Kamala Harris needs to be assigned someone to rehab her performance, but many Democrats see nothing wrong with the vice president. However, critics point out that she speaks in laughably obtuse word salads. She has no real role or policy victories. And she is a laughingstock in public, not to mention that she polls worse than her boss Joe Biden.
Detractors Are Racist and Sexist, Her Supporters Say
Are there any plans to improve the way she does her job? Her allies say that the criticism is due to racism and misogyny. Former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain is a proponent of this theory.
“Well, I do think sexism and racism are part of the problem, no question about it. I think she was not as well known in national politics before she became vice president. And I think that she hasn’t gotten the credit for all that she’s done,” Klain said in a podcast.
Two things here. First, some people are indeed racist and sexist – that is a fact of life – and this could affect her approval ratings among bigoted and discriminatory voters. Her opponents are used to having white males as vice president. So, there could be trepidation when a minority woman becomes VP. Second, it is difficult to come up with any accomplishments the vice president has made.
The Biden administration disagrees with that assessment. If you take a look at her official biography on the White House web site, Harris walks on water.
“As Vice President, Kamala Harris has worked in partnership with President Joe Biden to get America vaccinated, rebuild our economy, reduce child poverty, and pass an infrastructure law that will lift up communities that have been left behind. She has led the Administration’s efforts in rallying broad coalitions to protect the freedom to vote, expand workers’ rights to organize and collectively bargain, and stand up for women’s rights — supporting women in our workforce, addressing the maternal health crisis, and defending reproductive rights,” the bio claims.
Many Voters Have a Different Perception of the Vice President
That all may be true, but somehow the public doesn’t see this. She has low approval numbers, and her personality shortcomings are often on display such as the repetitive and nonsensical statements, the cringeworthy cackling laugh, high turnover and office dysfunction, and poor handling of the media.
The mystery with Harris is that the White House usually sends her on missions where she has maximum goodwill. She just finished speaking at Howard University, her alma mater, where she was treated like royalty. A trip to Africa saw an outpouring of positive vibes. Daytime and late night talk shows with liberal hosts throw her softball questions. So, her environment in public is filled with people who wish her well and want her to succeed. These audiences are not racist and sexist.
Liberal Media Pounces Too
So that leaves her critics in the media. Even the liberal New York Times has wondered when Harris will get her act together. The Times had this headline about the vice president, “Kamala Harris Is Trying to Define Her Vice Presidency. Even Her Allies Are Tired of Waiting.” That was hardly a vote of confidence.
Or the White House friendly Washington Post offered its own critical analysis in this article: “A Kamala Harris Staff Exodus Reignites Questions About Her Leadership Style — and Her Future Ambitions.”
The vice president position is one that requires an ability to be competent, but not to upstage the boss. This is a tricky tightrope that all VPs must walk. This pressure to make no mistakes is likely why Harris struggles so much.
She Is Who She Is
Maybe the answer is to let Kamala be Kamala and treat the word salads as something that should be ignored as a simple nervous tic. She is not insulting anyone with her jumbles and repetitions. They are a sign she has trouble communicating, but Joe Biden has his struggles speaking too, so America is getting used to it.
One thing I have learned during a career working in politics, policy, and campaigns is you can’t change the personality of a candidate or an elected official. You get warts and all and the best thing staff members can do is to deal with the reality of flawed politicians.
However, Harris, who is one heartbeat away from the presidency, is different. She could take over the country and there are questions about how well she will perform if Biden needs to be replaced. This is why her detractors are concerned. The presidency is more than speaking to friendly audiences – it is about controlling nuclear weapons, putting military personnel in harm’s way, and leading the economy – all difficult jobs.
That leaves some to question whether Harris has the right stuff to lead the country and judging from her struggles noted by many political analysts, if the unthinkable happened to President Biden, Harris would have no more time to be rehabilitated. She would need to stand on her own two feet and lead the country. And for some, that is a scary proposition.
MORE: Kamala Harris Is a Disaster
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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.
