Furthermore, Harris’s attempt to shift blame or frame the silence as a matter of principle fails to address the fundamental demand of the American electorate: accountability. The Epstein saga is not merely a tabloid sensation; it represents a profound failure of the justice system to protect the vulnerable from the powerful. By choosing to uphold the status quo of secrecy under the guise of “independence,” the Vice President inadvertently reinforced the perception that the government is more interested in protecting its own reputation than in uncovering the truth. The laughter that rippled through the audience during her explanation was a visceral reaction to what many perceived as a lack of sincerity. It was the sound of a public that has heard every possible excuse for why the truth must remain hidden and has finally run out of patience.
As the 2026 political cycle begins to take shape, this exchange serves as a microcosm of the administration’s broader struggle with credibility. When an administration runs out of excuses, it often resorts to a “final spin”—an attempt to recast its most significant failures as its greatest triumphs of principle. Harris’s defense of the Epstein file suppression is a textbook example of this phenomenon. It asks the public to believe that silence is transparency, that delay is progress, and that the protection of the powerful is a necessary byproduct of a functional democracy. Continue reading…
