Why Kamala Harris Could Be a Strong Contender for the 2024 Democratic Presidential Nomination

San Francisco, California, California, USA United States of America
As California Attorney General, she sued fossil fuel companies and secured over $50 million in settlements from major corporations.
Harris has advocated for key Democratic issues such as reproductive rights and environmental justice.
Harris is popular among black voters and has high approval ratings among Democrats.
She faces criticism from both sides of the aisle and has low overall approval ratings.
There are concerns about her electability in key battleground states.
Vice President Kamala Harris is being considered as a potential Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential race.
Why Kamala Harris Could Be a Strong Contender for the 2024 Democratic Presidential Nomination

In recent days, there have been growing calls for President Joe Biden to step down from the 2024 presidential race and make way for Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. The speculation comes amid concerns over Biden's performance in debates and his age. Let's take a closer look at why some Democrats believe Harris would be a strong contender for the presidency.

First, it is important to note that Harris has been an advocate for several key Democratic issues, including reproductive rights and environmental justice. During her time as California Attorney General, she sued fossil fuel companies and amassed over $50 million in settlements from lawsuits against major corporations like Chevron, BP, ConocoPhillips, and Phillips 66.

Moreover, Harris has low approval ratings during her tenure as vice president but is known for her appeal among black voters and her background as a prosecutor. A recent AP-NORC poll showed that a majority of Democrats believe she would make a good president.

However, it is important to remember that Harris is not known for legislative dealmaking like Biden. Instead, she has taken on controversial issues head-on. For example, as California Attorney General, she took on for-profit colleges that she accused of saddling students with unsustainable debt.

Despite her popularity among some Democrats and her record of taking on big issues, Harris would face challenges if she were to become the nominee. She has low approval ratings overall and faces criticism from both sides of the aisle. Additionally, there are concerns about her electability in key battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

As Democrats weigh their options for the 2024 presidential race, it is clear that Harris would bring unique strengths to the table. However, she would also face significant challenges if she were to become the nominee. Only time will tell whether Harris will be able to secure the Democratic nomination and go on to defeat Donald Trump in November.



Confidence

85%

Doubts
  • The poll mentioned in the tweet may not be representative of all Democrats.
  • There is no mention of Harris' legislative dealmaking abilities or lack thereof.

Sources

81%

  • Unique Points
    • Harris has been an advocate for abortion rights and is popular among Democrats for this stance.
    • Harris sued fossil fuel companies during her time as attorney general and amassed $50 million in settlements from lawsuits against Chevron, BP, ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66.
  • Accuracy
    • A majority of Democrats believe Kamala Harris would make a good president.
    • About 6 in 10 Democrats think Harris would do a good job as president.
    • Harris has remained loyal to Biden and defended him after his debate performance.
    • Approximately 4 in 10 U.S. adults have a favorable opinion of Harris, while about half have an unfavorable opinion.
    • Biden is more disliked by Americans than Harris.
  • Deception (50%)
    The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position about a majority of Democrats thinking Kamala Harris would make a good president. The article does not provide any context or counter-arguments to balance out this assertion.
    • Many Democrats have privately and even openly looked to Harris to step in and succeed Biden as the party’s presidential nominee, believing she has a better chance against GOP nominee Donald Trump.
    • About 6 in 10 Democrats believe Kamala Harris would do a good job in the top slot.
  • Fallacies (80%)
    The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy in the form of poll results being presented as evidence that Kamala Harris would make a good president. The author states 'About 6 in 10 Democrats believe Kamala Harris would do a good job in the top slot.' and 'About 3 in 10 U.S. adults overall say Harris would do well as president.' These statements are used to support the idea that Harris is qualified for the presidency, but they do not prove it. Additionally, there is an example of inflammatory rhetoric when the author states 'many Democrats have privately and even openly looked to Harris to step in and succeed Biden as the party’s presidential nominee.' This statement implies a sense of urgency and dissatisfaction with Biden, which could be influencing readers' perceptions.
    • ]About 6 in 10 Democrats believe Kamala Harris would do a good job in the top slot.[
    • Many Democrats have privately and even openly looked to Harris to step in and succeed Biden as the party’s presidential nominee.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

