Kamala Harris: A Stronger Candidate Against Trump? | WSJ

Summary

The transcript discusses the potential candidacy of Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election following President Biden's expected withdrawal. It highlights her strengths, such as appealing to women, people of color, and young voters, and her background as a prosecutor. However, it also points out the challenges she may face, including the need to prove herself as a strong leader and to address concerns about immigration policies. The script suggests that Harris's campaign could energize the Democratic base and force a strategic shift in Trump's campaign.

Takeaways

• 🇺🇸 President Biden is expected to drop out of the 2024 election, leading to Vice President Kamala Harris gaining support as a potential candidate.
• 🎯 Kamala Harris is known for her prosecutorial background, which could be an advantage in campaigning against Donald Trump.
• 🔄 Harris attempted to run in the 2020 Democratic primary and is now seen as a strong contender if she can maintain momentum.
• 💪 The potential absence of Biden from the race is believed to make the election more competitive.
• 🚫 Donald Trump is criticized for lacking the character to be president, setting the stage for a contentious campaign.
• 👥 Harris is expected to appeal to a diverse demographic, including women, people of color, and young voters.
• 🌟 Issues such as women's healthcare and abortion rights are highlighted as key areas where Harris can make a strong case.
• 📊 Polls suggest that Trump's restrictive abortion policies are unpopular among suburban women, a crucial voting bloc.
• 🔝 Harris is anticipated to energize black voters, who are seen as critical to winning swing states.
• 👶 The younger demographic, which had lost confidence in Biden, may find renewed motivation with Harris as a candidate.
• 🗣️ Harris's communication style and policies are reminiscent of Obama's, which could generate excitement similar to the 2008 campaign.
• 🏆 At 59, Harris is younger and may have the energy to campaign extensively across the country.
• 💬 Her background as a prosecutor could make her a formidable debater, an important skill in a race against Trump.
• 📈 Despite initial polls showing Harris trailing Trump, there is optimism that her support will grow as voters become more familiar with her.
• 🛡️ Harris will need to address concerns about immigration policy and demonstrate strong leadership to counter Trump's claims.
• 🤔 The choice of Harris's running mate could be pivotal in consolidating her base and winning over undecided voters.
• 🏁 The election will likely be a battle of personalities rather than policies, with Harris needing to establish herself as a leader.

Q & A

Why is there a possibility that President Biden might drop out of the 2024 election?

The script does not provide specific reasons for President Biden potentially dropping out of the 2024 election, but it implies that his absence could lead to a more competitive election and opens the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to rally support.

What are the key advantages that Kamala Harris has in a potential presidential campaign?

Kamala Harris's key advantages include her potential to win over more women, people of color, and young voters, as well as her background as a prosecutor which could make her a strong debater.

How does the script suggest Kamala Harris could appeal to women voters, particularly in swing states?

The script suggests that Kamala Harris could appeal to women voters by effectively making the case about women's healthcare and reproductive rights, which are significant issues for suburban women in swing states.

What role could Kamala Harris's background as an African American woman play in garnering support from black voters?

Her background as an African American woman could provide a unique opportunity for Harris to communicate and connect with black voters, particularly in urban centers like Detroit and Philadelphia, which are critical for winning swing states.

How does the script indicate that younger voters might respond to Kamala Harris as a candidate?

The script indicates that younger voters, who had lost confidence in Biden's ability to beat Trump, might find Kamala Harris to be a refreshing and energetic alternative, potentially reigniting their motivation to vote and participate in campaign activities.

What challenges might Kamala Harris face in a presidential campaign against Donald Trump?

Challenges for Kamala Harris could include proving herself as a strong leader, handling the aftermath of the assassination attempt on Trump, and defending her policies on immigration, which have been criticized.

How does the script characterize the importance of the Obama coalition in a potential Harris campaign?

The script characterizes the Obama coalition as crucial for Harris's success, suggesting that reuniting this group of voters, which includes robust turnout from African Americans and Latinos, could provide a significant advantage.

What impact could Kamala Harris's age have on her campaign?

Kamala Harris's relatively younger age compared to Biden could be seen as an advantage, as it might imply higher energy levels and the ability to campaign extensively across the country without concerns about stamina.

What is the significance of the Vice President selection for Kamala Harris's campaign?

The selection of a Vice President could be significant for Harris, as it could help shore up her base both regionally and demographically, and potentially bring together the Obama coalition.

How does the script suggest that the Trump campaign might need to adjust its strategy if Kamala Harris enters the race?

