A funny thing happened in the hours after the exit of Joe Biden from the US presidential race and the entrance of Kamala Harris in his place: a huge and genuine surge of excitement for a candidate who had previously failed to inspire. This wasn’t just expediency. In the 48 hours after Harris became the Democrats’ presumptive nominee, donations came in amounting to more than $100m and there was a reported 700% rise in voter registrations. It was overwhelming and igniting; the feeling that this was someone who could actually win.
The oddest thing about this – apart from the ongoing sense of history happening in real time – was the lightning speed of the adjustment. It was like looking at a Magic Eye picture or a drawing by MC Escher. Superficially, nothing about Harris had changed since her abortive run for president in 2020. She was still prone to moments of awkwardness. It was still unclear entirely where her politics lay. Held up against the drama of Biden’s agonising exit, however, Harris’s relative youth, energy and sheer coherence made one want to clap for joy. For reasons that, four years ago, made many of those on the left suspicious of Harris, the 59-year-old suddenly looks a lot like the perfect candidate to fight and defeat Donald Trump.
