Having observed, and often participated in, presidential campaigns for more than half a century, Sloan offered readers weekly commentary via Substack throughout the summer and fall of 2024 on the presidential race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Even as a vocal minority within the Democratic Party questioned Harris’ leadership and viability, the author believed “she had the potential to be an amazing presidential candidate” with “genuine possibilities.” In this collection, he provides reprinted versions of his 2024 articles supplemented here by post-election analysis. Written “in the heat of battle,” the articles are arranged chronologically and offer a vivid look at the 2024 campaign from the perspective of a progressive who lays bare his fears of a second Trump administration, his hope regarding Harris’ political savvy, and his frustrations with some of the Democratic Party’s strategic choices. Writing about Trump, Sloan refuses to pull his punches, describing the Republican nominee as “illiterate when it comes to national policy” and thus susceptible to the extremist ideas propagated by his sycophants, such as the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 proposal to dismantle America’s socioeconomic safety net. While the author is generally favorable toward Harris, he is critical of the Democratic Party’s prioritization of baby boomers (both in terms of representation in positions of power and in policy proposals) at the expense of Asian, Black, and Latino constituencies and younger voters; this approach proved costly, Sloan convincingly argues, in the electoral results in key swing states. While not downplaying his concern about the dangers posed by Trump, the author remains optimistic in his belief that America’s democratic traditions can withstand his authoritarian tendencies and in the possibility of a Democratic victory in 2028. While his polemical writing style is unlikely to win many converts from the other side, Sloan backs up his arguments with scholarly endnotes. Political junkies will appreciate the author’s occasional reflections on his work with previous presidential and congressional campaigns.
