As Kamala Harris stepped forward to accept the Democratic nomination, she emphasized her strong background as a former attorney general. “In my role as a prosecutor, I represented the interests of the entire public, not just individual victims,” she told the crowd at the United Center.
This approach has been a recurring theme throughout her campaign. As highlighted in a recent ad, Harris’s message is clear: “America needs a president who has dedicated his life to prosecuting evildoers like Donald Trump.”
This strategy leverages Harris’s well-known career as a prosecutor, a path that has propelled her to significant political heights. With her opponent convicted of a felony and Harris highlighting Democrats’ traditionally perceived vulnerabilities on crime issues, her success as a prosecutor is a formidable asset.
But Harris’s reassessment of her prosecutorial past faces a unique challenge: a long-standing Hollywood portrayal that often casts prosecutors in a negative light.
Historically, television and movies have celebrated defense attorneys as heroes, such as Perry Mason, Atticus Finch, and Matthew McConaughey’s Jake Brigance in “A Time to Kill,” along with Alicia Florrick in “The Good Wife.” These characters are often portrayed with heroic independence and integrity.
In contrast, prosecutors in the popular media are often portrayed as secondary characters or ineffective figures within the justice system they help support.
For example, on shows like “Perry Mason,” opposing prosecutor Hamilton Burger is often portrayed as less competent, a sentiment echoed by actor William Talman, who played him. Talman argued that Burger was not simply a subordinate character, despite often failing to secure convictions.
In more recent depictions, such as Sidney Lumet’s 1996 film “Night Falls on Manhattan,” prosecutors like Andy Garcia’s character struggle to maintain their ethical standards as they rise to the top. However, these depictions rarely reach the heroic stature seen in their defense attorney counterparts.
Additionally, series like “Law and Order” often portray seasoned prosecutors like Jack McCoy as hardened and cynical, reflecting a larger narrative of disillusionment within the profession.
This entrenched Hollywood portrayal presents a significant challenge for Harris, who seeks to redefine the image of prosecutors in the public eye.
Despite these descriptions, Kamala Harris used her acceptance speech to highlight her legal accomplishments, from taking on big banks and college scams to fighting elder abuse and cartels. She portrayed her work as heroic as any defense attorney, challenging the prevailing pop culture narrative.
As Harris continues her campaign, she is trying to reshape the public’s perception of prosecutors. Whether that translates into electoral success remains to be seen, but she has already made significant strides against a stereotype that Hollywood has perpetuated for decades.
