If it wasn't official before, it's official now. Barack and Michelle Obama have endorsed Kamala Harris for the Democratic Party presidential nomination and the general election.
SEE: Barack Obama to Endorse Kamala Harris for President
With the DNC set to hold a virtual roll call to avoid chaos on the floor, I can't foresee any scenario where Harris doesn't get the nod. Not with the Obamas, Clintons, Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer all in her corner. That's good for the current vice president because it allows her to operate as the presumptive nominee and bypass any sense of disunity within her party.
Harris is still Harris, though, and that was illustrated in spades after a clearly scripted and focus-grouped call between her and the Obamas was released. To be fair, the vice president had a fairly disciplined week as far as her less desirable public ticks go, but the cringe returned with this one. I'll transcribe it, but you have to listen to it to get the full effect, including seeing the very end.
OMG. I’m seen some cheesy political videos in my time, but this Obama endorsement of Kamala is full-on Gorgonzola… 🧀 pic.twitter.com/ifiH1rW8Xn
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 26, 2024
B. OBAMA: Kamala!
HARRIS: Hi!
M. OBAMA: Hey there.
HARRIS: Ah, hi, you're both together.
M. OBAMA: I can't have this phone call without saying to my girl Kamala that I am proud of you. This is going to be historic.
B. OBAMA: We called to say, Michelle and I couldn't be prouder to endorse you and to do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office.
HARRIS: Oh, my goodness. Michelle, Barack, this just means so much to me. I'm looking forward to doing this with the two of you, Doug and I both, and getting out there, being on the road, but most of all, I just want to tell you, the words you have spoken and the friendship you have given over all these years mean more than I can express. So thank you both so much, and uh, we're gonna have some fun with this to aren't we?
I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it several dozen more times before November. Kamala Harris is the most inauthentic politician in modern history. She makes Hillary Clinton, who once filmed a video of herself "Chillin' in Cedar Rapids," look downright normal. Every single thing about that "call" from the Obamas was carefully planned, and because Harris isn't a good actor, it shows through.
Pretending to be surprised by the call when the cameras are already rolling because everyone knows who the call is from? It's classic Harris that harkens back to the "we did it, Joe" call from late 2020. For some reason, she thinks it's extremely impactful to stage these calls and then release them publicly.
That complete inauthenticity is her biggest liability. Ironically, it may also be her biggest strength. While you can count on Harris to bring the cringe in overly-planned set pieces, the fact that she's so pre-packaged means you aren't going to see a public meltdown from her like we did with Biden.
At any debate that occurs, she'll have every line memorized. During every stump speech, she'll stick the teleprompter word for word. You can also expect Harris to limit her exposure to unscripted interviews this time around since they were so damaging during her failed primary campaign. The cackle that she's become so known for isn't likely to make very many appearances. If you want a preview of what she's going to at least attempt to do, go watch her meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu.
That's why I opined on Thursday that Trump is going to have to change strategies against her. There was a scatter-shot, almost haphazard nature to his attacks against Biden, and it was working brilliantly because the entire race centered on the president's failing health. Trump didn't have to prepare for the debate because what he said was never going to be the story. That dynamic no longer exists. The threat Harris poses is very real, and Republicans underestimate the power of a unified Democratic Party and press at their own peril.
Message discipline is going to be key. Harris is an intersectional figure with the entire press shamelessly behind her. How that's navigated will take serious thought. What you've seen the last week with the coronation of Harris is just the beginning. The press can absolutely keep this up for another three months, and as cringe as it looks to us who know her, there are a lot of gullible voters out there who may once again fall for the "return to normalcy" nonsense Harris is obviously trying to project.
Editor's Note: This article was updated post-publication for clarity.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member