The script suggests that if Harris enters the race, the Trump campaign would need to change its offensive strategy, as it has been focused on Biden, and would now have to make a case against Harris.

What does the script imply about the importance of name recognition in early polls?

The script implies that early polls are often based on name recognition, and that Harris's lower numbers in some demographics might bounce back in her favor as voters become more familiar with her over the course of the campaign.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Kamala Harris as a Presidential Candidate

This paragraph discusses the potential candidacy of Vice President Kamala Harris if President Biden were to withdraw from the 2024 election. It highlights her previous attempts and the unique advantages she might bring to a presidential race, such as her ability to appeal to women, people of color, and young voters. The paragraph also touches on her background as a prosecutor and her strong debate performance against Mike Pence, suggesting these could be key factors in a competitive election against former President Donald Trump.

05:01

📊 Polls and Public Perception of Kamala Harris

The second paragraph delves into the polling data and public perception of Kamala Harris before significant events like the assassination attempt on Trump and Biden's withdrawal from the race. It examines how these events might influence voter sentiment and how Harris's campaign could evolve in response. The paragraph also raises questions about her leadership qualities, her stance on immigration, and the challenges she might face in proving herself as a strong contender against Trump. It concludes with speculation about the potential impact of her late entry into the race and the importance of her choice for a Vice Presidential candidate.

Keywords

💡Presidential Election

The presidential election is the process by which a country's president is elected. In this video, it refers to the 2024 election where President Biden is expected to drop out, and Vice President Kamala Harris is considered as a potential candidate. The script discusses how Harris could fare in such an election against former President Donald Trump.

💡Vice President Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris is the current Vice President of the United States. The video script focuses on her potential candidacy in the presidential election, her background, and her perceived advantages and challenges in running against Donald Trump. Her role as a prosecutor and her debate skills are highlighted as key factors in her political profile.

💡Character

Character, in the context of this video, refers to the moral qualities or attributes of an individual, particularly in a leadership role. The script mentions that Donald Trump is said to 'simply not have the character to be president of the United States,' suggesting a contrast in moral standing with potential candidates like Harris.

💡Debate Success

Debate success refers to the perceived effectiveness and persuasiveness of a candidate during a political debate. The video script notes that after Harris's Vice Presidential debate with Mike Pence, polls showed more voters thought she won, indicating her strong debate skills as an asset in a presidential campaign.

💡Immigration

Immigration is the process of moving to a new country with the intention of residing there. In the script, it is mentioned as a significant policy area where Harris would need to defend her stance, especially in light of criticisms regarding her handling of border issues as Vice President.

💡Suburban Women

Suburban women are a demographic group that the video identifies as being particularly influenced by policies on issues such as abortion. The script references a poll where over half of the suburban women said Trump's policies on abortion were too restrictive, indicating a potential advantage for Harris in appealing to this group.

💡African American Voters

African American voters represent a crucial demographic in the U.S. political landscape. The video script suggests that Harris, as an African American woman, has a unique opportunity to connect with and rally this group, which is seen as slipping support for Biden.

💡Young Voters

Young voters, typically those between the ages of 18 and 29, are highlighted in the script as a demographic that Harris could potentially win over, especially those who had lost confidence in Biden's ability to defeat Trump. The script mentions a poll showing this age group as the least motivated to vote, presenting an opportunity for Harris to energize them.

💡Leadership

Leadership in this context refers to the ability to guide, influence, and inspire others towards achieving goals. The video script discusses the importance of demonstrating strong leadership qualities, which 44% of voters are looking for in a candidate according to a Monmouth University poll. Harris's challenge is to prove that she embodies these qualities.

💡Assassination Attempt

An assassination attempt refers to an incident where an effort is made to kill a high-profile individual, in this case, Donald Trump. The script mentions that recent polls were taken before such an attempt on Trump, which could significantly influence public opinion and voter sentiment towards him and the election.

💡Obama Coalition

The Obama Coalition refers to the diverse group of voters that supported Barack Obama in his presidential campaigns, including African Americans, Latinos, and young voters. The video script suggests that Harris's best path to victory may involve reassembling a similar coalition to secure a broad base of support.

Highlights

President Biden is expected to drop out of the 2024 election, leading to rallying support for Vice President Kamala Harris.

Vice President Kamala Harris is recognized for her expertise in prosecuting the case against Donald Trump.

Harris's previous attempt in the 2020 Democratic primary and her potential to maintain success this time around are highlighted.

The absence of Joe Biden from the race is anticipated to make the election more competitive.

Harris is positioned to contrast with Donald Trump on character and presidential qualifications.

