Foreign Policy Matters: The Reporter's Notebook

Which of these things is not related to politics? The economy. The border. Abortion. Foreign policy.

In 2024, voters consistently rank issues such as healthcare, education, and the economy as the most important to them, with foreign policy being the least important. In fact, recent Fox polling shows that only 3% of registered voters surveyed in Nevada, North Carolina, Georgia, and Arizona consider foreign policy decisions to be the most important subjects. This rises to 4% when Fox asks the question nationally.

What is the significance of foreign policy in the race between Vice President Harris and former President Trump? The importance of foreign policy as a deciding factor in presidential races fluctuates. The Vietnam War had a significant impact on public opinion in the late 1960s, leading former President Johnson to abandon his bid for re-election in 1968. The Iranian hostage crisis negatively affected former President Carter's chances in 1980. On the other hand, it is believed that former President Reagan's success in improving America's global image contributed to his victory in 1984.

Despite earning a 91% approval rating after the Gulf War and winning re-election in 2004, former President George W. Bush lost support due to casualties from the war in Iraq.

Is it crucial to focus on foreign policy in 2024? It's uncertain. However, in a tight race, any factor could be decisive, particularly in battleground states where the race is a statistical tie.

Rep. Larry Bucshon, R-Ind, stated that pocketbook issues are typically the most significant concerns for many individuals. However, he added a qualification.

The Indiana Republican stated that foreign policy could be a part of the election narrative because the vice president was involved in the decision-making process.

Republicans aim to emphasize the vice president's role in foreign policy as Congress resumes session, with Biden no longer in office and Harris as the Democratic nominee.

The Middle East war, the execution of Israeli hostages, and the controversy surrounding Trump's handling of fallen service members in Afghanistan three years ago have all been overshadowed by the incident at Arlington National Cemetery, where questions about Trump's conduct have refocused attention on the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan under the leadership of the president and vice president.

The mother of one of the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Abbey Gate attack at the Kabul airport criticized the administration.

"Kelly Barnett, a Gold Star mother who lost her son, Taylor Hoover, in a terrorist attack, expressed her frustration to Fox. "In the past three years, we've been disrespected so much," she said. "There's been no response from them and no apology.""

Republicans see this as connective tissue to Harris.

The vice president's involvement in the discussion to withdraw from Afghanistan makes it open to criticism, according to Bucshon.

During an interview with CNN's Dana Bash in 2021, Harris stated that the withdrawal was a mistake.

""Did you happen to be the last person in the room when President Biden made a significant decision regarding Afghanistan?" inquired Bash."

"Yes," replied Harris.

"And you feel comfortable?" countered Bash.

"I do," answered Harris.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., pointed out on NBC that former President Trump was unable to withdraw from Afghanistan, despite his desire to do so.

Khanna praised President Biden and Vice President Harris for ending a 20-year war.

The California Democrat conceded that the administration made a mistake in withdrawing from Afghanistan, but Khanna believes that Harris and the president deserve credit for successfully extracting the U.S. from the conflict. Furthermore, some Republicans argue that the Israel/Hamas war was a catalyst for the administration's missteps.

"Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., stated on Fox that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have attempted to limit Israel's actions at every turn,".

According to Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, the only "two-state solution" that Harris and vice presidential nominee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are interested in is winning "Pennsylvania and Michigan."

Despite the Mideast crisis occurring during their watch, the administration claims it is evident who is responsible.

According to White House national security spokesman John Kirby, Hamas is responsible for their deaths, and as the president stated, most leaders pay for their crimes.

As Congress resumes its session, the campaign trail shifts from key battleground states to Capitol Hill, where congressional Republicans are likely to focus on criticizing the Biden administration's foreign policy and linking it to Vice President Kamala Harris.

In the near future, the House will consider several measures related to China, possibly including legislation concerning Israel and the Mideast War. Additionally, the House Foreign Affairs Committee will soon release a comprehensive report on the Afghanistan withdrawal, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been subpoenaed to testify about the withdrawal on September 19.

The State Department claims that Blinken is unavailable, while Miller argues that the subpoena is unnecessary because Blinken cooperated with the committee in good faith. However, Shedd asserts that Blinken was aware of the committee's desire for his testimony since May.

Shedd stated that the chairman proposed any session day in September for the secretary to come in, but he declined. Instead, he vaguely suggested November or December, which is too late for Congress to take legislative action to address the problems at the State Department that led to the withdrawal.

On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will honor the families of the 13 service members killed in Afghanistan by presenting them with the Congressional Gold Medal in a ceremony.

The foreign policy arguments are not clear for Harris, but Republicans have started to mention the "Biden-Harris administration" as a way to shift the focus from Biden to the vice president after she became the nominee.

Will foreign policy have an impact? It may. However, we won't know until the vote is cast. As previously mentioned, George W. Bush won re-election in 2004, but there were "micro" costs to his campaign in specific regions and precincts due to the Iraq war.

In a close election, foreign policy could play a crucial role in 2024.