Harris is calibrating her policy pitch for going to battle with Trump

WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris faces the delicate task of calibrating its policy proposal a standard task for any White House candidate for American voters, but this year brings additional challenges.

First, Harris is running for president while serving under President Joe Biden, which means she is tied to everything that happened — or will happen — under his administration. She inherits accomplishments like limiting the costs of insulin but also the administration fight to prevent illegal border crossings.

Secondly, Harris has baggage from her own failed campaign for president before becoming Biden’s running mate four years ago. During that Democratic primary, she backed a series of progressive proposals that Republicans have emphasized to paint her as “dangerously liberal.”

Harris has already distanced herself from some of her previous positions, such as a ban on fracking and support for single-payer health care. And she promises to keep a number of Biden’s promises, including no tax increases for anyone earning less than $400,000 a year.

That means Harris’ path to the White House could hinge on her ability to chart a course for the country’s future while being selective about its past. Success will mean keeping Democrats united behind her vision while keeping the focus on Republican nominee Donald Trump’s record. undermining abortion rights and its challenges for democratic traditions.

Everything will have to happen with unprecedented speed, because Harris was abruptly thrust into the spotlight after Biden dropped his reelection bid a little over a week ago. Her newly redesigned campaign website doesn’t even include a policy section.

“You’re building the plane as you fly it,” said Bakari Sellers, a Harris ally who co-chaired her campaign four years ago.

Sellers said Harris should focus on the more mundane issues, such as medical debt.

“You see the history that she represents. You hear it in her voice,” Sellers said. “But you still have to attract voters who don’t know who you are, who don’t believe in the historical nature of your campaign.”

Not surprisingly, Harris has largely embraced Biden’s platform. In her campaign speeches since entering the race, she has promoted affordable child care, paid parental leave and comprehensive health care.

Tuesday in Atlantashe promised to tackle usury and hidden bank charges. She always emphasizes the restoration of the national right to abortion, which was abolished two years ago by the U.S. Supreme Court.

She is also the approval of new proposals announced by Biden since taking over the campaign, including term limits for Supreme Court justices and binding ethics rules. In a statement, Harris said the court faces a “clear crisis of confidence” that must be addressed.

Presidential candidates often lay out detailed policy proposals during primaries, seeking to distinguish themselves within their party. Harris skipped that step this year, however, and she may face less pressure in the condensed campaign to spell out exactly how new programs will be funded and implemented.

“In this environment, the Democratic candidate needs enough policies to tell people how she’s going to bring her fight for the future to life, but not so much that it weighs down the speeches,” said Jamal Simmons, a former communications director in the vice president’s office.

Kevin Munoz, a spokesman for Harris, said she would “build on the historic agenda of the Biden-Harris administration” and provide a “stark contrast” to Trump’s plans to cut taxes for the wealthy and repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Harris wants to keep Democrats united as the campaign enters its final months. So far, intraparty skirmishes have been few, but they have not been eliminated.

Two billionaire donors said Harris should replace Lina Khan, the Federal Trade Commission chair appointed by Biden, if she is elected because of her aggressive use of antitrust law. In response, liberals have come to Khan’s defense and called on Harris to leave her in place. Harris has not yet commented on the matter.

Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said the White House has built “a lot of trust” with liberal groups that will help Harris get through the election. He doubted she would drastically change course from the Biden administration, but expected “she would have her own unique flavor and focus.”

Green added: “I don’t think anyone should be afraid of a gut feeling.”

Some of Harris’ shifts may be more about emphasis than outright change. For example, her recent comments on the war in Gaza didn’t create daylight between her and Biden, but Harris put more emphasis on the suffering of the Palestinians. She also added a clearer outreach to Americans demoralized by the conflict.

“To all those calling for a ceasefire and to all those longing for peace, I see you and I hear you,” she said.

Republicans want to prevent Harris from reinventing herself for the general election, saddling her with controversies from the Biden era and her own campaign four years ago.

“She was involved in every one of Joe Biden’s failures, but we’ve also seen what her vision is for the president,” said Mike Berg, communications director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. “She would make things worse.”

Trump’s team and his allies have watched videos of Harris talking about providing health care to immigrants in the country illegally and decriminalizing border crossings. And they blame her for the migration problems that have arisen before the border crossings were lifted under Biden’s latest policies.

While Trump has not exactly been consistent when it comes to policy proposals, Berg said Harris is more at risk because she is less well-known and public opinion of her can still be swayed.

“She’ll look like a liar,” he said. “Was she lying then or is she lying now?”

Simmons questioned whether voters would care about her past positions on issues like the “defund the police” movement, which Harris praised for questioning whether money was being spent wisely on public safety, as she served on an administration that more money pumped into law enforcement.

“Five years ago she said one thing, but two years ago she did something about it, and now the crime rate is lower,” he said.