Two weeks before the election, Vice President Kamala Harris was at a town hall in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, when a voter asked a question that Americans around the world are challenged with at every job interview:
Harris had a 'deer-in-the-headlights' look as her mind raced to respond.
"I'm certainly not perfect (guffaw) - so, let's start there," she said. If Harris was trying to court swing voters, an admission that she is not perfect was a bad start. Voters want their presidents to be perfect, and even though they know that presidents are human and imperfect, voters don't want to hear the truth.
And the visually uncomfortable moments dragged on. "And....I think that...I...perhaps a weakness, some would say, but I actually think it is a strength; I really do value having a team of very smart people around me who bring to my decision-making process different perspectives. My team will tell you I am constantly saying 'Let's kick the tire on that '..' Let's kick the tires on it.' Because, listen, as I mentioned earlier, I started my career as a prosecutor."
It was such a botched response that it smacked of incompetence at every turn. First, Harris seemed utterly unprepared for a question like that, and it was not a "gotcha" question like her having to name the president of Morocco. Second, she made the classic error of attempting to convert a weakness question into a strength—a definite no-no that career opportunity centers at every community or four-year college drill into their students. And third, the strength, as she mentioned it, did not involve her - they revolved around others that she relies on for advice. This last point is especially crucial because voters are electing a president with a face, not faceless advisors who have no accountability to the American people.
On The View, Harris appeared in front of the most friendly panel she had ever faced during her entire campaign, a panel probably even more accommodating of her errors than her family. Co-host Sunny Hostin asked Harris, "If anything, would you have done something different from President Biden during the last four years?"
Harris thought for a moment and responded: "There is not a thing that comes to mind .. and I have been a part of most of the decisions that have had an impact."
This answer probably sunk her candidacy instantly. Americans have consistently said that the country was going down the wrong track and blamed an incompetent administration for it. Our editorial on Election Day predicted that Trump would win for this reason. In it, we summarized that no incumbent in each reelection instance, going back to 1980, had won when the wrong track number was above 57%. The RealClearPolitics average of the wrong track number across nine different pollsters was remarkably consistent with our TIPP poll, also showing a wrong track number for Biden-Harris of 63%.
Harris should have known all the details above. The fact that she did not—and did not have a compelling response—was an excellent example of her incompetence. Her answer could have been to name four specific instances when she thought Biden goofed—for example, Biden delegated too much to the foreign policy team, he did not fire anyone for incompetence, he went too easy on the border, and he should have instituted his Remain In Mexico policies early—would have shown that she was a leader willing to "turn the page," her campaign slogan. Instead, Harris strengthened her umbilical cord to a failing administration that smacked of incompetence.
The Left has tried numerous excuses to defend Harris's defeat. Some, including Sunny Hostin and Eddie Glaude of MSNBC, blame it all on race, saying that Americans rejected Harris because she was a Black woman. But these commentators do not have a convincing explanation for why Hispanics, who are minorities, also abandoned Harris in droves. Consider the Texas border, which has been home to Hispanic populations for generations. As the New York Times said, Trump won 12 of 14 counties, up from five in 2016.
On Friday's Real Time With Bill Maher, Hollywood celebrity Michael Douglas joined host Bill Maher in lamenting that the American election cycle is too long. Other countries, including Europe, hold their elections in just 60 days, so why shouldn't we?
We shouldn't for several reasons. Americans elect not just a president but a leader of the free world, and the entire process tests whether a candidate is competent or not. Competence during the campaign does not always translate to competent administrations, but that's an entirely different matter. We can't elect incompetent leaders hoping that things will fall into place when they assume the oath.
The two-year cycle from a candidate's announcement to Election Day uncovers all of their skeletons, providing Americans with the confidence that the candidate has been thoroughly vetted. A candidate's leadership traits are constantly challenged in the open - defining a vision, identifying critical policies, balancing them against competing ideas, assembling a team, raising funds, meeting voters, and taking on tough media questions. Finally, the long cycle tests candidates' strength, energy, and resilience when things turn sour.
