Harris grasps for absurdities

Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) is correct that it took absurd-sounding claims of petnapping to turn the media's attention toward Springfield, Ohio, residents.

Following the first presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris , Vance fielded questions from a CNN reporter on the recent publicity around stories of Haitian immigrants killing and eating pets in Springfield.

He was quick, and he was straightforward.

Vance gave credence to Springfield residents who have spoken about dogs and cats being kidnapped and killed, whether or not their allegations are true. His point rests on the fact that immigrant-laden communities, such as Springfield, are facing real hardships apart from the current animal fixation.

Springfield faces a severe housing crisis . It is perhaps its most pressing problem, given the country's pre-existing critical state of housing overall . The town has seen decreasing availability and skyrocketing prices for housing as it figures out how to situate over 15,000 Haitians. Likewise, schools in the area are struggling to accommodate both Springfield residents and Haitian newcomers, as they face problems such as over-dense classrooms and a heightened demand for English as a second language courses.

These are just a couple of examples of the “on-the-ground” experiences the media have ignored until now. Even eating pets seems slightly less absurd and more frustrating when paired with the reality of the situation.

But Democrats cannot allow this shift to happen. Harris's entire debate strategy was characterized by an air of absurdity, and now they need to keep it up.

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From her facial expressions to muted laughter, Harris attempted to make all of Trump’s comments seem crazy and unfounded. In the case of Springfield, Harris has to make it appear as a one-off, absurd series of hardships that coincide with the arrival of thousands of immigrants — a tall order given the numerous independent journalists who have headed toward the town to document it, as well as the small-town pandering on which Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), have staked their campaign.

Even so, Harris has it easier than Trump. She still does not have to be clear about her policies. Harris can use all the empty rhetoric she wants because she can call out absurdity as she sees it and let a compliant media do the rest.