Democrats Encourage VP Harris to Keep Public Policy a Secret Until After Election: Report
Many Democratic lawmakers are hoping that Vice President Kamala Harris will continue to keep her public policy a secret until after the election is over, according to a report by Politico.
The news comes as several economists, both liberal and conservative, have criticized Harris’ plans for controlling the price of food and other goods, which she announced last week, per the Post Millennial.
Politico stated that liberal lawmakers have no issues with her keeping her public policy a secret from voters until after the November election is decided. There have also been reports that Harris has been urged by her colleagues to neither speak to the press or do long interviews with the media.
CNN reported that Harris is known to be “historically vulnerable” when it comes to interacting with the press.
“But mostly, she’s leaning into a general positive message that has wider appeal, specifically because it’s light on the details. Democratic lawmakers call it a savvy strategy,” Politico reported.
“They’d rather lay out a specific plan post-November, when a potential President-elect Harris would have to staff up her administration and determine her governing priorities.”
The chair of the New Democrats, Rep. Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH), told reporters that Harris “doesn’t need to negotiate against herself.”
“We’ve got the biggest possible tent right now,” said Kuster. “I don’t think there’s a real strong reason for her to try to weed out any points of view right now.”
Harris was able to jump ahead of the primary process after President Joe Biden endorsed her after being forced to end his re-election campaign. She was voted in as Biden’s replacement during a “virtual roll call” ahead of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), which began on Monday.
She did not win a single state to become the Democratic presidential nominee.
Now that the DNC is underway, there is hesitation among Democrats to hear Harris openly speak about her public policy stances, stating that it could “blunt her momentum.”
On top of that, the vice president also has to face Republicans as they hold her accountable for her radical record.
During her time as a senator, Harris was voted as “most liberal” in 2019 by GovTrack ahead of her presidential run in 2020.
Harris has been criticized for flip-flopping on several issues since 2020, including fracking.
She also said that if elected, she would have stricter border security legislation. In 2017, she compared ICE to the KKK.
“Say it loud, say it clear, everyone is welcome here,” Harris said in 2017.
One Democratic politician in a battleground district informed Politico that voters “have very little knowledge about who [Harris] is, what her job has actually been.”
One Democratic politician in a battleground district informed Politco that voters “have very little knowledge about who [Harris] is, what her job has actually been.” The politician also noted that voters know who Trump is and his policies.
“They know what his policies are,” the politician said. “They don’t know Kamala. And so Kamala has a ton of room right now to define herself.”