She Had a Problem, Guys . . .

Kamala Harris is out the 2020 presidential campaign.  The woman once called the female Barack Obama turned out to be the Hillary Clinton of the West Coast. That is, she ain't gonna be President.

Speaking of Hillary Clinton, the failed 2016 Democratic presidential anointee tweeted a greeting addressed at all Democratic presidential candidates (now down to fifteen, by my count) that didn't mention Harris by name, though the tweet came out moments after her withdrawal.  Hillary told them (and, likely in particular, Harris)  that "fighting for what you believe in is always worth it."

The trouble is that Harris didn't know what she believed. Campaigning in Iowa, she tried to be all things to all people and ended up being nothing to anyone. That is, just like Hillary.  Adding to that fact is that, while Harris may not have communicated what she stood for, she certainly communicated who she was - and people didn't like it. She was constantly sniping at opponents on the campaign trail and in the debates, taking underhanded shots at guys like Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg but also making negative insinuations against others, like when she said she looked forward to a substantial debate with Beto O'Rourke. (Although, I am quick to point out, her subtle suggestion that O'Rourke was an empty suit was certainly spot-on.)  She couldn't even resist a jab at Michael Bloomberg as she withdrew, saying that she wasn't a billionaire    And when she herself was on the receiving end of jabs, she had a problem, guys, with herself, the prosecutor, being prosecuted.

Okay, she did the Democrats a favor by making mince meat out of Tulsi Gabbard.  But heck, we didn't need her to rip Gabbard to shreds. Even Marianne Williamson could have done that.

All of this would have been easy to swallow if not for her overplaying of the identity politics card.  She ran as a black female presidential candidate rather than a presidential candidate who happens to be a black woman, playing up her identity as a black woman not on policy issues but on cultural issues, exalting Bootsy Collins and rap stars to show how cool she was.  That's another reason for me to be happy that she won't be the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee; we don't need and I doubt a lot of people want a hip-hop President.  

The biggest reasons I'm glad that Harris won't be President is actually one having nothing to with politics, identity or otherwise . . . it's her voice.  Her voice is so grating, it - I never thought I'd say this - actually makes me miss Hillary Clinton's laugh. 

Chris Matthews said that Harris is still a rising star and may yet run for President again.  Given the fact that Democratic presidential candidates rarely if ever make a second try at the nomination, that's highly doubtful.  While this campaign cycle has produced many a Reubin Askew, Harris is this year's Alan Cranston - a candidate who rode high early in the polls and dropped out early after crashing.  Cranston, it must be noted, occupied the same Senate seat Harris holds today.

(Oh yeah, this other guy who was running for President dropped out - two weeks ago.   We still don't know who he is.)