Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s candidate for president, leans towards the left on most domestic issues, more so than Biden, according to the Wall Street Journal. The publication suggests she might need to adjust some of her views to win the election. “A fair conclusion … is that Ms. Harris is a standard California progressive on most issues, often to the left of Mr. Biden. Perhaps as she reintroduces herself to the public in the coming weeks, she will modify some of those views. She would be wise to do so if she wants to win,” said the Wall Street Journal.
Her foreign policy stance isn’t well known. She has supported Biden’s military aid to Ukraine but has been less clear on her support for Israel. In March, she criticized Israel for not addressing a “humanitarian catastrophe.” She also criticized Trump’s decision to kill Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, though the result of the action was different than she predicted. The Wall Street Journal noted, “It will be especially important for the press to ask Ms. Harris about her national security views. If her handlers control her as much as White House advisers have Mr. Biden, we’ll know they’re afraid that the Vice President might not be able to handle the scrutiny.”
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The New York Times sees Harris as a strong candidate, noting she could hold Trump accountable for his actions better than Biden. “She is an accomplished leader and a forceful and eloquent campaigner and is likely to be a far more persuasive candidate than Mr. Biden. She would hold Mr. Trump to account for his lies and destructive policies in a way that Mr. Biden’s infirmities have left him unable to do,” said The New York Times.
The Washington Post commented on the quick transition from Biden to Harris, suggesting a more contested nomination process could have been beneficial. “Too quickly, arguably: Both she and the country would be better served by a brief, contested nomination process that tested her skills as a presidential campaigner and sparked discussion about where the next generation of Democratic leaders should take the party,” said The Washington Post.
Overall, Harris now has the chance to present her vision to all voters. “Fate has presented Ms Harris the rarest of political opportunities: to start a presidential campaign in the summer of an election year as a fresh, all-but-anointed candidate free to present her vision to all voters, not just to her own party. Though many Americans might already have feelings about their vice president, they are listening now,” said The Washington Post.
