Former Vice President Kamala Harris confirmed during a fireside chat with the Rev. Al Sharpton at the annual National Action Network (NAN) conference on April 9, that she may run again for president.
In fact, Harris garnered some loud cheers in support of the notion.
But as Harris knows, while chants of “run again” may be heartwarming and encouraging, she would be wise not to gauge her chances for success on the singular affirmations of a presumably partisan crowd.
“I served for four years being a heartbeat away from the presidency of the United States,” Harris told Sharpton. “I know what the job is, and I know what it requires.”
Perhaps it’s that rare vantage point which she alone, and unlike no other Black woman in history, has ever been afforded, that has influenced her decision to bypass a run for California governor and to instead seriously ponder a third run for the White House.
If you believe the numbers, in a very early polling of a potential 2028 presidential race conducted by Race to the White House, Harris stands at the top of the field. However, it’s impossible to determine if that’s because folks know who she is and recognize her name more than many of the other potential contestants.
Could it be that Americans have finally removed the blinders of racism and sexism in their evaluations of the potential candidates? Further, are the powerbrokers who hold the reins of the Democratic Party willing to give their unbridled energy and full support to a Black woman?
Can she be successful in her quest for the presidency while treading water in murky seas, which for 250 years, have provided life preservers to rich white men, albeit for one rare exception?
It’s easy to say, “May the best man– or woman– win.” The question remains, is America serious? Are Americans ready for a woman of color— or a person who is not a white male– to lead as president of the United States?