Has there ever been a comparable rise to the Presidency like we are seeing with Kamala Harris?

[Franisdaman]

It's pretty crazy when you think about her last 5 years in politics.

Dec 3, 2019: Harris ends her 2020 presidential campaign.

She was then picked by Joe Biden in 2020 as his VP running mate.

June 27, 2024: Biden/Trump Presidential debate, which was a disaster for Biden.

July 24, 2024: Biden drops out of Presidential race and endorses Harris.

August 22, 2024: At the DNC in Chicago, Harris accepts the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.

September 10, 2024: Harris destroys Trump in their first (and last?) Presidential debate.

November 5, 2024⁩: Kamala Harris becomes the next President of the United States.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/03/politics/kamala-harris-ends-presidential-bid/index.html

Biden drops out of 2024 race after disastrous debate inflamed age concerns. VP Harris gets his nod

Biden plans to serve out the remainder of his term in office, which ends at noon ET on Jan. 20, 2025.

apnews.com

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

No. Unprecedented to put it mildly.

 

[joelbc1]

Richard Nixon…Ronald Reagan are similar…both beaten and defeated by their own Party only to resurrect themselves to the Presidency an election cycle later. Nixon was a two-time loser (President and Governor), Reagan was really roughed up by Fire and establishment Repubbers in ‘76.
Harris is hardly a unique story in politics…excepting she be a female.

 

[IAFB2021Champs]

Pretty hard not to rise up when you are at rock bottom to start. I wouldn’t say much of it was because of her own doing either. She was brought on as VP because she is a “black woman” and was given the presidential elect because the dems were in oh shit mode and had no where else to turn to.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

Richard Nixon…Ronald Reagan are similar…both beaten and defeated by their own Party only to resurrect themselves to the Presidency an election cycle later. Nixon was a two-time loser (President and Governor), Reagan was really roughed up by Fire and establishment Repubbers in ‘76.
Harris is hardly a unique story in politics…excepting she be a female.

They both won their parties primary Joel...Kamala didn't.

Apples and oranges.

 

[Huey Grey]

Pretty hard not to rise up when you are at rock bottom to start. I wouldn’t say much of it was because of her own doing either. She was brought on as VP because she is a “black woman” and was given the presidential elect because the dems were in oh shit mode and had no where else to turn to.

She was brought it because she's exceptionally skilled at her job. It's why she was my top pick the last election.

 

[Rifler]

Most things that rise quickly tend to fall hard,.. She might be able to get the job, but she won't be able to do the job.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Umm Gerald Ford??

In the beginning of December 1973 he's the House Minority leader.

Less than a year later in August of '74 he's taking the oath of office to be president.

Harris hasn't even been elected yet. I hope she is. But come on. This isn't nearly as unprecedented as Ford.

 

[Huey Grey]

Most things that rise quickly tend to fall hard,.. She might be able to get the job, but she won't be able to do the job.

You are describing Trump here perfectly.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

Umm Gerald Ford??

In the beginning of December 1973 he's the House Minority leader.

Less than a year later in August of '74 he's taking the oath of office to be president.

Harris hasn't even been elected yet. I hope she is. But come on. This isn't nearly as unprecedented as Ford.

Ford won the Republican primary in 1976.

Harris didn't.

Seems like a major difference to me.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Ford won the Republican primary in 1976.

Harris didn't.

Seems like a major difference to me.

He won the primary after he was already president.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

He won the primary after he was already president.

and? It was still an open primary and he beat Reagan.

Harris didn't beat anybody. The nomination was given to her.

 

[joelbc1]

They both won their parties primary Joel...Kamala didn't.

Apples and oranges.

Different circumstances…I was thinking more along the basis they were all soundly rejected by their Party and a short time later, they became the spokesmen for their Party. Primaries are only part of the process and story, in my opinion. You make Harris’ rise to Dem candidate to be part of some sinister plot, which tells me a lot more about you than it does your understanding of politics. Unique circumstances demanded a change and the Dems had no time (and no viable candidates other than Harris) without forfeiting the November election. That would have been disastrous for not only the WH but for Dems in their House and Senate aspirations. The role of political parties is to always remain relevant. The Dems did what they needed to do to remain relevant. You don’t have to approve. Shoe in the other foot, do you thing Repubbers would have done anything different? Now, be honest…

 

[joelbc1]

Umm Gerald Ford??

