In a candid critique that has sent ripples through political circles, businessman and Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary has sounded a stern warning to the Democratic Party about their decision to nominate Kamala Harris as their presidential candidate. With the political landscape shifting dramatically after Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race on July 21, O’Leary suggests that the Democrats have made a hasty and potentially catastrophic mistake.
O’Leary draws a compelling comparison between Harris’s nomination and Hillary Clinton’s in 2016. He warns that the Democratic Party may be repeating history by prematurely anointing a candidate without adequately vetting or preparing for the electoral battlefield. In his appearance on Fox & Friends Weekend, O’Leary highlighted the similarities: “If Harris loses—and it’s 50/50, she may win, she may lose—this whole party will revisit what happened here because they did the same thing with Hillary Clinton. It was assumed she would win. They anointed her. She lost.”
This sense of déjà vu underscores O’Leary’s broader concerns about the rushed nomination process, which he believes may have sidelined more thorough vetting and convention. After Biden’s departure following a lackluster debate performance against Trump, the Democrats were left scrambling for a nominee, leading to Harris’s expedited endorsement. O’Leary questions the wisdom of such a rapid decision-making process, suggesting it might have ignored potential pitfalls and alternative candidates.
Moreover, O’Leary takes issue with Harris’s economic policy proposals. He criticizes her approach as reminiscent of outdated tactics, likening her ideas to “price fixing” strategies from the 1970s. “Can you imagine America where there’s a ministry of pricing for groceries?” he scoffed, suggesting that Harris’s policies could lead to economic inefficiencies and public disapproval.
Kevin O'Leary slams Kamala's economic policy proposals:
"Price fixing, we tried that in the 70s—that's beyond crazy. Can you imagine America where there's a ministry of pricing for groceries? That tells a farmer what an apple can be sold for and what YOU can buy it… pic.twitter.com/t1hDHphzue
— Julia ???????? (@Jules31415) August 20, 2024
The skepticism surrounding Harris’s candidacy is compounded by the challenges she faces in energizing the Democratic base and appealing to undecided voters. While Harris has a historic path ahead as the first woman of color to be nominated by a major party, the road is fraught with potential obstacles, including her economic policies and the public’s perception of her readiness to lead.