Focus on Dem agenda fundamentals key to Dem win in November

[Bill, 7-21-24, Politico Magazine, “15 Experts Predict What Biden’s Dropout Means for the 2024 Election”, , Accessed 7-21-24, AMH]

Incumbent presidents who preside over growing economies with low unemployment and wages rising faster than inflation, and who have not sent American ground troops to fight and die in unpopular wars, consistently win reelection. Economic improvement fosters confidence that the existing administration can ably address any remaining problems. All evidence suggests that Joe Biden was on track to lose reelection largely because of concerns about cognitive decline. Now that Biden will not be the nominee, Democrats have a fantastic opportunity to return the race to traditional fundamentals.

For the next four months, I certainly expect Trump and his running mate Senator JD Vance to try to detach the race from traditional fundamentals with race-baiting, misogyny and immigrant-bashing. It’s already started.

On Saturday Vance said of Harris, “What the hell have you done other than collect a check?” Vance has barely served in government, while Harris has been a city district attorney, state Attorney General, U.S. Senator and vice president who has represented the administration on more than 15 foreign visits. Yet Vance is talking about Harris like she’s on welfare. Trump responded to Biden’s withdrawal by accusing him of welcoming “millions of people coming across our border” including “many from prisons, mental institutions, and record numbers of terrorists,” completely ignoring the success of the recent border crackdown.

Biden’s increasingly garbled speech allowed age and health to overshadow his record. Harris’s recent appearances on the campaign trail have been far sharper. I can’t predict with certainty how well she will hold up to vicious attacks over the next four months, but she is better equipped to neutralize such distractions and return the focus to the subject areas where reelection efforts are typically won.