The New York Sun recently put out a report arguing that former President Barack Obama is no longer able to sway voters. 

If true, this can be particularly bad news for Vice President Kamala Harris.

This is because, in the final weeks leading up to the 2024 presidential election, Obama is expected to do a lot of campaigning on Harris's behalf. In the process, he is clearly hoping to get some momentum on Harris's side - something that she clearly needs.

According to the Sun, however, there may be a big hitch in this plan.

Obama is 'the past'

For its report, the Sun spoke to political strategist Matthew Bartlett.

Barlett described Obama's campaigning for Harris as "an October shrug of the shoulders."

He said:

Barack Obama campaigned hard for Hillary Clinton, campaigned for Joe Biden. This is nothing new. He and his wife were stars of the Democratic convention after being the invisible hand that helped push Joe Biden out of the campaign. I don’t think that there’s a single American in this country that has been waiting on their decision between Harris or Trump and now that Barack Obama has weighed in, that they will follow.

Chances are the Barlett is right about this.

Others with whom the Sun spoke also argued that it is unlikely that Obama "will move the needle."

Background

Politico recently reported that Obama will be hitting the campaign trail for Harris.

Per the outlet:

The former president will appear Thursday at an event in the Pittsburgh area, the start of what will be part of a swing-state “blitz” through Election Day, said a senior campaign official, granted anonymity to discuss the schedule ahead of the announcement.

It appears clear that, in doing so, the campaign is going to attempt to draw parallels between Harris and Obama in the hope that some of Obama's popularity will rub off on Harris.

Politico, for example, reports:

Kamala Harris was among Barack Obama’s earliest supporters in 2008, knocking on doors and raising money to help propel him to a two-term presidency. Now, he’s returning the favor . . . Harris and Obama have known each other since 2004, when they met on the campaign trail as he ran for Senate and she was still district attorney in San Francisco.

It is hard to believe that there are undecided voters out there who will decide to vote for Harris merely because Obama is campaigning for her. But, time will tell whether this strategy will pay off or not.