Maybe Kamala Harris has turned a corner and found an issue area she is adept in.
I’m talking about the vice president’s recent trip to Africa. Residents in three countries welcomed her as a kindred spirit. She visited Ghana, Zambia, and Tanzania, and reports are that these African nations treated her as a hero. This is good news for Harris, who has taken a beating in approval polling and ample criticism for her communication problems. Foreign policy could be the saving grace for her vice presidency.
Kamala Harris: Outpouring of Affection for the VP
Harris’ charm offensive in Africa yielded reciprocal feelings. Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema said she was the “daughter of our own country.” Ghana’s president, Nana Akufo-Addo, told Harris that “you are welcome home.” In Tanzania, a sign exclaimed that the vice president should “feel at home.”
But Kamala Harris was also put on the spot about helping these countries with specific initiatives that contain follow-through and money. The African leaders wanted to know what the United States will do about visa issues, economic development assistance, and spurring efforts to fight climate change in the three countries.
Don’t Forget Chinese Influence in Africa
The United States also competes with China for influence in Africa. Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative has made numerous investments in African infrastructure and China has no colonial past in Africa that would discourage countries who had to endure rule by European powers.
However, Kamala Harris mostly dealt with lighthearted moments. Children shouted her name in glee. Aspiring entrepreneurs gave her business cards. It was reported that Kamala Harris talked down to business owners in Zambia. She went to a recording studio with a well-known local musician in Ghana.
Mostly Successful Communication
She did have one stumble in Ghana when she meandered off script and butchered a sentence with the repetitive circular word jumbles she can often display. But the trip was notable for her mostly avoiding awkward moments.
Some Americans took notice of Harris’ apparent success in Africa. The Associated Press interviewed one African-American scholar about her trip. “She is the ambassador we need at the moment,” said Tracy Sharpley-Whiting, who heads the African-American and Diaspora Studies Department at Vanderbilt University. “That’s a joyous thing.”
The outpouring of emotion in Africa may just be the event Harris needs to improve her profile in the United States. She often seems tense and nervous in domestic public appearances, and this creates situations when she has a cringeworthy giggle at inopportune times and speaks in unintelligible word salads.
Wind in Her Sails
Adoring crowds energizes politicians and gives them confidence. This is something that Harris desperately needs to show that she is ready for another presidential campaign – either for VP or president. The Biden White House is likely breathing easier by Harris’ latest showing. They may be able to find a domestic policy role for her as well.
However, Africa is obviously a world away from the United States. Some critics stateside will never stop poking fun at the VP for her foibles. But maybe Harris can use her African travels as a springboard to avoid communication breakdowns in front of domestic audiences.
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I have written that Kamala Harris always has the potential and prior experience to someday silence her critics. This could be a trip that creates a comeback moment for the vice president and prepares her for a pivotal vice presidential debate in the fall of 2024. She can use international trips as practice to gain confidence for times when she is in front of more critical crowds in the United States. Now Harris has to avoid the cackles and the word salads that commentators mow her down on. Her toughest detractors are in Washington, DC in the articles and social media accounts of conservatives. Maybe these Harris naysayers will be quiet for the time being.
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.
