Kamala Harris has transformed the U.S. presidential election race, as demonstrated through both metrics and something less tangible: a Harris-positive vibe coursing through the nation, or at least parts of it. Her fundraising tells this story, as does attendance at her rallies. So do the polls. A New York Times/Siena College poll shows Ms. Harris leading Donald Trump in the critical swing states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
The mainstream media coverage and social media fawning also reflect this dramatic turn in energy and momentum since Ms. Harris replaced Joe Biden on the ticket. Now there is optimism. Excitement, even.
I received this message, loud and clear, walking around Los Angeles under the shelter of my new hat. I needed a cap to replace the Marshalls score I had recently lost, and visiting L.A. last weekend, where it is hot and sunny, the hat was required – stat.
Combing through the Arts District, I found what at first glance looked like an L.A. Dodgers cap – same blue colour, same white font, but with a little something extra in the instantly identifiable Dodgers typeface: “, LA.”
A printing error? I wondered, before the clerk explained the cap’s actual message. I was sold. The hat became an instant and repeated conversation starter during my trip.
Many were curious about the slight deviation from the familiar cap.
Some people got the meaning right away (especially anyone who has seen the old TV game show Concentration); some only with a bit of guidance. And some only after asking: “Going to the game tonight?”
And so we would go through the exercise. Say the hat’s text out loud with me: “Comma, lah.” Kamala.
When people clued in, the result of that aha moment – in that teeny-tiny progressive microcosm of East Los Angeles, anyway – was infectious. There were laughs, high-fives, compliments, and enthusiastic chatter about the election and how their own experience of what was happening had bloomed from dread to hope.
This is purely anecdotal, of course. But the energy, I’m telling you, was palpable.
While Republicans remain weighed down by the party’s weird and nasty extremism and sycophantic refusal to say out loud that the emperor has no clothes (apologies for the image), there is joy in Harrisville. She is ebullient, charismatic. She has a sense of humour – laughing with Americans, not at them. She is youthful, intelligent. Unlike Mr. Biden, she appears sharp and vibrant. Unlike Mr. Trump, she is sharp and kind. There’s no nastiness here; Ms. Harris radiates positivity. She has provided hope – not just for a Trump-free America, but for a caring, stable United States. Before her rise, there had been trepidation for what lay ahead – fear, even resignation, that Mr. Biden was not going to be able to beat Mr. Trump.
I’m not one to wear political merch, but the hat’s cleverness was irresistible. And being in the (almost) anyone-but-Trump camp, I felt comfortable walking around with the sentiment on my head.
The unexpectedly fun experience of wearing this hat somehow reflected the happy distraction of the Olympics, which injected a bit of lightness into the gloomy global landscape. Star swimmers, weird breakers and fun memes don’t erase the horrors of the world, but for a couple of weeks it felt okay for the global discourse to focus on something else.
The Olympics seemed to alter the emotional zeitgeist, even a little bit, coating the omnipresent bitterness with some joy and heartwarming stories for a change. The Games are over now, but Ms. Harris is just getting started.
It’s early days yet, and still the honeymoon period; much can change, especially with increased scrutiny of Ms. Harris’s performance and policies and more media access. Mr. Trump could absolutely still win the election; even if her numbers are on the upswing, they are polling close together.
There are questions about where Ms. Harris stands. She has not revealed much in the way of an actual, detailed platform, and that has led some to suggest she is weak on policy. She is also accused of having a tendency to flip-flop.
Or you could look at it this way: she is not an ideologue or a doctrine-abider. What a relief. That, to me, is part of her appeal; she doesn’t make decisions based on hard party lines, but on facts, experience and circumstances. That makes her seem like the very best type of leader – one who is now in a crucial, re-energized race against the very worst.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Kamala Harris leads Donald Trump in Washington, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll. The poll indicates that she leads in Wisconsin. This version has been updated.