Kennedy Versus Harrison – A Tale of Two Different Personalities

In electoral politics, you never know how things can and almost always do change.

Sometimes abruptly. Less than two weeks ago, former Vice President Joe Biden was written off as political roadkill.

A few months ago, some political observers incorrectly assessed that United States Congressman Jeff Van Drew was in electoral trouble.

Biden has comeback from the political dead.

Van Drew switched political parties and has experienced one of the most seamless assimilation’s into a new political party in all of American history.

The same observers thought Van Drew would next have a bruising primary battle. He’s now cruising and will enjoy an easy and well-earned victory in the upcoming June 2, 2020, Republican Primary.

On the Democrat side, the same self-proclaimed “geniuses,” who are almost always wrong, got it wrong yet again.

They all thought that Brigid Callahan Harrison would roll to an easy primary victory.

Then, everything changed. Amy Kennedy won the biggest prize of them all, a mandate win in Atlantic County.

This one victory accounts for 40 percent of the 2nd Congressional District. Before we go any further, here is the composition of the district: it covers the southern portion of the state and includes the counties of Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Salem, and portions of Gloucester, Camden, Burlington and Ocean Counties.

Harrison had won the endorsements of all the other Counties prior to the Atlantic County Democratic Convention.

Make no mistake about it, with the exception of Atlantic County, Harrison is the choice of the insider political establishment.

All of the county chairmen (except Mike Suleiman - Atlantic County) had lined-up in advance behind Harrison.

Suleiman made a conscious decision to not put his finger on the scale. Imagine, he actually allowed the delegates to have their day to be heard in a free and fair election.

If you don’t think it has an effect when a county chairman endorses prior to the delegates having the chance to vote, guess again. It effects everything and typically rigs the eventual outcome.

I often speak and write about the “like ability quotient.” Kennedy wins this contest over Harrison hands down.

For example, at the Atlantic County Democratic Convention, as Harrison sensed that she had lost the nomination to Kennedy, she yelled at the Convention Delegates that she “had earned this endorsement.”

Harrison missed the whole point. You earn it by winning the vote.

Harrison confuses “earning” with political back-room dealing successes.

Kennedy was the one who “earned” the Atlantic County endorsement because when the actual votes were cast and counted, Harrison lost to Kennedy by a wide margin (157-73).

A highly competitive race on the Democrat side is now on. Harrison has the most endorsements and will enjoy the preferable column-A primary election ballot placement in all but Atlantic County.

But, don’t count Kennedy out. If she dominates Harrison in Atlantic County, coupled with her “like ability quotient” edge, she can win the Democratic Nomination.

Very few things thus far have not gone Harrison’s way. Each and everything that could be manipulated, was done so in her favor. But, Harrison demonstrated that she exhibits terrible sportsmanship when she loses.

Here are a few cases in point:

1. Harrison lost Craig Callaway’s vote-by-mail services. She wanted it and campaigned and courted for it desperately.

When she didn’t get it, she turned very nasty. She promised Callaway a political “blood bath” and then proceeded to give him one.

2. Next, Harrison lost the Atlantic City Democratic Party endorsement. Kennedy won it unanimously.

Numerous people witnessed Harrison storming out of this meeting in a very ugly fashion.

3. Harrison lost the Atlantic County Democratic Convention to Kennedy by a wide 2 1/2-to-1 margin.

Again, Harrison took the loss poorly.

By comparison, not once has Kennedy complained or behaved unprofessionally when she lost the first 7 endorsements to Harrison.

She took each one in stride. Didn’t criticize anyone and kept her focus on the next contest.

Kennedy has demonstrated statesman-like qualities. Her opponent? Not so much.

One is elegant. One is not. One is like able. One is not. One is classy. One is not. One is a good sport. One is not.

The contrast between these two candidates could not be more stark.