Why Harris went from ‘joy’ to calling Trump a ‘fascist’

On Wednesday afternoon, Kamala Harris stood in front of the vice presidential palace in Washington, DC, and launched a short but scathing attack on her Republican presidential rival.

Calling Donald Trump “increasingly destabilized and unstable,” she cited critical comments by John Kelly, Trump’s former White House chief of staff, in an interview with the New York Times.

The vice president quoted Kelly describing Trump as someone who “certainly falls into the general definition of fascist” and who has repeatedly voiced his approval of Hitler.

She said her opponent wanted “unchecked power” and later, at a CNN Town Hall, was asked point-blank whether she believed he was a “fascist.” or not. “Yes, I know,” she replied.

Trump’s campaign quickly accused the Democratic candidate of lying. Spokesman Steven Cheung said she is increasingly desperate because “she is losing and her campaign is in shambles.”

In domestic political campaigns — especially ones as tight and tough as the 2024 presidential race — candidates tend to be naturally negative. Attacks tend to be more effective in motivating supporters to vote and disrupting protest campaigns.

For Harris, however, the heavier-handed attitude toward Trump contrasts with the more optimistic, “happy” message of the early days of her campaign.

While she warned at the Democratic convention of a Trump presidency without barriers, Harris largely backed down from President Joe Biden’s core campaign message that Trump causes poses an existential threat to American democracy.

Still, according to political strategist Matt Bennett of the moderate Democratic group Third Way, it’s clear why this time Harris was so quick to amplify Kelly’s dark portrait of Trump as a man with authoritarian tendencies. talent.

“Everything she does now is tactical,” he said. “It is imperative to ensure as many voters as possible know about what Kelly has to say.”

The vice president’s latest comments come after her campaign’s weeks-long strategy to appeal to independent voters and moderate Republicans who might be willing to support support the Democrats. Polls show the race is extremely tight, with no candidate leading decisively in any battleground states.

The suburbs around the largest cities in key battleground states – such as Philadelphia, Detroit, Milwaukee and Phoenix – are concentrated with college-educated professionals who have traditionally voted party-line Republicans but polls show they have doubts about returning Trump to the White House.

“The secret to helping her win this election is to create the broadest coalition possible and appeal to disaffected Republicans who don’t feel like they can quit,” Mr. Bennett said. Vote for Trump again.”

Devynn DeVelasco, a 20-year-old independent from Nebraska, is one of those who has been persuaded by the long list of high-ranking Republicans who worked for then-President Trump but now say he unfit to take office.

While she hopes some Republicans will join her in supporting Harris, she worries there will be fatigue surrounding the statements made about the former president.

“When these reports [about Kelly’s comments] After the launch, I was not shocked, things did not change much,” Ms. DeVelasco told the BBC.

Republican strategist Denise Grace Gitsham said voters have heard similar rhetoric about Trump since 2016 so any new allegations are unlikely to change their minds.

“If you voted against Donald Trump because you don’t like his personality, then you are a decisive voter,” she told the BBC. “But if you’re the person looking at policies and that’s more important to you than temperament or personality, then you’re going to choose the person who you feel did the best job while they were in the White House. ”

Both Harris and Trump have been sharpening their rhetoric in recent days. During a tour of Midwestern battleground states Monday, Harris repeatedly warned about the consequences of a Trump presidency — for abortion rights, health care, the economy and foreign policy. USA.

On Friday, she will organize a rally in Texas — the state she says most clearly represents the anti-abortion future if Trump returns to power. Next Tuesday, she will shift her focus to Washington DC, with a rally reportedly planned by the National Mall, where Trump spoke before some of his supporters attacked the US Capitol.

Meanwhile, Trump continues to bombard his Democratic counterpart. At a town hall forum in North Carolina, he said Harris was “lazy” and “stupid” and only became her party’s candidate because of her ethnicity and gender.

He also issued his own warning, saying “we may no longer have a country” if Harris wins.

None of these lines were a particular departure for Trump, however, as he spent much of his campaign attacking Democrats and sticking to his core message on immigration, trade and economics.

Meanwhile, Harris’s ultimate aim to win over anti-Trump Republicans and independents is not without risk, said Democratic strategist Bennet.

“You’re always shorting one thing to try to boost something else,” he said. “Candidate time and advertising time are the two most valuable things. And how you spend those matters.”

Trump has been a divisive figure in American politics for more than eight years now. By now, most Americans have strong and ingrained opinions about the man.

If anti-Trump sentiment puts Harris at the forefront on election day, her latest strategic emphasis will pay off. Otherwise, the second guessing will be fast and furious.

Additional reporting by Ana Faguy

North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher gets the inside scoop on the White House race in his twice-weekly US Elections newsletter. Readers in the UK can Register here. Those outside the UK can Register here.