Is she going to take it?
On Thursday, comedian Bill Maher commented that Vice President Kamala Harris should work to assure voters she isn’t aligned with extreme far-left policies. Maher suggested Harris’s key challenge with undecided voters lies in addressing concerns that she may represent an “undercover” version of the far left, something some voters see as a significant turn-off. Maher explained that many individuals, including those who may not fully support former President Trump, still find some left-leaning ideas out of sync with common sense, which could affect Harris’s appeal to moderates.
Maher, a frequent critic of both Trump and extreme political movements, shared his views on “wokeism” during an interview with MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough. He noted that while “woke” originally represented social awareness, it has evolved in meaning and now embodies various progressive ideals that may seem too extreme for some people.
During her 2019 presidential campaign, Harris voiced support for several progressive policies, including a ban on fracking, a mandatory buyback of certain firearms, and a single-payer health care system. However, she retracted some of these positions, including her stance on private insurance, after facing criticism and backlash.
By 2020, Harris had moderated several of her positions, particularly on fracking. Her campaign clarified that she doesn’t advocate for a complete fracking ban. In a CNN interview, Harris reiterated that, while her policies have evolved, her core values on issues such as climate change remain consistent, emphasizing that the Inflation Reduction Act aligns with her commitment to addressing climate concerns with urgency.
