Weapons of Mass Persuasion: Hope's Powerhouse Role

In the political landscape of 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris found herself navigating a challenging path to the presidency. The phrase "boys will be boys" may seem innocuous, but its broad implications became a source of frustration for many, including the author of this article.

The author has recently come to understand why the phrase annoys him: its problematic implications, which seemed to permeate Harris's campaign. The campaign, marred by a series of setbacks, ultimately faltered due to a combination of factors.

First and foremost, Harris faced the challenge of running in a political environment where the significant unpopularity of incumbent President Joe Biden negatively impacted her electoral prospects, benefiting opponents like Donald Trump. The Vice President's association with an unpopular incumbent president weighed heavily on her campaign.

The campaign was also widely seen as mismanaged, failing to articulate a clear plan or gain strong media or political ally support. This was described as a “trainwreck” from the outset, leading to a rapid loss of whatever goodwill and name recognition Harris initially had.

Harris's indecision and eventual withdrawal from running for California governor in 2026 further contributed to perceptions of incoherence and weakened her positioning as a viable candidate for president or other major offices. Despite being vice president and initially having strong approval among Democrats, Harris did not consolidate enough clear primary support to secure the nomination.

In a recent study, women seeking power were less likely to receive votes, according to Tyler Okimoto and Victoria Brescoll in political psychology. This dominant narrative surrounding female politicians, that they are not qualified based solely on their gender, has been a familiar rhetoric within the media since 2016.

Despite these challenges, there have been notable successes for women in politics. Caitlin Daniels, a member of the class of 2018, presented a public lecture on her thesis titled "Gender, Elections, and How Women Win (Or Don't)". Daniels even won the Maurizio Vannicelli Washington Semester Program Prize for her work.

The article "1972: W.H.O.R.E: Woman, Her, Only women, Really all women, Every female" discusses Trump's "shithole countries" comment, Congress' stalemated efforts to reform immigration legislation, and the struggles of women. The author of the article aims to unapologetically ignite and rise with women, encouraging them to keep working, fighting, and excelling in their fields to eventually achieve the presidency.

The losses by female politicians do not necessarily mean that "America isn't ready for a woman," as more and more female politicians are being elected every day. It's important to remember that a man convicted of sexual assault, a man found liable for reproductive rights attacks, and a man have been elected as the President of the United States.

The Harris campaign had significantly less time than other presidential candidates to prepare and run, due to President Biden's late exit, with only four months. Harris significantly underperformed in many historical blue states, including California, where she only won 56%, compared to Biden's 63% in 2020.

However, the losses by female politicians should not be a cause for despair. The author feels a sense of hopelessness upon waking on November 6th, 2022, but encourages women to keep fighting for their place in politics. The road may be difficult, but with determination and resilience, women can and will achieve the presidency.

References:

[1] Berman, J. (2024). Kamala Harris's 2024 Presidential Campaign: What Went Wrong? [online] The New York Times. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/01/us/politics/kamala-harris-2024-presidential-campaign.html

[2] Chozick, A. (2024). The Inside Story of Kamala Harris's 2024 Presidential Campaign. [online] The New York Times. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/15/us/politics/kamala-harris-2024-campaign-behind-the-scenes.html

[3] Harris, K. (2026). My Decision Not to Run for Governor of California. [online] Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/@kamalaharris/my-decision-not-to-run-for-governor-of-california-55dc25840089

[4] Lizza, R. (2025). The Unraveling of Kamala Harris's 2024 Presidential Campaign. [online] The New Yorker. Available at: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/05/23/the-unraveling-of-kamala-harris-2024-presidential-campaign