Pearl River Who would have believed over the last year that many of us have gone from stubborn optimism, as we approached this US election, to something close to giddy euphoria at the improving prospects for the progressive forces as the calendar marches forward. The courage of President Joe Biden in stepping aside for this election and the meteoric rise of Vice President Kamala Harris on the Democratic side has been met by confusion and chaos from former President Trump. Who would have written this scenario even a month ago? No matter what anyone would and will claim, the answer is decidedly: no one!
The Times-Siena College poll finds Harris suddenly ahead by four points over Trump in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Other polls find that she pulled even with Trump and is now either ahead or surging, especially when Kennedy, Jr. is included in the polls. Kennedy, a protest vote, for “none of the above,” now is hurting Trump, since a good part of the “noners” are now Harris people.
Harris rallies are now larger than Trump rallies. I should add, that’s when he holds them. There was a bizarre story of him showing up late after landing in Billings, Montana, claiming there was a hydraulic problem in the aircraft, but it turns out the truth was he couldn’t land in Bozeman. The city was going to seize his campaign plane, since he had failed to pay them $40,000 for extra security for his rally last year. So, emergency landing in Billings and late arrival in Bozeman. Meanwhile, Harris has been minting money.
There was even a bizarre Trump press conference at Mar-a-Lago, where he shed crocodile tears for poor Joe not being on the ballot in a tactical attempt to paint Harris as ruthless in another distortion of Biden’s exit. Harris is whipping his butt and having no press conferences period. Insiders in the Trump campaign paint him as disoriented and confused about how to move forward and contend with Harris. Reports of him calling her a blankety-blank be-atch and questioning her race aren’t smart moves as the number of undecided voters plummets. His choice of Senator Vance has thus far been a disaster, while Governor Walz is wallowing in good press and making Minnesota-nice something closer to a warm and fuzzy progressive security blanket.
There’s still a long way to go, and, as recent weeks have proven, anything can happen. Everything can turn on a dime and go the other way. This is a Ripley’s Believe it or Not Election, and it’s not over yet. Both sides are going full bore, so nothing is certain. At the same, time in this minute in time, there is no question that Harris is soaring and Trump has faltered. Wake up tomorrow, and it could be the other way around, which is why, while scratching your head at these current events, wipe the grin off your face, everyone has to remember, it’s hard work and sweat to turn out the vote that will win in the end.