Is being vague a virtue? Why Kamala Harris is keeping her climate cards close

Vice President Kamala Harris arrives to speak at the COP28 UN Climate Summit in December 2023. in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Since she began her run for president, her climate stances have been shrouded in what is likely deliberate ambiguity.& (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili) by Thomas Stuart, University of Victoria While climate change looms large over Democratic politics, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign is keeping its green policies vague, offering few firm positions or clear commitments. This seems like a gamble but, according to research, it may be her smartest political move. Now the official 2024 Democratic presidential candidate, Harris has not yet released a detailed climate policy. Her campaign has mentioned climate change sparingly and has not provided detailed plans on how a Harris administration would address the issue. Research suggests specificity generally signals expertise on key issues and bolsters a candidate’s suitability for leadership roles. In past campaigns, vague policy positions often signalled a lack of seriousness on critical issues. Former president Donald Trump, for example, frequently faces criticism for sacrificing details for broad, emotional appeals. Yet Harris has already secured the approval and even endorsement of key environmental justice groups like the Green New Deal Network, the...