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Libertarian: Harris’ Plans Remain a Mystery
“In the final stretch of the campaign, [Kamala] Harris finds herself not embracing joy but pushing fear,” as highlighted by her choice of topic for her speech Tuesday at the National Mall, argues Reason’s Eric Boehm. After all, making criticism of Donald Trump “Harris’ ‘closing pitch’ seems telling.” “Harris has had months to stake out her positions,” yet she spent much of her campaign “backing away from unpopular stances she took during the 2020 primaries.” And she’s “failed to articulate any difference between herself and Biden.” “Voters know what Trump wants to do — crack down harshly on immigration, raise barriers to trade, etc. — but what is it that Harris most wants to accomplish? How is it possible that Trump has become the more policy-centered candidate in this race?”
Foreign desk: We’re ‘Splitting’ Our Own Alliance
The “Russia-Iran alliance” has become “tight,” observes Commentary’s Seth Mandel, with Russia providing air-defense systems to Tehran and Iran supplying missiles to Moscow. Meanwhile, China’s been buying “most of Iran’s oil exports,” as Iran becomes increasingly dependent on Beijing for help restocking its missiles. And North Korea has now sent troops “to fight in Ukraine alongside the Russian army.” The “simple theme: The world is organizing along two lines” — democracies vs. “expansionist authoritarian powers.” The authoritarians (China, Russia, Iran, North Korea) are “trying to destroy two Western-aligned nations, Israel and Ukraine,” which are “keeping the wolves at bay with unsteady support from the U.S. and European powers.” Yet in America, “neither presidential candidate is terribly enthusiastic about supporting” either of them. We’re “splitting our own coalition over politics.”
Caribbean beat: Puerto Rico’s Rigged Vote
Puerto Rican voters who favor the status quo are blasting a Nov. 5 vote on the commonwealth’s future political status an “anti-democratic mockery,” while supporters of independence slam it as a “plebiscite of lies,” roars Coleman Hughes at The Free Press. These Puerto Ricans know the “vote will be rigged,” because the nonbinding referendum omits the “status quo option.” Democrats and the island’s pro-statehood party “designed it that way,” to ensure statehood wins. The Dems, after all, would love nothing more than to “add another blue state to the union” and “tip the balance of power in their favor.” While “Puerto Rican statehood is a complex one,” island residents deserve “a fair referendum with all options included.”
From the right: Dems Aim for Don’s Coattails
Pennsylvania’s Democratic Sen. Bob Casey is “wrapping his arms” around Donald Trump, marvels The Wall Street Journal’s William McGurn. Other Dem candidates are, too. That’s upsetting the earlier “common assumption” that “Republicans would have to distance themselves from Mr. Trump to have any hope of winning.” Trump, for his part, accepts the “great compliment” but calls out the “alleged support” as “fake: ‘These Democrats have voted with Crooked Joe Biden almost 100% of the time. They only pretend to be on my side when elections roll around.’ ” Indeed, Casey’s GOP rival, Dave McCormick, echoes that point, noting that the incumbent has voted with President Biden 98% of the time. “The irony,” quips McGurn, “is that Mr. Casey’s answer” is “to grab onto Hitler’s — er, Donald Trump’s — coattails.”
Conservative: Veep’s Fake Abortion Tales
Vice President Harris “tried to make an example of Texas while peddling a false narrative about joy and freedom to women,” fumes USA Today’s Nicole Russell. Ever since “the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade,” Democrats “have spread fear to galvanize suburban women.” For example, a new set of “Harris campaign ads describe how a Texas woman got sepsis following poor medical treatment after a miscarriage” and blames “Texas’ strict pro-life law.” Yet “clarifications” to the law allow “doctors to perform abortions in cases of ectopic pregnancy or when a mother’s water breaks early.” Harris sought “to promote the lie that life was better when abortion was readily available,” but “nothing could be further from the truth.”
— Compiled by The Post Editorial Board