In the beginning of December 1973 he's the House Minority leader.

Less than a year later in August of '74 he's taking the oath of office to be president.

Harris hasn't even been elected yet. I hope she is. But come on. This isn't nearly as unprecedented as Ford.

No American cast a vote for Ford to become VP or POTUS… yet Harris circumvented the system?

 

[lucas80]

Pretty hard not to rise up when you are at rock bottom to start. I wouldn’t say much of it was because of her own doing either. She was brought on as VP because she is a “black woman” and was given the presidential elect because the dems were in oh shit mode and had no where else to turn to.

You okay, Bro? You seem a little TrIggRd

 

[Capital1Hawk]

and? It was still an open primary and he beat Reagan.

Harris didn't beat anybody. The nomination was given to her.

This my problem, there was no democracy. She was installed. RFK would have ran away with it and would have loved for him to be next president. Both sides won't give the people what they want. The uniparty is too strong.

 

[TJ8869]

Richard Nixon…Ronald Reagan are similar…both beaten and defeated by their own Party only to resurrect themselves to the Presidency an election cycle later. Nixon was a two-time loser (President and Governor), Reagan was really roughed up by Fire and establishment Repubbers in ‘76.
Harris is hardly a unique story in politics…excepting she be a female.

Nixon was Vice President for 8 years and then very nearly beat JFK in 1960. It’s not like he came out of nowhere.

And Reagan almost beat Ford in the 1976 primaries.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

This my problem, there was no democracy. She was installed. JFK would have ran away with it and would have loved for him to be next president. Both sides won't give the people what they want. The uniparty is too strong.

It would have been pretty interesting if they had a mini primary or open convention after Biden stepped aside. I don't think Harris beats Whitmer, Shapiro or Newsom in that scenario.

 

[TJ8869]

and? It was still an open primary and he beat Reagan.

Harris didn't beat anybody. The nomination was given to her.

I think you’re missing the point. Hoosier is talking about when Ford first became President, not when he won the nomination to run for reelection. He was the only person ever to become both Vice President and President without ever being elected to either office. He’s probably the closest parallel to Harris.

 

[joelbc1]

Nixon was Vice President for 8 years and then very nearly beat JFK in 1960. It’s not like he came out of nowhere.

And Reagan almost beat Ford in the 1976 primaries.

And a couple of years later, he was defeated for Governor of California… and he “retired” from politics (you won’t have Richard Nixon to kick around any more).
Reagan supposedly committed political suicide by challenging Ford for the nomination in ‘76 but he too recovered.

 

[IAFB2021Champs]

You okay, Bro? You seem a little TrIggRd

I’m perfectly fine bro. Thanks for checking in.
Didn’t know sharing facts that differ from others made someone triggRd

 

[Rifler]

It would have been pretty interesting if they had a mini primary or open convention after Biden stepped aside. I don't think Harris beats Whitmer, Shapiro or Newsom in that scenario.

Lack of time and access to the Biden war chest,... Kamala is the default selection.

 

[joelbc1]

No American cast a vote for Ford to become VP or POTUS… yet Harris circumvented the system?

I think this might be the “Kim Reynolds formula to public office”!

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

I think you’re missing the point. Hoosier is talking about when Ford first became President, not when he won reelection. He was the only person ever to become both Vice President and President without ever being elected to either office. He’s probably the closest parallel to Harris.

Just to be clear he lost the election to Carter. But yeah.

Harris's rise really just isn't that unprecedented compared to Ford. All she got was bounced up to the presidential nominee. Ford became Vice President due to a relatively recent addition to the constitution which allowed a president to nominate a new VP if the VP office became vacant. The only time that part of the constitution has ever even used. That president later became the only president in US history to resign from the office.

All Biden did was decide very late in the process to not run for re-election. Unusual yes. But not nearly half as unprecedented as Ford.

The only unprecedented part was Biden was the president who decided the latest in the process to not run for re-election.

 

[ZachJump]

and? It was still an open primary and he beat Reagan.

Harris didn't beat anybody. The nomination was given to her.

So by your reasoning, your own point becomes meaningless if she wins the primary in four years.

 

[SCHawkFan]

Eisenhower was drafted in 1952. There were primaries and caucuses, but I don’t think Ike was campaigning. He was nominated after the second ballot at the national convention.

