Kamala Harris to Get a Lift From Outside Political Group – Kamala Harris needs a boost to her popularity any way she can get it.
Now a political action committee that is known for supporting women candidates who are pro-abortion is standing behind the vice president.
The group, Emily’s List, will spend “tens of millions of dollars” to improve Harris’ standing with the public.
Harris can certainly use the boost. She suffers from low approval ratings – currently at 37 percent in a FiveThirtyEight average.
She also constantly withstands conservatives’ ire for her perceived lack of communication skills, along with few clear policy accomplishments.
Why a PAC and Why Now?
Vice presidents usually do not have PACs helping them with their likability. These groups instead support the president in helping run negative ads against opponents.
But Harris is a special case and Emily’s List is specifically for women who support pro-choice policies.
The vice president has endured difficulty breaking through and she does not have a clear role in the administration. That has Emily’s List focusing on improving Harris’ image which they say has been unfairly maligned by her opponents.
“We’re going to tell the story about who she is, what she’s done, support her at every turn and really push back against the massive misinformation and disinformation that’s been directed towards her since she’s been elected,” said Laphonza Butler, the president of Emily’s List, during an interview with Politico.
Fumbles By Harris in Public
President Joe Biden has tried everything with Harris. He has encouraged her to attend panel discussions, to appear on late night talk shows, and has even named her the “Artificial Intelligence” czar. The vice president has not shown that she is at ease in public and can sometimes stray into meandering conversations that are repetitious and confusing – what her critics call “word salads.”
The Stakes Are High for This PAC Spending
Emily’s List usually supports woman candidates that are attempting to be elected or re-elected in the U.S. House and Senate. They rarely target their get out the vote and advertising tactics with a sitting vice president. However, because of President Joe Biden’s advanced age, this election cycle will have Harris under the microscope. She could take over for Biden if he becomes incapacitated. That means Republicans have shifted their attention to Harris already because she is so close to becoming president.
“Presidential candidates always tout their running mate’s ability to serve as president in the event of their own disability or death,” Paul Quirk, a political scientist at the University of British Columbia in Canada, told Newsweek. “But Biden’s claims about his running mate will have exceptionally obvious possible relevance. His running mate will receive unusual scrutiny with respect to the ‘heartbeat-away-from-the-presidency’ role.”
This is not the first time Emily’s List has stepped in to prop up the vice president. The PAC invested about $10 million to support Harris in 2020 and stood up a dedicated Twitter account to amplify her strengths and accomplishments.
Money for Kamala Harris Robs Other Candidates Who Need It
Emily’s List is worried that Harris has not received positive media coverage and support from fellow Democrats. It seems depressing that the vice president cannot stand on her own two feet and needs help from an outside organization. Also, Harris is using up time, money, and resources that could be dedicated to other candidates. The Democrats are attempting to retake the House and create a bigger advantage in the Senate. Spending money on Harris is probably not the first choice of strategies for Emily’s List.
One of the worries about Harris is her penchant to go off script during public appearances. Democrats say this is evidence that the vice president is becoming more comfortable on stage when she deviates from prepared remarks. However, it is in these situations that she falls victim to the word salads that are fodder for the conservative media.
If Harris was not having communications difficulty, she could likely protect herself and not need outside help with spending in the tens of millions to improve her opinion polls and help the ticket. This is not the case. Perhaps Emily’s List can give Harris some training on how to speak better in public. They think it is a misunderstanding by voters that she is not up to the job. It may mean that Harris is simply not a successful politician, and no amount of money can save her.
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.
From 19FortyFive
The Hunter Biden Scandal Just Exploded
Something Is Majorly Wrong with Joe Biden
Kamala Harris Exposed Something Seriously Wrong with Joe Biden
