David Axelrod, former adviser to Barack Obama, recently conceded that Vice President Kamala Harris may be in for a rough turnout on Election Day. Axelrod, now an analyst on CNN, admitted he’s been hearing the same message from insiders stationed in critical cities like Philadelphia, Detroit, and New Orleans: Harris simply isn’t sparking any excitement where it counts. Voters in key demographics are lukewarm at best, making it questionable whether they’ll show up for her at the polls.
Despite this sobering assessment, Axelrod tried to reassure Democrats, claiming that President Donald Trump isn’t exactly “closing well” as the campaign winds down. According to Axelrod, Trump’s final-week messaging has been more of a gift to Harris than anything, supposedly giving Republicans some reason to squirm. Axelrod speculated that the GOP would prefer Trump stick to the teleprompter for a message that might secure a win instead of his usual off-script style. Still, Axelrod’s attempts at reassurance come off as a bit forced, especially when he follows up with a seemingly forced critique of Trump’s closing tactics compared to Harris’s supposedly “disciplined” finish.
For all his public optimism, Axelrod has sounded less and less confident in Harris’s campaign as the election draws closer. After Harris’s less-than-stellar CNN town hall performance, Axelrod didn’t mince words, remarking that she often drifts into “word salad” territory, leaving voters more confused than convinced. Although Axelrod has praised Harris’s closing appeal, it’s clear he’s harboring doubts about whether she’s done enough to secure a win.
Meanwhile, it seems even the usual liberal media backers are hesitant to throw their support behind Harris. Major outlets like the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post have held back from endorsing her, a glaring signal that even the media isn’t sold on her chances. And when former First Lady Michelle Obama chimed in, she admitted her frustration with what she perceives as unfair expectations. She criticized those who pick apart every word of Harris’s interviews while conveniently glossing over what she called Trump’s “gross incompetence” and his apparent aversion to tough interviews.
In her final appeal, Michelle Obama seemed to argue that Harris is held to a different standard, a sentiment that might resonate with some of her base. However, whether that sentiment will translate to votes on Election Day is anyone’s guess, and Axelrod’s candid assessments don’t exactly inspire confidence that Harris has done enough to overcome her hurdles. As Election Day looms, the stakes are high, but so too are the doubts within Harris’s own camp.
