The last 60 days have been the most consequential period in any presidential election cycle in American history.
The period can be divided into two parts: Biden's fight for his political life, which lasted 24 days, from June 27 to July 21, and Kamala Harris’s rise, which began on July 21, (36 days and counting)..
During the Biden fight period, the media briefly assumed the role of a stern, independent watchdog, reporting the facts, asking probing questions, providing checks and balances, and legitimately earning back its laurels as the Fourth Estate. On July 7, we wondered if the media's timely return raised hopes for American democracy, although we caveated our hope with a check: Is the change for real?
Our caveat proved correct. During the last 36 days, the media's raving and fawning portrayal of Kamala Harris as a virtual goddess, immune from criticism, culminated in confetti falling all over the Chicago convention hall as Harris accepted her party's nomination.
Some of the praise was nauseating.
George Stephanopoulos, whose stinging interview of Biden on ABC News prompted us to wonder if the media was returning to its Watergate-era laurels, couldn't help himself with this adulatory comment: "Kamala Harris has emerged as a key figure in the Democratic Party's future, with her recent policy initiatives and public appearances showing her readiness to lead and address the challenges facing the nation." What exactly has Harris accomplished, George? Do tell.
Anderson Cooper of CNN: "In the wake of Biden's decision, Harris's leadership on critical issues like climate policy and economic equity highlights her potential as a strong candidate for the presidency in the next election cycle." At the time, Cooper wasn't sure if Harris would cement her nomination. Now that she has, he must be grinning ear to ear in glee.
Kristen Welker of NBC News: "Kamala Harris's recent actions and statements reflect a growing confidence and capability that could make her a leading contender for the Democratic nomination, especially following Biden's announcement." Like Cooper, Welker must be so pleased now that Harris is the nominee.
Eugene Robinson of The Washington Post said: "Vice President Harris's performance in recent weeks underscores her ability to take on significant national and international responsibilities, positioning her as a formidable leader in the Democratic Party." Really, Mr. Robinson? Can you provide three examples of each?
Stephanopoulos, Cooper, and Welker are powerful anchors with their own shows on three extensive networks: ABC, CNN, and NBC. Stephanopoulos and Welker are moderators of two highly watched Sunday morning news programs - This Week and Meet The Press. Shed any hopes that they would be fair to the Trump side during the remaining days of the campaign.
Harris has clearly excited the mainstream media universe. Always interested in identity politics, the media views her as the first female, first Black, and first South Asian Vice President in American history, breaking significant barriers and setting new precedents. They see her as everything that Biden is not. As a fierce advocate for reproductive rights, she can attract women. She is young and unburdened by family baggage (like Biden's son Hunter or brother James).
Harris is also not Trump. As polls consistently showed Biden losing, mainstream media outlets were practically resigned to a Trump return to the White House. Each time their 24/7 hype about a potential Trump legal bottleneck that would kill his candidacy - Colorado's banning Trump on the ballot, the Georgia RICO case - resolved itself in his favor, the media let out an anguished groan and looked forward to the next Trump bump in the road. When the Supreme Court granted him complete immunity for official presidential actions and Judge Cannon threw out the classified documents case by questioning the very appointment of Jack Smith as special counsel, the media deflated to a severe stage of depression.
The media's last best hope was that Biden would beat Trump in Atlanta on June 27. After all, the conditions of the CNN debate favored Biden 10 to 1: Friendly anchors on an uber-friendly network, no crowds to distract Biden, and seven days of debate prep for Biden when Trump was cris-crossing the country campaigning and dealing with his legal troubles.
All of these seem so far away in the past. For now, the media will do all it can to promote Harris's charm offensive as she goes from event to event. Each minute of her public appearances is closely choreographed, leaving no room for error, Hollywood style.
But there are still 70 days left until the election—an eternity in politics. American politics always builds momentum after Labor Day, when families return home from their summer vacations and children return to school and college.
Harris has said she will meet with a mainstream media personality for a sit-down interview. Of course, the appearance will not be on a hostile network, such as Greg Gutfeld of Fox or Joe Rogan. For the same reason, she couldn't possibly choose MSNBC, which can't stop gushing over her personality. If she were to appear on a friendly network like CNN, there would be significant pressure on the journalist to be fair. If the interview is seen as being overly conciliatory, Harris may face calls to sit down for another one-on-one. That would be a disaster for the Harris campaign.
The ABC debate on September 11 will be another crucial test. Trump can't be overconfident, and the media will amplify his slightest slip over and over again. But Harris has to be at her best, too. A word salad response will doom her carefully built image and prove that she is a lightweight.
There are 55 days from September 11 through November 5. Harris needs to be on her guard every waking moment and avoid engaging in a Freudian slip by always sticking to scripted responses. She has flip-flopped on so many policy positions that if she unintentionally slips and reveals her true self, she could be in trouble.
The history of previous campaigns is always a great teacher. At this time of the campaign in 2020, Biden was ahead of Harris in the polls, and Trump was the incumbent, distracted by rising deaths during Covid and struggling to contain the race riots after George Floyd. Now, Harris is in office, and Trump is the challenger, so she cannot claim she is an outsider.
Going back to 2016, when Hillary and Trump went toe-to-toe, media organizations were nearly universally behind Hillary's candidacy and formidable resume - Yale Law School, First Lady of Arkansas, First Lady for eight years in a prosperous White House, Senator from New York, and Secretary of State. Harris has none of Hillary's credentials, although her bi-racial card could make up for some of her professional weaknesses.
The Harris honeymoon is finally over, as the rubber hits the road beginning this week. Every little thing has to fall in place for her to win. As we saw with RFK Jr.'s announcement on Friday when he endorsed Trump, not everything is predictable in American politics, even by the stalwarts of the Harris-Walz campaign.
As the election nears, one has to wonder if Kamala Harris’s real focus is further down the road. While she’s carefully avoiding media scrutiny now, her calculated moves suggest she might be laying the groundwork for a future run. If November doesn’t go her way, don’t be shocked if a Harris 2028 campaign kicks off before the dust settles.
Rajkamal Rao is a columnist and a member of the tippinsights editorial board. He is an American entrepreneur and wrote the WorldView column for the Hindu BusinessLine, India's second-largest financial newspaper, on the economy, politics, immigration, foreign affairs, and sports.
