Kamala Harris and the fall of corporate liberalism

In a move that reeks of hypocrisy, the former US vice president, Kamala Harris, has reportedly held a private call with the New York City Mayor — the candidate she refused to back.

After Zohran Mamdani’s sweeping endorsement wins in the New York districts, Harris allegedly reached out to beloved Zohran Mamdani and discussed the future of the Democratic Party. 

Axios also added that she had established contact with several Palestinian advocacy groups in the past year, including members of the Uncommitted movement. 

This interaction puts into perspective the failures of the Democratic Party and corporate liberalism as a whole. Meanwhile, Harris’ olive branch gesture smacks of insincerity. 

Kamala Harris and Mamdani’s history

Before the New York City election, Harris had vehemently refused to endorse Mamdani for mayor. While her not-so-secret phone call may appear to bridge the political gap, it’s duplicitous. 

However, peering beneath the bonnet, one will find a hefty catalogue of hypocritical actions and utterances from Harris.

Remembering that this is the same Kamala Harris who screened the Israeli propaganda film “Screams Before Silence” in the White House and spent her campaign telling Palestine organizers to get in line while touting support for the Israeli colony. No rehabilitating that. https://t.co/AkBAwIHdAd

— James🔻 (@GoodVibePolitik) July 1, 2026

During the 2024 election, Kamala and her supporters focused their energies on the pro-Palestine camp and other minority groups pushing for better policies. They were treated with contempt, vilified and sidelined from the political debate. 

At the time, Biden’s presidency had also drawn ire from many due to his staunch support of Israel and its genocidal conduct. Kamala would follow suit, expressing her “pride” in supporting an occupying force. 

Dozens of activists and voters spoke out, urging Kamala to stand by what’s right. And in response, Kamala accused them of wanting a Donald Trump presidency.

Even when Palestinian-Americans endorsed Kamala’s candidacy, she continued to silence them, as we saw during the 2024 Democratic National Convention. If anything, Harris has consistently weaponised fear of a Trump presidency — acting as if she was owed the public’s vote regardless of her unpopular policies.

Even when she lost the election, she continued to blame Palestinians and leftists, stating: 

The issue was not binary, but the outcome of this election certainly was…

Kamala Harris lost because representation politics couldn’t mask her terrible campaign

Kamala Harris makes a U-turn

Her latest attempt to establish inroads with Palestinian activists and a democratic socialist critic of Israel, reeks of a power play. 

It seems obvious now with Mamdani gaining increasing popularity that left-leaning policies haven’t lost their appeal in capitalist America. This is the likely motive for Harris’ U-turn and changing her alliances in preparation for a potential 2028 presidential run. 

Harris didn’t lose in the 2024 presidential election because of “white leftists”. She lost due to her lack of conviction, plummeting popularity, and ‘Israel-first’ stance. Plus, her political flip-flopping. 

She has persistently backed practices and policies that deliver the greatest benefit to her. During her time in politics she’s switched from being as left-leaning as Bernie Sanders then later boasted about her endorsement from war criminal, Dick Cheney. 

During a CNN interview, Harris spoke of the importance of “differing” political views, stating that “it would be to the benefit of the American public to have a member of my Cabinet who was a Republican”. 

That’s the same political camp whose authoritarian agenda Harris has criticised — the same individuals backing a Christo-fascist state.

Odd, given that Harris has described republican Trump as a “petty tyrant” and urged ordinary Americans to “reject the schemes of wannabe dictators”. 

In other words, Harris appears capable of throwing anybody’s rights under the bus to maintain political relevance. This ultimately speaks to a greater issue in the Democratic Party and moderate liberalism in general.

Democrats vs Themselves

Outside of Kamala Harris, the Democrats’ reaction to Mamdani’s so far successful campaign and administration reveals the true issues of the party and corporate liberalism. Despite the NYC mayor being one of the most popular Democratic politicians to-date, his party seems strangely against him. 

Mamdani’s soaring popularity, and that of the Democratic Socialist Party (DSA) has frequently been criticised and downplayed by the Democrats. Many of the obstacles preventing the DSA from enacting its most popular policies comes from within its own house, not from the Republican Party. 

Despite claiming to be powerless in response to Trump’s fascist-leaning administration, the Democrats have shown they can block any anti-capitalist policies.

The contradiction is clear as day.

Many voters saw Democrats spend the 2024 election campaign warning that Trump posed a serious threat to democracy, only to then accept his return to power without any serious challenge. Combined with the party’s ability to block left-wing policies while appearing unable to stop the right, this fuelled speculation among some that the Democratic Party functions as a form of “controlled opposition”.

Some have even speculated that the Democratic Party represents “controlled opposition”.

Remembering that this is the same Kamala Harris who screened the Israeli propaganda film “Screams Before Silence” in the White House and spent her campaign telling Palestine organizers to get in line while touting support for the Israeli colony. No rehabilitating that. https://t.co/AkBAwIHdAd

— James🔻 (@GoodVibePolitik) July 1, 2026

I think the explanation is much simpler.

Establishment liberals

Republicans and corporate Democrats, and — by extension — conservatives and establishment liberals, ultimately serve the same interests.  Lest we forget, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has funded and lobbied millions of dollars to both the Republican and Democratic party. 

Despite both parties claiming separate ideologies and political priorities, they pander to corporate donors and by extension, capitalism as a whole. This is because both conservatism and corporate liberalism work to preserve the bigoted, capitalist system.

The priorities of parties like the Democrats, and even the UK’s Labour, is to maintain corporate power, which requires support and funding from the Israeli ethno-state. Massive companies can then accumulate power and usher in  bigoted laws that cement this status-quo. 

In many ways, the Democratic establishment is fighting a battle inside its own party, to quash openly socialist policies that threaten the capitalist hierarchy in America.

The people want change

Statistical evidence indicates that the majority of NYC residents who voted for Mamdani had previously voted for Trump, which implies another underlying possibility. While the concept of voting for a far-right politician and then a democratic socialist mayor may seem absurd, it offers a glimpse into Americans’ hearts and minds, who appear to want change.

The data not only shows that 66% of democratic voters have positive views on socialism. Polling also suggests the majority of Gen Z do also —and that’s no mistake. 

My generation having to start adulthood in the trenches of late-stage capitalism has made us more prone than ever at recognising how corporations and greedy elites are controlling our lives, and finances. But even those who don’t recognise this are suffering as a result of wealth inequality. This is why moderate liberalism has lost its luster. It exists to preserve a system that even the average citizen recognises is broken. 

Liberal centrism is pushing more people away and increasing those who yearn for radical change. The political right has capitalised on these frustrations, appealing to those feeling disillusioned. 

Parties on the left need to change

People are sick of the Israel-first agenda, and corporate bootlicking politicians who won’t change a thing. If Mamdani’s campaign in New York City teaches us anything, it’s that elected politicians must uphold their promises of radical change. The Democratic Party is no exception. 

If we on the left want to fight against the rising conservatism in the Western world, we must not only provide the truth about the system crushing people, but promise a true positive change.

If progressives want to continue on, the next step is clear. We must disregard establishment and corporate liberalism, when we can, and speak to a strong and conviction-driven political movement.

The Democrats prove that, even with divisive or opposable views, we will gain more favour than having no convictions at all.

Featured image via Julia Nikhinson/ AP Photo