Kamala Harris was appointed to her nomination. Her competence had never been sufficiently vetted, having exited her 2020 nominating contest before a single vote was cast. Biden selected her as his running mate. When Biden won, no supporters of his voted for Harris; they voted for Biden. Americans don't vote for vice presidents. And while in office, Harris essentially played sidekick to Biden. She wasn't a consequential vice president like Dick Cheney was to George W. Bush, other than casting tie-breaking votes in the Senate.
Last Wednesday, Americans did not reject Harris because she was a Black woman. They thought Harris was incompetent and chose Trump in the most decisive election in memory. Trump won 312 Electoral College votes and all seven battleground states. He also won the popular vote, a record unmatched since 2004. Trump helped flip Senate control by four seats, giving the GOP a sizable 53-45 advantage, with Arizona and Nevada races yet to be called. The House is even and will likely stay in GOP control. The majority of state governors and legislatures are now Republican.
Competence matters.
How America Voted
These charts reveal key shifts in swing states for 2024, with Trump increasing his support while Harris slightly lagged behind prior Democratic performance. Despite Arizona’s partial count, Trump’s gains are evident across most battlegrounds, highlighting Republican momentum and challenges for the Democrats in critical states.
TIPP Takes
Geopolitics, Geoeconomics, And More
1. U.S. Attacks Houthi Weapons Storage Facilities In Yemen - Al Arabiya
U.S. military conducted multiple airstrikes Saturday night on several Houthi weapons storage facilities in Yemen that contained advanced conventional weapons, a U.S. defense official said.
The weapons were used to target military and civilian vessels navigating international waters throughout the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
2. Israeli Airstrikes Hit Gaza, Beirut, Tyre; Reports: Qatar Ends Cease-Fire Mediation - UPI
While Israel's wars with Hamas and Hezbollah continue in Gaza and Lebanon, Qatar officials no longer will mediate a cease-fire deal on behalf of Hamas, NBC News reported.
Hamas recently rejected a cease-fire proposal mediated by Qatar. Qatar officials notified Hamas, Israeli, and U.S. officials regarding its decision to expel Hamas 10 days ago. "Hamas has been told that if this continues, then Qatar cannot continue to host them," one of the diplomats told NBC News.
3. U.N. Human Rights Leader Wants 'Reckoning' For Alleged War Crimes - UPI
"It is essential that there is a due reckoning with respect to the allegations of serious violations of international law," U.N. Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said.
The HRC report says 70% of the verified casualties in Gaza through April were women and children. The U.N. Human Rights Office published a report assessing potential war crimes and human rights violations by Israel, Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups in Gaza and during the war on Israeli civilians.
4. Pentagon Allows U.S. Military Contractors To Fix Weapons In Ukraine - Al Jazeera
According to U.S. officials, the United States is allowing a small number of American defense contractors to work inside Ukraine to maintain and repair Pentagon-provided weaponry.
The U.S. - a key military backer of Ukraine, committing more than $60bn in security aid since the start of the war - has not permitted U.S. military contractors to work in Ukraine until now, wary that it could be drawn into a direct conflict with Russia.
Officials said the Pentagon is allowing the contractors to leave because some equipment—including F-16 fighter jets and Patriot air defense systems—requires high-tech expertise to repair.
5. EU Pledges ‘Unwavering Support’ To Ukraine After Donald Trump’s Win - Al Jazeera
Trump’s victory in the United States election has caused concern in Ukraine and Europe that the volatile Republican could end Washington’s support for Kyiv’s fight against Russia’s invasion.
“The clear purpose of this visit is to express European Union support to Ukraine – this support remains unwavering,” European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told journalists on his first visit to Kyiv after Donald Trump’s U.S. presidential win.
6. Burkina Faso Says Russia Partnership 'Suits' Better Than France - AFP
Following a 2022 military coup, Burkina Faso's new leadership broke with Paris and has embraced Russia, which has sent army instructors to help Ouagadougou's fight against an Islamist insurgency.
Attending a Russia-Africa summit in the southern Russian city of Sochi, Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore said Russia was a "partner with whom we can make progress" and that there was "no fear" of becoming militarily dependent on Moscow.
