Just days before her first 2024 presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign is embroiled in controversy for plagiarizing parts of its policy platform from President Joe Biden’s campaign website, raising questions about her ability to distinguish herself in the race.
Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign faced a plagiarism scandal just days before her first and likely only debate for the 2024 presidential election. Seven weeks after entering the race, Harris's campaign finally unveiled a policy platform on its website, but it quickly became clear that parts of it were copied directly from President Joe Biden’s campaign materials.
The controversy came to light when users on X (formerly Twitter) discovered that Harris’s "issues" page contained metadata referencing Biden’s re-election. This revelation led to broader scrutiny, with *The New Republic* reporting that several sections of Harris’s platform, including policies on Israel-Palestine, mirrored Biden’s website.
The timing couldn't be worse for Harris, as her campaign has struggled to differentiate her from Biden. The left-leaning publication criticized Harris for not taking bold policy stances and noted the growing frustration among voters. A recent *New York Times* poll found that over 60% of voters wanted the next president to represent a significant departure from Biden’s policies, but Harris’s close alignment with the incumbent is becoming a point of contention.
Harris is under increasing pressure to distinguish herself ahead of Tuesday's debate, especially after a quiet campaign rollout. The plagiarism misstep only adds to the perception that her campaign is struggling to gain traction, leaving her vulnerable to criticism both from within her party and the broader electorate.
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