Kamala Harris risks raising stakes for debate by repeating Biden missteps

Vice President Kamala Harris risks raising the stakes for her first debate with former President Donald Trump, an already highly anticipated campaign milestone, by repeating some of the missteps President Joe Biden made before his performance tanked his reelection bid.

Twenty-two days since clinching the nomination, Harris has yet to sit for a solo media interview, answer more than a passing question from reporters traveling with her, or speak to voters without notes in a public forum. She has also failed to articulate her current stance on a range of issues on which she once took left-wing positions.

Like Biden, she has created a situation in which her performance at the debate will come under an artificially high level of scrutiny because of the relative silence preceding it. And like Biden, her campaign has engaged in unhelpful public bartering about the debate rules and hyped her preparation strategy in ways that could magnify any shortcomings on the stage.