Experts predict a challenging campaign for Harris but also acknowledge her key advantages.

Harris's potential to win over women, people of color, and young voters is emphasized.

The importance of women's healthcare and reproductive rights as a driving issue for suburban women in swing states is noted.

Harris's African American heritage is seen as a unique opportunity to engage with voters in critical urban centers.

Younger voters who lost confidence in Biden may find renewed interest with Harris as a candidate.

Harris is likened to Obama in her ability to generate excitement and a vision for a multicultural and unified America.

At 59, Harris's youthful energy is contrasted with Biden's age, suggesting an advantage in campaign vigor.

Harris's background as a prosecutor is highlighted as an asset in her debate skills and strength as a candidate.

The need for Harris to replicate her debate success against Mike Pence in a potential race against Trump is underscored.

Recent polls show Harris trailing Trump, but the context of these polls is discussed in relation to current events.

The importance of proving strong leadership in the eyes of voters, as identified by a Monmouth University poll, is highlighted for Harris.

Immigration policy and Harris's ability to defend it are identified as a significant concern and campaign issue.

The race is characterized as being based on personalities rather than policies, with Harris's entry forcing a strategic shift in the Trump campaign.

The timing of Harris's entry into the race is discussed as the latest since 1968, raising questions about Democratic party organization.

The selection of Harris's Vice President is presented as a crucial decision that could impact her campaign's success.

The potential to reassemble the 'Obama Coalition' and excite voters with Harris's voice is suggested as a game changer.

Transcripts

- [Narrator] With President Biden expected

to drop out of the 2024 election,

some are rallying

behind Vice President Kamala Harris.

- No one knows better

how to prosecute the case

against Donald Trump than Kamala Harris.

- She tried, remember in 2020,

in the Democratic primary,

and we'll see if she's able to come out strong

and then maintain that success this time around.

- It does put us in a position

to have a significantly

more competitive election

had Joe Biden stayed in the race.

- [Narrator] Here's how Harris could stack

up in a race

against former president Donald Trump.

- Donald trump simply does not have the character

to be president of the United States.

- [Narrator] Experts say Harris

could have a tough campaign trail ahead,

but she does have some key advantages.

- How do you win the presidency

if you don't win the majority of white voters?

You have to check off all of the other boxes.

- [Narrator] One advantage Harris has

is her potential to win over more women,

people of color, and young voters.

- We're gonna be able to effectively

make the case about women's healthcare,

their right in terms of choosing

how they wanna live their lives.

- This is a fight for freedom,

the fundamental freedom of a woman

to make decisions about her own body.

- [Narrator] A Wall Street Journal poll

in April found that abortion

was the most powerful issue

by far driving suburban women in swing states.

Over half of the women in the poll

said Trump's policies on abortion

were too restrictive.

- [All] Ready to go.

- [Narrator] Some Democrats and political experts

also expect Harris to invoke more excitement

from black voters.

(Volunteers chanting)

A critical advantage at a time

when support from that group

was slipping for Biden.

- As an African American woman,

she's gonna have a unique opportunity

in terms of how she communicates

and has a conversation with voters

in Detroit, Michigan, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

These urban centers are really

where we're gonna need historic turnout

to consolidate around Kamala,

so that way we win these critical swing states.

- [Narrator] Harris could stand

to gain younger voters who had lost confidence

in Biden's ability to beat Trump.

- [Jonathan] Kamala harris gets to be the knight

in shining armor here.

She gets to ride in on the horse

and be the candidate that is not Joe Biden

that can carry the policies and ideas

of Joe Biden without some of the concerns

that led to Joe Biden's decision

to remove himself.

- [Narrator] A July poll by Emerson College conducted

before the assassination attempt

on Trump found that people between the ages of 18

and 29 were the least motivated to vote.

Biden was still leading the Democratic ticket

at the time of the poll.

- It's the younger Democrats, which is,

in my opinion, the base of the party,

and it's more than just voting.

It's about canvassing, it's about phone calling,

it's about get out the vote efforts.

- We cannot do it without all of your help.

- All of this is part of the campaign

that I think was lacking with Biden,

and that's why we have Harris to see

if we can capture that energy

that has been missing.

- [Jonathan] Harris actually channels a lot

of the candidate characteristics

and features of Obama that generated

this excitement in 2008.

- He was awesome, he was brilliant,

just what I was looking for.

- This is a young candidate of color

that is going to sell us on a vision

of America that is multicultural,

that is more unified, that is moving

into a new future.

