Can you feel the anxiety? Many voters from both sides of the aisle have expressed uncertainty about how to move forward after the election results are in. While supporters of Kamala Harris fear a second Trump presidency with its promises of retribution and punishment, there is also fear from anti-Harris voters who had been fed nonstop lies and criticisms about the vice president and what her administration represents.
So, how does a divided country move forward? Zerlina Maxwell, a prominent political analyst, commentator, and author of “The End of White Politics,” believes that Harris could bridge this divide through meaningful, tangible policy.
“She’s going to bring the country together by doing what she has set out in her agenda that is going to help those people, whether they realize it or not,” Maxwell told theGrio.
Maxwell believes that Harris’ focus on policy and governance over personal attacks on groups of people will make all the difference. She’s also confident that Harris will win.
Maxwell, whose career includes roles as a field organizer for former President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign and director of progressive media for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, draws a parallel to Obama’s presidency. She recalls how skepticism surrounding the Affordable Care Act quickly diminished when people experienced the benefits firsthand.
“Back when President Obama was president, people thought the world would end, and obviously that has manifested in this era that we’re living right now, but … when they passed Obamacare, there’s a lot of people that were like this is gonna be the worst thing ever,” recalled Maxwell. “Then they went to the doctor for the first time with a preexisting condition, or their children were allowed to be on their health insurance until 26, and there were really tangible impacts through the policy agenda President Obama had.”
She continued, “I think the same thing is true for the agenda that Vice President Harris and Governor Tim Walz have. And I think that you help them with the policies and the way you govern in the country.”
Still, Maxwell acknowledged that reaching those deeply entrenched in conservative media echo chambers may be challenging. “The people who only consume Fox News … and live in a bubble in a reality that is not real, I don’t know that you reach those people or engage those people right now. Maybe they can be spoken to at a later time.”
Instead, Maxwell argues that Harris’s administration should prioritize connecting with everyday Americans — people who are “just trying to get by … find moments of joy and happiness, pay the bills, and take care of their families.”
Maxwell will interview Vice President Kamala Harris on this historic evening at 6:30 p.m. on the Sirius XM Progress channel.
Watch the full clip of our Election Day conversation with Zerlina Maxwell above.
