# Is Kamala Harris the most disappointing candidate ever? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** kamala-harris\ **Created:** [December 3, 2019, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296 "2019-12-03T03:56:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/21 "2019-12-03T17:10:32Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …nope. > > “Hype” is subjective. > > “Disappointing” is subjective. > > Harris IMHO, was never particularly “hyped”, I don’t know if I’d call her the most overhyped and disappointing candidate ever, but she was definitely hyped. If you get in your DeLorean and travel back to about one year ago, you’ll find all the smart people at the big media outlets who are highly paid to understand politics saying that Kamala Harris is #1 and will totally win the nomination. For example, [here are Chris Cillizza and Harry Enten at CNN:](https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/12/politics/2020-rankings-democrats/index.html) > [@](#): > > If there’s one lesson Democrats should learn from the 2018 election, it’s this: Their base wants to make history. Democratic voters helped elect a historic number of women to Congress. They elected the first Muslim-American women – one in Minnesota and another in Michigan. They voted in the first Native-American women – in New Mexico and Kansas. > > Everywhere you looked on the map last Tuesday night, Democratic voters were backing women – and oftentimes women of color. Which brings us to the 2020 Democratic presidential race. And specifically to California Sen. Kamala Harris. Harris is in her first term as a senator from the country’s largest state. When she won in 2016, she made history as the first African-American woman and the first Indian-American woman to represent California in the Senate. > … > the 2018 election convinced us that Harris seems to be exactly what Democratic voters are telling the party and its politicians they want representing them going forward. A young-ish – she’s 54 – non-white woman, Harris looks like the Democratic Party base these days. And if 2020 is anything like 2018, that’s a very good place for her to be. > > Add it all up, and we’ve got a new #1 on our 2020 rankings! There was lots of that sort of thing all over the media. Even [Republicans agreed](https://www.newsweek.com/kamala-harris-will-2020-democratic-nominee-why-newt-gingrich-has-been-saying-that-all-year-1447226) that the Democratic voters were going to reject men and white people and elect a minority woman instead. So where are we at now? The[top 5 choices of Democratic voters](https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/472629-bloomberg-overtakes-harris-in-new-poll) are a white man, a white man, a white woman, a white man, and a white man. In other words, the media have proved yet again that they’re totally clueless. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/22 "2019-12-03T18:16:03Z")
And she has dropped out of the race. [Kamala Harris Drops Out of Presidential Race](https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/03/kamala-harris-drops-out-out-of-presidential-race-074902) ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/23 "2019-12-03T18:46:08Z")
Kamala Harris was my favorite candidate, but I’m not a Democrat, only an extremely disaffected Republican. While I support her, she really needs more experience in the Senate. The next election in 2024 is when she’d naturally peak, but I don’t blame her for running this time. I’m disappointed it didn’t work out, but happy to have her represent me in the Senate. And there’s still a vice-presidential slot to fill; she’d pair well with Sanders (blech) or Buttigieg. > [@adaher](#): > > Harris has never had to run a race where she wasn’t the party anointed. And of course in California once you’re the party anointed you’re going to win, because the GOP is not much competition statewide. This is not correct. The Democratic party did not endorse her for the Senate election in 2016. Because of the primary system in California, no Republican qualified and her opponent in the general election was also a Democrat, so the party did not endorse either candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/24 "2019-12-03T18:46:41Z")
I met her and heard her speak at a backyard Ohio fundraiser for Sen. Sherrod Brown last year and was basically underwhelmed. When she spoke at a county Democratic dinner later that year she didn’t change that impression at all. I thought she’d at least get through Iowa and New Hampshire, but apparently not. Wouldn’t be too surprised to see her as AG in the next Democratic administration, though. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/25 "2019-12-03T18:54:56Z")
