campaign, Kamala Harris’ people are desperately trying to stave off the disaster that Harris was in the 2020 Democratic primary when she received not one primary vote – kind of like this year, isn’t it? They will continue to dodge, to duck, to flip-flop to the point where on some issues Kamala may as well start wearing a MAGA cap. They will continue to prevaricate, to dissemble, to lie. And they will do this because it’s all they have to run on.
Let’s be honest: Kamala Harris wouldn’t know real leadership if it was thrown at her head.
