In a surprising turn of events, The New York Times has openly criticized the Democratic campaign's strategy of promoting Vice President Kamala Harris as a symbol of "Joy."
Patrick Healy, the deputy opinion editor of the publication, authored an article titled "Joy is Not a Strategy," which was published last Friday. The piece scrutinizes the Democratic party's attempt to encapsulate the Harris-Walz ticket within a bubble of joyous sentiment.
According to The Post Millennial, Healy's article suggests that the Democratic convention's overarching message could be condensed into a bumper sticker slogan: "Harris is joy." Healy further elaborates, "the word has gone from being a nice descriptor of Democratic energy to being a rhetorical two-by-four thumped on voters heads." This critique comes in the wake of the Democratic National Convention, where speakers, including Bill Clinton, repeatedly referred to Harris as "the president of joy," a phrase that Healy admits made him cringe.
Healy's analysis of the DNC revealed that the term 'joy' was used over 50 times by various speakers. He compares the Democrats' overuse of the term to the popular phrase 'fetch' from the movie 'Mean Girls,' suggesting that the party is trying too hard to make 'joy' a trending term. Healy argues that Americans are not looking for a constant bombardment of joyous rhetoric. Instead, they want tangible solutions to their problems, such as reducing household costs and finding affordable housing. Healy states, "Being our joyful Momala is not going to win the election."
Healy further argues that the race is far from over for Harris. To compete with Trump, she needs to prove her mettle. Healy writes, "She hasnt been tested really tested since Biden stepped aside. She hasnt given a single interview or news conference to face hard questions. But its really the debates that will be her test." Healy suggests that Harris's advisers may be underestimating the challenge she faces in earning voters' trust.
As of now, Harris has agreed to debate Trump twice but has not yet given an interview. She had committed to one interview before the end of August, but time is quickly running out. This lack of engagement raises questions about her readiness to face the challenges of the campaign and, potentially, the presidency.
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