When the Democratic National Convention kicks off on Monday in Chicago, it will have an entirely different feeling than had been expected slightly more than one month ago, as VP Kamala Harris’ elevation to the top of the party’s presidential ticket has thus far been an effective ‘shot in the arm.’
And, while it is impossible not to notice the enthusiasm boost that have followed Harris’ nomination and led to her lead in many recent national and swing state polls, if Democrats want to sustain the momentum, the DNC must achieve a few essential goals.
Above all else, Kamala Harris must articulate an agenda for what her presidency would look like. This has been a topic of significant conversation in recent weeks, as she has spurned interviews and has avoided defining her positions on key issues.
Indeed, now that Harris is the party’s standard bearer, the Vice President must tell voters what her plans are to address issues such as lowering the cost of living, immigration and the Southern border, as well as her position on crime and public safety.
Not only are those the three most important issues in this election, but Harris’ past support for unpopular or controversial policies such as Bidenomics, decriminalizing illegal border crossings, and “defund the police” mean that her agenda needs to come to the center, lest she alienate moderate voters in swing states.
Moreover, given the increasingly dangerous geopolitical situation, Harris needs to clearly assert her foreign policy views, particularly on Israel, her approach to Iran, and how she will deal with the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
To be sure, with two recent Economist polls revealing that majorities of voters disapprove of the administration’s handling of inflation (60%), immigration (60%), foreign policy (58%), and crime (52%), Harris’ agenda should seek to address voters’ concerns that her presidency would be more of the same.
Thus far, Harris has been considerably lucky to avoid having to define her agenda and plans for the country – with no small assistance from Trump’s own inability to stay on message and the free pass she’s received from the media – but she cannot run what the Wall Street Journal described as an “avoidant campaign” forever.
Additionally, with Democratic heavyweights such as former Presidents Obama and Clinton headlining the convention, Harris will have to chart a new path for herself – and the party – based on her own agenda, not simply repackaging the policies of past party leaders.
Put another way, the DNC must serve as the ultimate platform for Harris to introduce herself to the large number of voters who do not know her aside from being VP, do not know where she stands on the issues, or how she will address the challenges facing the country.
A centrist agenda will not only address concerns of moderates, but will weaken Republican attacks characterizing the Harris-Walz ticket as extremely progressive.
Similarly, Harris and the DNC need to show the country that they have a positive vision for America, a stark contrast to the doom and gloom message of Republican candidate former President Trump.
Harris has been pushing this message in recent weeks, with her “Not going back” slogan marking a clear difference with Trump’s strategy of trying to convince voters that the country will be better off going back to a time when he was in the Oval Office.
This is something Harris should double down on, making positive messaging a centerpiece of her agenda and her entire campaign.
In that same vein, Harris – and the entire DNC – must make it a priority to show the country that they do not tolerate, let alone encourage, the chaos many have predicted will unfold in Chicago.
Ever since October 7th and the anti-Israel protests that have followed, fears of repeating their party’s disastrous 1968 convention have been a major cause for concern among Democrats, particularly as progressive opposition to U.S. support for Israel has intensified.
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Overt displays of antisemitism or anti-American sentiment – like those seen in Washington, D.C. during Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech – will only harm Democrats by reminding voters of the party’s unwillingness to prioritize public safety, especially when the offenders are from the political left.
To that end, the DNC should be used as an opportunity for the entire Democratic Party to promote itself as closer to the center than the far-left. As primaries have shown, voters have rejected far-left candidates like Reps. Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman in favor of more moderate challengers.
Ultimately, the unprecedented events that led to Kamala Harris’ position atop the Democratic ticket mean the stakes of a successful DNC are considerably higher than in past elections.
As a relative political unknown – at least on the national stage – who has been a presidential nominee for barely one full month, Harris must use this opportunity to tell voters not only who she is, but also what are her plans to address the very real problems facing the country, and how she will lead the nation through increasingly complex and dangerous issues.
Douglas Schoen is a longtime Democratic political consultant.
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