A Biden Sighting! Kamala Harris to the Rescue?

First things first. There’s been a Biden sighting. On Tuesday, he was seen walking slowly to his car to fly back to Washington, D.C.

No one had seen the President for nearly six days, since he’d tested positive for COVID. His absence, coupled with his withdrawal from the race for the White House, provided fertile ground for speculation about his health. Here is the short clip of him walking to his limousine.

And Now, Kamala Harris

In a span of 24-36 hours of Biden withdrawing and endorsing her, the current Vice President and new assumed Democratic candidate for President, Harris reportedly raised more than $100 million. It is likely more driven by liberals thankful for Biden’s exit than excited by a Harris candidacy. Right now, it’s enough to believe her capable of traveling, campaigning, and debating Donald Trump. And Democrat donors are willing to pay to see that happen.

Reality, it’s almost inevitable.

Last week, Republicans staged a winning convention. All went well, really well, until Trump passed the 30-minute mark of his acceptance speech. He jumped off script and set the calm, restrained candidate aside. Not his best move.

That aside, Republicans left Milwaukee brimming with confidence. Exuberant. Downright giddy.

The convention seemed like one more cloud lowered on the Democrats’ summer of discontent. Then Biden withdrew, and here came the sun! And it’s lighting up everything in their world... up to this point.

Reality is a harsh master.

Social media is a battlefield, but it’s mainly theater. In the days ahead, whatever goes on between Trump and Harris will be viewed in the light of day – reality.

For Trump, the convention was a respite – save the assassination attempt a little over a week ago. Trump is known. Warts, strengths, successes, and failures. Whatever comes at him, it is likely he’s seen it or heard it before. As have most voters.

Harris, on the other hand, faces a different reality altogether. Here’s just a peek at what we will see in the weeks ahead.

First and foremost, Republicans will tie her to everything Biden. She was, after all, his second-in-command. Of course, being vice president in actuality isn’t all it appears. In dismissing whether or not he would serve as George W. Bush’s vice president, John McCain allowed: “The vice president has two duties. One is to inquire daily as to the health of the president, and the other is to attend the funerals of Third World dictators.”

However, given Biden’s mental state, she may well have played a major role in shaping policy. We’ll see. She’s in a bind. She can’t say she did little to nothing over the last 3¾ years, but being tagged with the ills that drove Biden’s numbers into the tank isn’t any better.

Reality and Illegal Immigration

Two huge issues this election: the economy and illegal immigration.

Tying Harris to the economy will take some work. However, she will forever be known as the Border Czar.

Three months into office, Biden put Harris in charge of fixing the invasion across the southern border. He didn’t call her his Border Czar – Republicans tagged her with that – but Biden did say very clearly, “When she speaks, she speaks for me.”

Border Czar might have been kinder. For the most part, Harris told Central Americans to stay away. “Don’t come,” she said. “Don’t come.” It didn’t work.

Matters were made worse when, during her interview with NBC newsman Lester Holt, she repeatedly stated she’d been to the border. When Holt pointed out that, in fact, she had not been to the border, she laughed and said, “Well, I haven’t been to Europe, either... I don’t understand your point.”

For the time being, perhaps even up to and through the Democratic Convention, Harris may enjoy a less bumpy road. That won’t happen on social media, of course. The socials are pretty cut and dried.

There are many seemingly Democrat voices on X, Threads, et al., very upset with Biden being forced out, but the Biden team has put their social media into full-throat for Harris.

On the other side, the right is hard at work laying waste to all things Kamala Harris.

But 104 days out from November 5 in American politics is akin to measuring dog years. We’re a long, long way from done.