I think she tried, but in a very ineffective way. The problem is the emotions that many, if not most Americans are feeling right now are centered around anger, resentment, disillusionment, angst, etc, and I don’t think Harris knew exactly how to capture that vibe. Admittedly, it’s a tall order.

I think what people wanted was someone to tell them they were right to be upset and that there were going to be big changes, but that’s risky because Harris was part of the incumbent administration and because it potentially alienates people who are pretty ok with the status quo and don’t want things to radically change. It’s an extremely difficult (if not impossible) balancing act, which, obviously, Harris did not pull off. To be fair to Harris, she didn’t have a lot of time to try and find the right balance given the unusual circumstances surrounding her nomination.