74%

  • Unique Points
    • Kamala Harris started as the state's Attorney General and later served as a senator in California.
    • Harris is not known for legislative dealmaking unlike Biden.
    • As California Attorney General, Harris took on for-profit colleges that she accused of saddling students with unsustainable debt.
  • Accuracy
    • Kamala Harris is known for legislative dealmaking unlike Biden.
    • Harris sued fossil fuel companies during her time as attorney general and amassed $50 million in settlements from lawsuits against Chevron, BP, ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66.
    • About 3 in 10 U.S. adults overall believe Harris would do well as president.
    • Harris has been an advocate for abortion rights and is popular among Democrats for this stance.
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains editorializing and selective reporting. The author makes statements about Harris' political instincts and her handling of the Espinoza case being 'tone deaf' without providing any evidence or context to support these claims. The author also implies that Harris is not a legislative dealmaker by stating that she 'steered clear of the Capitol debates occurring just blocks from her Sacramento office' during the Black Lives Matter movement, but fails to mention that Harris was focusing on policies she could implement on her own and championed her own legislative priorities. The author also implies that Harris is rusty running against Republicans without providing any evidence or context to support this claim.
    • Harris did champion her own legislative priorities, including an anti-truancy measure in San Francisco that she then pushed as a statewide law. (She took heat for the effort during her presidential campaign as being overly punitive to parents whose children were chronically absent from school).
    • The fallout escalated when then-Sen. Feinstein spoke at Espinoza’s funeral and, with Harris watching from the pews, earned a standing ovation when she called for the death penalty. It was a stinging rebuke for a novice politician – one that triggered, in many observers eyes, an overcorrection to excessive caution from then on.
    • As a California Democrat, Harris has faced little in the way of tough challenges from Republican candidates – especially in federal races.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains several informal fallacies and a dichotomous depiction. The author makes use of the 'false dilemma' fallacy by presenting two extreme options without acknowledging other possibilities in points 1 and 2. In point 1, the author states that Harris has risen in parallel with Newsom, implying that they are interchangeable or have identical political careers. However, this is not the case as they have different political stances and achievements. In point 2, the author describes Harris' handling of Isaac Espinoza's murder case as 'tone deaf,' but fails to acknowledge that her opposition to the death penalty was a consistent stance throughout her career. The article also contains several appeals to authority in points 3, 5, and 6 where the author quotes former advisers and political figures without providing any context or evidence for their claims. Lastly, there are instances of inflammatory rhetoric used by the author in describing Harris' opponents and their positions.
    • More so than with any other politician, Harris has risen in parallel with Gavin Newsom...
    • It was a stinging rebuke for a novice politician...
    • She did champion her own legislative priorities, including an anti-truancy measure in San Francisco that she then pushed as a statewide law.
    • Her first race for California attorney general was grueling...
    • As California attorney general, Harris took on for-profit colleges that she accused of saddling students with unsustainable debt...
    • Harris made a habit of suing fossil fuel companies during her time as attorney general...
  • Bias (80%)
    The article does not contain any clear examples of bias towards a specific political ideology, religion, or monetary gain. However, the author does make repeated references to Harris's California origin story and her relationship with Governor Gavin Newsom. While this information is relevant to understanding Harris's political career, it could be perceived as disproportionately focusing on her connections in California rather than her national accomplishments or positions. This could potentially give readers an incomplete or skewed view of Harris as a politician.
    • After emerging from the competitive cauldron of San Francisco politics, Harris and Newsom enlisted the same blue-chip California consulting firm in their statewide campaigns.
      • It’s where she shaped her political instincts.
        • The Golden State is where Harris started the trajectory that led to her barrier-breaking election as the nation’s first Black, Asian American and female vice president.
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        97%

        • Unique Points
          • Top Democrats are considering President Biden stepping aside as early as this weekend to make way for another Democratic presidential nominee.
          • There is a movement among some Democratic officials and operatives to bypass Vice President Harris as Biden's successor or make the nomination a contest instead of a coronation.
          • The Biden campaign has $91 million in funds that could easily be transferred to Harris if she is nominated.
          • Harris, as a Black and Asian American woman, could potentially be the first woman president and would already have historical significance as Vice President.
          • Party elders including former DNC Chair Donna Brazile have warned that passing over Harris for another nominee could cause an 'uproar' or even be 'the kiss of death for the party'.
          • Senior Democrats are moving cautiously in their efforts to convince Biden to go, fearing a convention fight could cause a lasting schism.
          • The DNC is finalizing a virtual roll call for the party's nominee by early August, which could neutralize any effort to unseat Harris at the convention.
        • Accuracy
          • There is a movement among some Democratic officials and operatives to bypass Vice President Harris as Biden’s successor or make the nomination a contest instead of a coronation.
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        94%

        • Unique Points
          • Vice-President Kamala Harris found herself in a difficult position due to President Joe Biden’s poor performance in the debate.
          • Ms. Harris has low approval ratings during her tenure as vice president but is known for her advocacy for reproductive rights, appeal among black voters, and background as a prosecutor.
        • Accuracy
          • A majority of Democrats believe Kamala Harris would make a good president.
          • Kamala Harris’ political trajectory began in California, where she started as the state’s Attorney General and later served as a senator.
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (95%)
          The article contains an appeal to authority when it mentions 'high ranking members of the Democratic party' expressing varying levels of support for Biden and some changing their minds. This is a fallacy because the article does not name any specific individuals or provide evidence for their statements.
          • 'high ranking members of the Democratic party' expressing varying levels of support for Biden and some even changing their minds
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication