Kamala Showed Up and Showed Out
Kamala Harris shines at CNN town hall, confronting Trump’s absence and authoritarianism. Championing democracy and leadership, she shows why voters may see her as the safer, more reliable choice.
By Jeremi Suri
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump were invited to debate again. Trump declined. Harris and Trump were invited to appear at the CNN town hall on Wednesday. Trump did not show up. Harris did, and she reminded viewers that she is running on democracy – protecting democracy. Harris came across as reasonable, believable, and someone with the character to be president of the United States. She explained why Trump was not.
Harris began with Trump’s record and his professional references. At least five times she recounted how respected Republicans and military leaders who worked with Trump have declared him “unfit” for office. She quoted John Kelly, a four-star Marine general and Trump’s former chief of staff, who described how Trump praised the Nazi leader and asked his military advisers to be “like Hitler’s generals.” Anderson Cooper asked Harris if she believed Trump is a fascist. Without hesitation, she responded, “Yes, I do.” Harris reminded viewers that Trump “fans the flames of hate consistently,” as he seeks revenge on his enemies and serves only himself.
In contrast, Harris described herself as part of a “new generation of leaders” who want to solve problems, not fight old battles. She did not criticize President Joe Biden’s policies, but she emphasized the work that “remains to be done” in making housing affordable, securing the southern border, curbing inflation, and protecting reproductive rights. She spoke passionately about bringing the country together, expanding on her record of working across the aisle to negotiate infrastructure and border bills. She also recounted her record as a public prosecutor and attorney general, serving the needs of all citizens, regardless of who they voted for.
Harris was personal at moments. She told the audience that she prayed daily, “sometimes twice.” She spoke of caring for her mother when she was suffering from cancer, and of helping to raise her stepchildren. Harris explained her deliberative style, focused on acquiring as much information as possible and hearing multiple points of view before making a decision. “I am a nerd sometimes,” she admitted.
What made Harris most effective was not her policy analysis or her turns of phrase, although she had some of both. Harris was human and relatable, someone viewers could imagine navigating grave responsibilities, as she navigated challenging questions tonight. She was not perfect – her answers on Israel and Gaza were somewhat evasive – but she looked like a reliable executive trying to get the job done. Trump’s absence raised questions about his readiness and temperament. She is taking the hard questions, why isn’t he?
The town hall certainly will not turn the election. For most voters, it will reaffirm their prior judgments about the candidates. It will, however, have one big effect. Kamala Harris not only attacked Donald Trump for threatening American democracy, she drew a vivid contrast between how a candidate who believes in democracy and truth carries herself, and how one who doesn’t dodges those moments. The story was not only that Trump made offensive, authoritarian statements, yet again. The real story was that Harris showed what normal politics in a democracy can look like. She was a familiar kind of leader, and that is a relief.
We don’t have to agree on policies to crave reliable, stable politics again. That feeling will draw more voters to Harris as they contemplate doubts about a Hitler-espousing alternative with fascist tendencies. You don’t have to love Harris to see her as a safer choice. That was the point of the town hall. That is the point of this election.
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Jeremi Suri holds the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. He is a professor in the University's Department of History and the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Professor Suri is the author and editor of eleven books on politics and foreign policy, most recently: Civil War By Other Means: America’s Long and Unfinished Fight for Democracy. His other books include: The Impossible Presidency: The Rise and Fall of America’s Highest Office; Liberty’s Surest Guardian: American Nation-Building from the Founders to Obama; Henry Kissinger and the American Century; and Power and Protest: Global Revolution and the Rise of Détente. His writings appear in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, CNN.com, Atlantic, Newsweek, Time, Wired, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and other media. Professor Suri is a popular public lecturer and comments frequently on radio and television news. His writing and teaching have received numerous prizes, including the President’s Associates Teaching Excellence Award from the University of Texas and the Pro Bene Meritis Award for Contributions to the Liberal Arts. Professor Suri hosts a weekly podcast, “This is Democracy.”
Yes, the point of the election... Well done.