7. China's Burned-Out Young Urbanites Flock To 'Youth Nursing Homes' - Nikkei Asia
A new type of travel destination is trending among young Chinese people: not the photo-worthy hot spots that dominated trends in 2023, but simple rural lodgings where urbanites can relax and unwind.
Rural guesthouses are becoming increasingly popular, with China's young urbanites eager to escape the pressures of city life. Simple lodgings offer a relaxed atmosphere and an escape from the pressures of city living.
8. Vietnam Faces Trump Era With Awkward Trade Surplus With The U.S. - RFA
Vietnam is far more vulnerable to changes in U.S. economic and trade policies, not to mention its security policy, than almost any other country in Southeast Asia.
By 2020, Trump’s last full year in office, Vietnam’s trade surplus had ballooned to $69.7 billion, prompting the Trump administration to label Vietnam a “currency manipulator.” In 2023, the United States ran a $104.6 billion bilateral trade deficit with Vietnam, and in the first nine months of this year, the trade deficit had already reached $96 billion.
9. Iran Urges Trump To Change 'Maximum Pressure' Policy - AFP
Iran signaled an openness toward Donald Trump, calling on the U.S. president-elect to adopt new policies toward it after Washington accused Tehran of involvement in a plot to kill him.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry on 9 described the American accusations as "totally unfounded."
Vice President for Strategic Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif urged Trump to reassess the policy of "maximum pressure" he employed against the Islamic republic during his first term. "Trump must show that he is not following the wrong policies of the past," Zarif told reporters.
10. North Korea Jams GPS Signals, Affecting Ships, Civilian Aircraft: South Korea - Yonhap
North Korea staged GPS jamming attacks for the second consecutive day Saturday, affecting several ships and dozens of civilian aircraft, South Korea's military said.
The jamming attacks were conducted in the North's Haeju and Kaesong areas, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, warning vessels and civilian aircraft operating in the Yellow Sea to beware of the attacks. Military operations and equipment were not affected, according to the JCS.
11. Germany Commemorates 35 Years Since Fall Of Berlin Wall - D.W.
Thousands celebrated in Berlin Saturday on the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the subsequent disintegration of former Communist East Germany, and eventually the Soviet Union, which led to German reunification.
Alluding to the pro-democracy movements and protests in much of Eastern Europe that preceded the bringing down of the wall, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said, "The victory of freedom in the fall of 1989 was a win for all of Europe."
12. Spain: Tens Of Thousands Protest In Valencia Over Floods - BBC
Protesters chanted, "We are stained with mud, you are stained with blood," as they took to the streets on Saturday evening.
More than 200 people died in the flooding, which was caused by torrential rain hitting Valencia and neighboring provinces in October. Eighty people are still missing. Protesters have accused local authorities of issuing flood warnings far too late.
13. Notre Dame Cathedral Bells Ring For First Time In 5 Years - UPI
Eight bells inside the Notre Dame Cathedral rang out for the first time since a fire damaged the historic church in Paris's roof and spire five years ago.
The bells rang out singly at first, then together a month before the cathedral was scheduled to reopen. The Notre Dame Cathedral was built from the 12th to the 14th centuries, with the spire being the first portion completed during the 13th century.
14. Vitamin D Supplements During Pregnancy Linked To Stronger Bones In Kids - HealthDay News
A study shows that children whose mothers took vitamin D supplements when pregnant had stronger, denser bones at the age of 7 compared to the children of women who didn't.
It's long been understood that vitamin D – often called the "sunshine vitamin" because human skin manufactures it upon contact with sunlight – plays a key role in bone development and health. The nutrient regulates the body's levels of calcium and phosphate – two minerals needed for strong bones, teeth and muscle health.
15. 1 In 5 Americans Might Have Long COVID - HealthDay News
According to results published Friday in the journal Med, a new AI-assisted review suggests that nearly 23% of U.S. adults experience the symptoms of long COVID.
Researchers said that's much higher than the 7% prevalence of long COVID that's been suggested by other studies. The researchers plan to release the AI publicly on open access so doctors and health care systems can employ and test it.
