Former Vice President Dick Cheney, known for his role in the Iraq War and the U.S.’s worldwide torture regime, is now throwing his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris in the November presidential election. Cheney is not alone in his endorsement, as other prominent conservatives who were involved in the Bush-era, such as Bill Kristol and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, are also backing Harris. This marks a departure from previous Democratic presidential campaigns, which were built on a repudiation of the Bush administration and its disastrous war in Iraq.
The reason behind these conservative endorsements is not solely based on their dislike for former President Donald Trump, but rather a growing alignment between their visions for U.S. foreign policy and Harris’s stance. Both the Democratic and Republican parties are now more unified than ever in their commitment to preserving American hegemony and preventing the emergence of a multipolar world.
Harris, in turn, is embracing her new right-wing fan club and touting endorsements from over 200 Republican staffers who worked for George W. Bush, John McCain, and Mitt Romney. While there are ideological disagreements between Harris and these conservatives, they see her as the better alternative to Trump’s conduct and “chaotic leadership.”
The Harris campaign’s appeal to conservatives is not just a short-term strategy to win the election but reflects a broader shift within the Democratic Party towards neoconservative ideas. During her keynote address at the Democratic National Convention, Harris emphasized her commitment to maintaining a strong military. Additionally, the party’s 2024 platform reflects a rightward shift, with the removal of sections on ending forever wars and opposing regime change. The party now champions the Biden administration’s plan for a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which could potentially put American lives at risk.
One area where the Democratic Party’s platform has seen a significant shift is in its Iran policy. The 2020 platform called for an end to U.S. support for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, but the 2024 platform portrays Trump as being too soft on Iran and does not mention the assassination of a top Iranian military commander. While Harris’s national security adviser, Phil Gordon, helped negotiate the 2015 Iran deal, others in her circle have suggested that a Harris administration would not seek to return to the agreement.
Both Harris and Trump have tried to outflank each other on issues like China, immigration, and crime. Both parties have engaged in China-bashing and view China as an existential threat to the U.S. Trump declared economic war on China, which has been escalated by Biden. These policies do not align with the desires of the American people, who want the U.S. to focus on domestic issues. However, it seems that circles of power in the U.S. are increasingly disconnected from the will of the people, leaving them without a serious option in November. The consequences of these hawkish policies will be felt by both the country and the world.
