Kamala Harris, once an insufferable progressive, is now showing signs of what some might call a “political makeover.” Remember when she was all about decriminalizing illegal border crossings? Well, that was so 2020. Fast-forward to 2024, and it seems Harris is singing a different tune. The Democratic candidate has made a noticeable pivot on her immigration stance, now advocating for the enforcement of existing laws—a far cry from her previous radical position.
This shift has left many scratching their heads and others accusing her of the dreaded political crime: flip-flopping. How this will affect her support among progressives won’t be good.
In the past, Harris was the darling of the far left, championing progressive causes with gusto. She pushed for Medicare for All, championed criminal justice reform, and wasn’t shy about her stance on immigration. Now, as we approach the 2024 election, it appears that Harris has undergone a transformation. Gone are the days of boldly progressive rhetoric; in its place is a more cautious, perhaps calculated, approach. And pundits are calling her out on it.
From Breitbart:
On Thursday’s broadcast of “CNN NewsNight,” host Abby Phillip stated that 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris hasn’t fully explained her drastic shift on border policy from supporting decriminalizing illegally crossing the border when she ran for president during the 2020 cycle to saying that she supports enforcing existing immigration law now.
On Thursday’s broadcast of “CNN NewsNight,” host Abby Phillip highlighted this shift, pointing out that Harris hasn’t fully explained her dramatic change in position on border policy. “What I thought was missing,” Phillip said, “is she explained her position on immigration. One of the questions was, you said, like she did with many things in 2020 that you don’t believe it’s a crime to cross the border if you do so illegally, and her position now is that we should enforce the laws. She doesn’t explain the delta between those two things.”
The word “delta” here is key. It’s the gap, the chasm between what Harris once stood for and where she stands now. Phillip was quick to challenge the notion that this shift is just a matter of political advice, noting that today, Harris isn’t being swayed by advisers as she might have been in 2019. This is different. This is Harris recalibrating her public persona—perhaps in an attempt to appeal to a broader electorate, or maybe just to avoid the pitfalls that come with being labeled too extreme.
But what does this mean for her campaign? Well, it’s hard to say. Flip-flopping can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, it might help Harris appeal to moderate voters who found her previous stances too radical. On the other hand, it could alienate the very base that supported her in the first place, leaving them feeling betrayed or disillusioned.
It seems that while Harris may be trying to straddle the line between progressivism and pragmatism, the markets are not so easily convinced. As she navigates this tricky political landscape, one thing is clear: Kamala Harris is playing a high-stakes game, and it could bite her in the butt.
Key Takeaways:
- Harris now supports enforcing immigration laws, reversing her previous stance on decriminalizing illegal border crossings.
- CNN’s Abby Phillip questioned Harris’s failure to explain the reasons behind her shift.
- Her policy changes have tightened the 2024 election odds, putting her neck and neck with Trump.
Source: Breitbart