How was Harris more disappointing than JEB! ? ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/26 "2019-12-03T19:06:54Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Wouldn’t be too surprised to see her as AG in the next Democratic administration, though. Yes, she would be a natural for AG. And her seat would be a safe DEM seat if she stepped out of it. But, where do you go from AG? I think she would remain in the senate and continue to keep her powder dry for future White House runs. My crystal ball prediction says I see her as landing VP, followed by a failed Presidential run, then Governor of California, then retirement (with frequent calls for her to give the White House one more shot). So, we haven’t heard the last of her. In other news, thank OG she’s out! Now my email inbox will no longer be quite so inundated. (I used to think of her as my obsessive ex.) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/27 "2019-12-03T19:20:52Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The NY Times published an article on how it all fell apart: [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/29/us/politics/kamala-harris-2020.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/29/us/politics/kamala-harris-2020.html) Solis article, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/28 "2019-12-03T19:23:00Z")
I’m surprised she is out considering that she is one of only six who qualified for the next debate. She is polling much better that several who are still in the race. I thought she had a lot of money too. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/29 "2019-12-03T19:32:17Z")
Let’s not forget Fred Dalton “Wake Me on Super Tuesday” Thompson. Harris…_sigh_. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/30 "2019-12-03T19:45:12Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > I’m surprised she is out considering that she is one of only six who qualified for the next debate. She is polling much better that several who are still in the race. I thought she had a lot of money too. My impression is that she did not manage her campaign particularly well, from a management perspective, from a campaign perspective, and from a financial perspective. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, if your burn rate is too high. Like some others that were high-flyers early on (Beto), it’s easy to get confused by how much money is going to continue to flow in based on early contributor enthusiasm. I suspect that at this point in the race, one would be talking to the big donors, PACs, and bundlers. If they are not giving you the love, it’s time to fold up the circus tent. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/31 "2019-12-03T20:00:07Z")
Apparently she has now [DROPPED OUT](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/03/us/politics/kamala-harris-campaign-drops-out.html) of the race. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/32 "2019-12-03T20:34:00Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > Apparently she has now [DROPPED OUT](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/03/us/politics/kamala-harris-campaign-drops-out.html) of the race. What, AGAIN?!! > [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > And she has dropped out of the race. > > [Kamala Harris Drops Out of Presidential Race](https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/03/kamala-harris-drops-out-out-of-presidential-race-074902) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/33 "2019-12-03T20:55:25Z")
Yeah, not especially disappointing - this is after all what happens with most presidential aspirants anyway. I for one did not really expect her for a 2020 run anyway so IMO shecwas just before her time (sure Obama did it, but he was an outlier). ---
**Author:** ![gatorslap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gatorslap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gatorslap)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/34 "2019-12-03T21:04:54Z")
Harris’ bump in the polls back in June was based on fluff. Busing isn’t a live issue in 2019. That’s why it was just a bump. She had an opportunity, _during_ the bump, to solidify her position if she made some smart moves. But she didn’t. Around that time, she totally flubbed debuting her health care plan. The plan itself deserved more attention tbh, but she came across as not understanding “her own” proposals. Except for the LIFT act, which is a fine idea but not the kind of policy that can make waves in 2019. She potentially had time for a comeback, but she didn’t really do much. I knew she was finished when she said she was “fucking moving to Iowa”. She was never a good Iowa candidate, particularly compared to the 2020 field. At that point she should have essentially conceded the first two states and focused on winning Nevada. I’m actually pretty surprised there hasn’t been a single “I’m skipping Iowa for New Hampshire” candidate this year. New Hampshire isn’t good for Harris either, but Nevada could have been. Harris’ biggest issue was probably that she never really answered for the rough spots in her record as DA. That could’ve been overcome with the right messaging. She just didn’t have it. She did make one correct move: dropping out now rather than later. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/35 "2019-12-03T21:15:58Z")