- [Narrator] At 59 years old,

Harris is significantly younger

than Biden, who's 81.

- We get to go coast to coast

without worrying about her energy level

in terms of hitting critical media markets.

- [Narrator] Some political experts

say Harris's background as a prosecutor

helped her come off as a strong debater

in her 2020 presidential campaign.

- You know, there was a little girl in California

who was part of the second class

to integrate her public schools,

and she was bused to school every day,

and that little girl was me.

- This becomes a moment where Harris

looks extremely strong.

Suddenly she goes from polling

in the single digits to close to 20%.

- [Narrator] And after her Vice Presidential debate

with Mike Pence, polls showed

that more voters thought she won.

- [Susan] Let's get go- - But Susan,

this is important. - Susan.

- And I wanna add.

Mr. Vice President, I'm speaking.

I'm speaking.

- [Narrator] Experts say that in a race

against Trump, she needs to replicate

that debate success.

- You also have to be very careful

because we've never seen someone

survive an assassination attempt,

and then step onto the debate stage,

talk about this openly as a signal

of love of country.

How will Kamala Harris handle the events

that have catapulted Trump's popularity

and favorability amongst his base?

- [Narrator] Recent polls like this one

by Emerson College show Harris

significantly trails Trump.

- What we've seen over the last year

when Biden was on the ticket is Trump

had a ceiling of about 46%.

Never does he really go above that number.

Not before the conviction,

after the conviction post debate.

Biden was losing ground or gaining ground,

but not being able to get over 45%.

Can a Harris candidacy get over 45, 48%?

What she really needs to do is get closer to 50%,

and that could give the Democrats the edge.

- [Narrator] But polls only capture voters' feelings

at a specific moment in time.

And these results came in

before the assassination attempt on Trump,

and before Biden dropped out of the race.

- When we're looking at these polls prior

to the announcement,

these are hypothetical candidates

and we ask voters who really haven't taken

much time to think about these individuals.

So they give you a knee jerk reaction,

generally based on name recognition.

With Harris, you see lower numbers

in some of these demographics,

but over the course of a few weeks,

I expect to see them bounce back in her favor.

- [All] USA!

- [Narrator] But in a toe to toe race

against Trump, experts say Harris would need

to prove that she's a strong leader.

Something 44% of voters said they were looking

for in a candidate, according to a poll

by Monmouth University.

- Donald Trump, this is a person

that is not shy on confidence.

- Nobody knows the system better than me.

- With people who are already sort

of ideologically aligned and therefore,

also see Trump as an effective leader,

he's in a prime position to demonstrate this idea

of "I am the leader of the free world."

With Kamala Harris, what will be her

"I am the leader of the free world" moment?

- The biggest concern for Harris

will be immigration.

- My trip to Guatemala and Mexico

was about addressing the root causes.

- She's gonna have to defend those policies.

- Kamala had one job, one job,

and that was to fix the border.

Now imagine her in charge of the entire country.

- [Narrator] But at the end of the day,

some experts say this is a race based

on personalities, not policies.

And Harris replacing Biden

would force the Trump campaign

to change its offensive strategy.

- Trump has spent so much time the last three

and a half years on Biden.

- Could you imagine if Biden was up here

and the teleprompters didn't work?

- And we'll see how he's able

to make his case against Harris.

- They can't decide which

of their candidates is more unfit

to be president.

Sleepy, crooked, Joe Biden, or laughing Kamala.

- [Narrator] Harris entering the race now would

be the latest a candidate

has joined a presidential election since 1968.

Biden had been the presumptive

nominee since March.

- This creates questions around

how well organized the Democratic party may be.

- It's a very short onboarding process.

Joe Biden, Donald Trump, they've been around.

While Vice President Harris

has had an extensive career,

it's certainly not nearly as long

as these other two candidates.

- [Narrator] But a big question remains,

who would Harris pick to be her Vice President?

- This can be very important

both regionally and demographically

because she needs to shore up some of her base.

- [Narrator] That decision might be the key

to what experts say

is Harris's best path forward.

- The Obama Coalition that we saw in 2008,

can you bring that group back together?

- That's a coalition of robust historical turnout

to African Americans, dominating amongst Latinos

and really holding your own amongst white voters

and rural voters so that way

there's no more bleed to the Republican party.

- What the Democrats really

liked was President Obama in his ability

to articulate ideas and talk to groups of people

and get them excited.

- Yes, we can.

- [Spencer] If candidate Harris is able to speak

with that confidence and be able

to rally groups with her voice,

would be a exceptional game changer in this race.

(dramatic music)