Kamala Harris is the best Democrats can do? Looks like they don't want to beat Trump

The future of the Democratic Party is now unburdened by what has been. Nevertheless, President Joe Biden doesn’t deserve our praise. He is not a hero. Exiting the presidential race via an unceremonious social media post is the final nail in the coffin of a campaign that should never have begun. If this is how Democrats fight against perceived threats to America, they don’t deserve to win.

For the sake of argument, let’s stipulate that Democrats are correct about former President Donald Trump. He’s a liar, criminal and aspiring authoritarian manipulating the American people into terminating the Constitution and consequently the entire republic. Rather than argue the point, add whatever alarmist language makes Trump as frightening as possible.

Democrats, focused on beating back such a ghastly future, chose not one but two of the least popular politicians in American history to address the menacing Trump. Neither Biden nor Vice President Kamala Harris has enjoyed a net positive approval polling average for more than two years.

And that’s with Biden’s inner circle actively hiding his physical and mental decline.

Republicans think Kamala Harris will be easy to beat. They’re wrong

Supporters of Biden and Trump were both duped

The mainstream news media was not capable of discovering what casual users of X pointed out repeatedly: Biden was falling apart in plain sight.

After the June 27, 2024, presidential debate, Democrats across the nation were shocked to find Biden so diminished that he couldn’t defend his policies against Trump. Biden was the rhetorical equivalent of a knocked out mixed martial arts fighter continuing to be punished by his opponent. Sadly, there was no referee to stop the match.

Biden’s attempts to prove his mettle only confirmed his waning vigor and competency.

I have as much sympathy for Democrats surprised by Biden’s capacity as I do for evangelical voters upset that Trump has abandoned them on federal abortion policy and other social issues. Both groups wanted to believe their candidate was something he was not, so they ignored their own eyes and ears at their own peril.

Stop telling Americans to tone down their rhetoric. Silence equals death to our republic

Biden exits the race with the lowest favorability rating of any Democrat heading into an election since 1980, and the second lowest behind Trump in 2016.

Harris is unpopular and failed at one of her main jobs

The hilarious part is that Trump isn’t exactly a political juggernaut. Similar to Biden, he also hasn’t had a net positive favorability polling average for more than two years. All Democrats have to do is find a reasonable candidate who is young, energetic and well-liked. So what’s the Democratic pitch to swing voters necessary to defeat the Dark Lord?

“Do not come. Do not come.”

Those words from border czar Harris represent the high water mark of her efforts to address America’s immigration challenges. They might as well be a Democratic message to voters who aren’t impressed by what Trump has to offer. For much of her term as vice president, Harris has somehow managed to earn a job approval rating lower than Biden.

When facing an existential threat to America, Democrats are prepared to rally around a politician less popular than Biden because it is the path of least resistance this close to the election. How … inspiring.

Over the next few weeks, left-leaning media will wow America with the historic nature of Harris’s candidacy. We’ll be asked to reimagine her vice presidential track record as the best she could do in Biden’s shadow. The Democratic elite have already begun to present her as crossing Biden’s bridge to a Democratic future.

The major problem is that Democrats didn’t want her to be their nominee in 2020. Harris’s campaign couldn’t even make it to the first primary. Even liberal voters weren’t interested. Worry not. The pundit class is already clarifying that the greatest reasons for her failure were actually funding and an inexperienced campaign. Inheriting Biden’s political infrastructure should indeed make all the difference if voters are also willing to ignore Harris as a terrible candidate whose rambling, winding stump speeches can’t be excused by age.

Democrats are repackaging a version of Hillary Clinton in 2016

Now, party luminaries ask Democratic delegates to choose Harris over more competitive candidates like Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and even independent Senator Joe Manchin who caucuses with Democrats in the Senate. Former first lady Michelle Obama would wipe the electoral floor with Trump, but she’s repeatedly noted that she’s not interested in the job.

Democrats can beat Trump with a somewhat popular candidate who possesses full mental and physical faculties. This shouldn’t be a tough bar to clear. Hillary Clinton failed to meet that bar. Between inflation, immigration and foreign wars, Biden’s second campaign faltered before we learned of his infirmities. Now, Democrats seem poised to choose a  “more historic” version of Clinton who is every bit as unpopular.

I’ve roundly criticized Republicans for selecting the only candidate in the presidential primary field who already lost to Biden, but Democrats clearly aren’t doing any better. The same folks who lied to voters about Biden’s condition now hope to coronate Harris as his heir apparent.

Trump has the lead heading into the general election, and the continued bonfire of liberal vanities will only fuel his campaign. If delegates continue to follow Biden’s preferred path in Harris, they truly aren’t as concerned about Trump’s return as they claim.

USA TODAY Network Tennessee Columnist Cameron Smith is a Memphis-born, Brentwood-raised recovering political attorney who worked for conservative Republicans. He and his wife Justine are raising three boys in Nolensville, Tenn. Direct outrage or agreement to smith.david.cameron@gmail.com or @DCameronSmith on X, formerly known as Twitter. Agree or disagree? Send a letter to the editor to letters@tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Harris will not beat Trump this election. The polls don't lie