> [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > \*\*Is Kamala Harris the most disappointing candidate ever? \*\* > Keeping it within the US, it’s hard to top Franklin Pierce. Although there are four strong runner-ups listed, including Andrew Johnson. > > [When Has A President Been Denied His Party's Nomination? : It's All Politics : NPR](https://www.npr.org/sections/politicaljunkie/2009/07/a_president_denied_renominatio.html?t=1575387224744) But they won. We’re not talking disappointing general election campaigns or disappointing performance in office. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/36 "2019-12-03T21:34:46Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > She’s performed just as I expected. Her lack of substance was glaringly apparent. What did her in was her attack on doddering old Uncle Joe. We’re looking for a president who isn’t a bully. > [@BobLibDem](#): > > Yes, Harris has disappointed. She took a roundhouse punch at Biden about busing but as it turned out didn’t have a lot of daylight between his position and hers. That punch was loaded with self-pity and I think it turned people off. Time to put the butter and jelly on her because she is toast. Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Kamala reach the peak of her popularity right after that busing exchange? It sounds like you guys are saying that this exchange did her in, and I can’t imagine how the facts support what you’re saying. So I’m interested to hear whether I’m misunderstanding what you’re trying to say, or whether there are some facts I’m not aware of. (FWIW, I agree that the punch was loaded with self-pity and it did turn me off to her. But I had thought that was a personal problem, not something a lot of other people agreed on.) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/37 "2019-12-03T21:43:09Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > But they won. We’re not talking disappointing general election campaigns or disappointing performance in office. If we want to limit it to primary contests, here’s a few I can think of. Ed Muskie 1972 Ted Kennedy 1980 Gary Hart 1998 Bill Bradley (D) and John McCain (R) 2000 John Edwards 2008 ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/38 "2019-12-03T21:58:38Z")
> [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Kamala reach the peak of her popularity right after that busing exchange? It sounds like you guys are saying that this exchange did her in, and I can’t imagine how the facts support what you’re saying. So I’m interested to hear whether I’m misunderstanding what you’re trying to say, or whether there are some facts I’m not aware of. (FWIW, I agree that the punch was loaded with self-pity and it did turn me off to her. But I had thought that was a personal problem, not something a lot of other people agreed on.) As **gatorslap** mentioned, the busing exchange put her in the public eye, but once that happened, it showed that she didn’t have much. And when people thought back on it, they realized, wait, busing isn’t really an issue anymore. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/39 "2019-12-03T22:05:25Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Kamala Harris was my favorite candidate, but I’m not a Democrat, only an extremely disaffected Republican. While I support her, she really needs more experience in the Senate. The next election in 2024 is when she’d naturally peak, but I don’t blame her for running this time. I’m disappointed it didn’t work out, but happy to have her represent me in the Senate. And there’s still a vice-presidential slot to fill; she’d pair well with Sanders (blech) or Buttigieg. > This is not correct. The Democratic party did not endorse her for the Senate election in 2016. Because of the primary system in California, no Republican qualified and her opponent in the general election was also a Democrat, so the party did not endorse either candidate. The party didn’t endorse her, but almost all the big players in the party did. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296/40 "2019-12-03T22:09:31Z")
> [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Kamala reach the peak of her popularity right after that busing exchange? It sounds like you guys are saying that this exchange did her in, and I can’t imagine how the facts support what you’re saying. So I’m interested to hear whether I’m misunderstanding what you’re trying to say, or whether there are some facts I’m not aware of. (FWIW, I agree that the punch was loaded with self-pity and it did turn me off to her. But I had thought that was a personal problem, not something a lot of other people agreed on.) Unlike most candidacies that implode, it wasn’t one thing. It was her own position on busing, which is the same as Biden’s, her flip flops on M4A, her poor campaign management, her choice of positioning(be everything to everyone), and just the fact that I think she’s too polarizing. Some people look at her and see Barack Obama 2.0. Others see a very unlikeable, insincere candidate. On the left, there was a lot of “Kamala Harris is a cop” memes and Tulsi lit into her over that record. Some people were just enamored with the fact that she is genuinely good at prosecuting a case. Others saw that “prosecuting the case” is insufficient to be President. What happens once you get there? You just prosecute all the evildoers? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kamala-harris-the-most-disappointing-candidate-ever/844296.md?page=3)