In the latest piece of bad press for Vice President Kamala Harris, a columnist with the liberal Boston Globe is making the case that she should be dropped from the ticket when President Biden officially declares for re-election.
The Globe’s Jeff Jacoby cites the usual problems many political analysts make about the difficulties Kamala Harris has endured such as low poll numbers, loopy and cringeworthy statements, disarray in her office, and lack of a clear role and accomplishments during her tenure.
Kamala Harris is Dragging Down the Administration
This is one of the strongest indictments yet about Harris’ future as vice president. It is coming from a leftist newspaper, not something the rightwing media has written (although Jacoby’s bio calls him a conservative). Jacoby deems Harris an “albatross.” He admits that the Biden administration has been ineffective with Kamala Harris and that the White House needs to “chart a new course.”
Harris has said she has every intention to remain vice president. Biden and his VP often poll in the low 40s with many Democrats saying the president should not run again. Harris is fodder for numerous YouTube videos that show how poorly she communicates. Critics point out how Harris is similar to the satiric “Veep” television show that portrays a lackluster and clueless vice president who makes embarrassing statements in front of aghast advisors.
Swimming Away from a Sinking Ship
In real life, Harris has lost several staffers who have left the chaotic vice president’s office. Working conditions are reportedly “not a healthy environment” with disagreement among staffers, especially from the speech writers and communications experts who try to keep Harris on message in her addresses to voters.
“Were Harris a charismatic vice president, someone who inspires confidence in the administration and has played a role in its successes, her presence on the ticket would be an undeniable asset. Unfortunately, none of those is the case,” Jacoby wrote.
Other Leftists Are Frustrated with the VP
Jacoby also pointed out that some progressives are calling for Kamala Harris to be dismissed. Harold Meyerson, who writes for the left-leaning American Prospect, has stated in at least one article that Harris is a liability who has made no contributions and had “no visible role in Biden’s historic legislative victories.” Meyerson has written that getting Harris off the ticket is a problem and leaving her off it is also a problem.
Leftwing analysts are aware of one aspect of Kamala Harris that may save her job. She is an Indian and Jamaican-American woman and sending her packing would upset many African-American voters who would crow that Harris was the victim of misogyny and racism.
Recruit Another African-American Woman
Jacoby believes that could be overcome by simply picking another black woman to replace Harris. He thinks that Biden could choose anyone from Susan Rice, his domestic policy head at the White House to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Biden could also pick Marine Corps Major General Lorna Mahlock or former Congresswoman Val Demings who was trounced in 2022 in her senate race against the incumbent Marco Rubio.
Karen Bass would probably be the best choice. Rice has never run for office and clearly lied about the origins and causes of the Benghazi attack that killed four Americans under President Barack Obama. Mahlock is unknown and has little political experience and Demings could not win her home state, making the ex-congresswoman a risky choice.
Jacoby is ready for Biden to “shake up the ticket” because Harris is going to have “unusual scrutiny” against her in 2024. The best way for Biden to proceed if he wants Harris to stick around is to hold a ceremony that heralds in his re-election.
He should put the vice president by his side and raise their arms together in a clear action that shows the two are in it for the long haul. This way there could be no mistake from observers that Kamala Harris will remain on the ticket. Until that happens, journalists will continue to make contingency plans for her ouster.
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Author Expertise and Experience:
Serving as 19FortyFive’s Defense and National Security Editor, Dr. Brent M. Eastwood is the author of Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare. He is an Emerging Threats expert and former U.S. Army Infantry officer. You can follow him on Twitter @BMEastwood. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and Foreign Policy/ International Relations.