 

[TJ8869]

Just to be clear he lost the election to Carter. But yeah.

I realized after I posted that I had phrased it poorly, so I edited it.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

and? It was still an open primary and he beat Reagan.

Harris didn't beat anybody. The nomination was given to her.

And Ford didn't beat anyone either and he was president, not just a nominee. Harris just got the nomination.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

So by your reasoning, your own point becomes meaningless if she wins the primary in four years.

I don't get your point.

 

[ZachJump]

I don't get your point.

Damn

Who did Ford beat to become President?

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Eisenhower was drafted in 1952. There were primaries and caucuses, but I don’t think Ike was campaigning. He was nominated after the second ballot at the national convention.

I believe he spurred people trying to nominate him in 1948. I think both parties wanted him, mostly because they figured he was a shoe in win based on who he was. In 1952 he kind of just picked a side and went along with the Republicans.

The good thing about Eisenhower was he wasn't a really strong partisan and was probably one of the most centrist presidents we've had.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

I don't get your point.

You ok?

Like either you don't understand how Ford became president or you are really spaced out or something man.

If it's the first . . . the year is 1973. Richard Nixon is president, Spiro Agnew is Vice President. Gerald Ford our protagonist is the House minority leader. He's a congressman from Michigan. That's it.

Nixon's presidency is pretty scandal ridden and Spiro Agnew gets caught up in some scandals and resigns the Vice Presidency. Richard Nixon than uses the 25th Amendment which had just been added to the constitution 6 years ago to nominate Ford as Vice President. Ford is confirmed as VP by both houses of congress and moves from House minority leader to Vice President.

8 months later the scandals catch up to Richard Nixon and Richard Nixon is told that not only is the House ready (has the votes) to impeach him but that there is more than enough votes in the senate to convict and remove him. Rather than face this Nixon chooses to resign making Gerald Ford president less than one year after he was just the House minority leader.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

Damn

Who did Ford beat to become President?

We're talking apples and oranges here. There have been previous vice presidents that have taken over the presidency either through assassination or in Fords case, resignation.

Since both parties adopted the primary system there hasn't been a nominee that didn't win the primaries.

Using Ford, he had to beat Reagan to get the nod in 76.

Harris didn't beat anyone for the nomination.

 

[B1GDeal]

Honestly... who cares? Voters have a choice in November... Harris or Trump. One was put in because the original candidate backed out and the other is a convicted felon. Crazy this is what it comes down to, but Harris is clearly the better candidate. I know MAGAs won't admit it, but its true.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

We're talking apples and oranges here. There have been previous vice presidents that have taken over the presidency either through assassination or in Fords case, resignation.

Since both parties adopted the primary system there hasn't been a nominee that didn't win the primaries.

Using Ford, he had to beat Reagan to get the nod in 76.

Harris didn't beat anyone for the nomination.

But Ford wasn't even the Vice President a year before he's being sworn in president.

It wasn't Nixon/Ford in 1972 . . . It was Nixon/Agnew

Ford becomes VP in December of 1973 per being nominated by Nixon to replace Agnew. Then in August of 1974 he's sworn in as the president.

Harris was VP and all she did was get a nomination. Ford got the entire presidency and was never even elected Vice President.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

But Ford wasn't even the Vice President a year before he's being sworn in president.

It wasn't Nixon/Ford in 1972 . . . It was Nixon/Agnew

Ford becomes VP in December of 1973 per being nominated by Nixon to replace Agnew. Then in August of 1974 he's sworn in as the president.

Harris was VP and all she did was get a nomination. Ford got the entire presidency and was never even elected Vice President.

o.k.

The subject here is the party nominee.

Ford still had to win the nomination in a open primary, Harris didn't.

 

[Bonerfarts]

I think Lincoln was either the 3rd or 4th likely option heading into the Republican convention. He came out with the nom and also the presumptive favorite.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

o.k.

The subject here is the party nominee.

Ford still had to win the nomination in a open primary, Harris didn't.

Title of thread doesn't say nominee nor does OP?

 

[FAUlty Gator]

John Tyler would be comparable.

 

[Dr. Phil Seuss]

there is nothing close to this in politics.

If you overlaid her VP approval ratings into that timeline along with statements from major party sympathizers about her negative impact on Biden’s candidacy, it is perhaps the greatest underdog story since the miracle on ice. Made possible only by the worst candidate the US has ever seen.