## Kamala Harris: A Deep Dive into the VP’s Uncertain Future
Despite her years in the public eye, Vice President Kamala Harris remains an enigma. While she’s held numerous high-profile positions – from California Attorney General to Senator to Vice President – many Americans still feel they don’t know the ‘real’ Kamala Harris. This begs the question: How can someone so prominent remain so undefined after all this time?
The answer may lie in Harris’s apparent discomfort with the spotlight. Her responses to interviewers often come across as rehearsed or lacking in genuine conviction, leading to criticism and comparisons to ‘word salads.’ Even during softball interviews, she seems unsure of herself, leading to speculation about her true capabilities. While her debate performance against former President Donald Trump was impressive, it’s important to note that it was meticulously rehearsed and benefited from partisan moderators and an inexpert opponent.
So, what explains Harris’s apparent insecurity? There are a few potential explanations. One theory is that she is aware of her lack of qualifications for the position. Her ascension to the Vice Presidency is often attributed to Joe Biden’s promise to choose a woman of color, rather than her own accomplishments. The suggestion that she was chosen as the presumptive 2024 nominee due to Biden’s perceived weakness and the Democrats’ lack of time to find a better candidate further fuels this notion.
Another possibility is that Harris is struggling to mask her progressive beliefs, which she ran on unsuccessfully in 2019. Her father was a Marxist economist, and her mother was a liberal activist, suggesting a formative influence on her political views. While she claims her core values haven’t changed, her flip-flopping on key issues like fracking and Medicare-for-All raise questions about her authenticity and suggest a calculated effort to appeal to centrist voters. This inconsistency might make her appear insincere, creating discomfort among potential supporters.
Perhaps the most unsettling possibility is that Harris lacks a core set of beliefs or values that would inform her policies. In contrast to figures like President Reagan, who championed small government and a strong national defense, or Donald Trump, who embraced similar ideals while emphasizing American interests, Harris’s vision remains unclear. David Brooks of the New York Times observes that Harris needs to articulate her ‘ruling passion,’ highlighting the lack of a clear and compelling vision for her leadership.
With the 2024 election looming, the Democratic party is showing signs of panic as Harris’s perceived shortcomings become increasingly apparent. They are desperately trying to help her regain momentum, bombarded her with advice, and setting her up for interviews, many of which have been poorly received. The widespread perception that Harris is unable to articulate her vision or handle unscripted moments is causing concern. Her performance in interviews, particularly her admission that she would not change any of Biden’s policies, has been met with criticism, even from former Obama senior advisor David Axelrod.
The Democrats’ anxiety is understandable. They are facing a tough re-election battle, and their chosen candidate is struggling to gain traction. Harris’s failure to connect with voters, coupled with the growing perception of her inauthenticity, has created a sense of unease within the party. The 2024 election is shaping up to be a high-stakes battle, and the Democrats will need to overcome these challenges to secure victory. Whether Harris can overcome these obstacles and emerge as a viable presidential candidate remains to be seen.