In Search of Kamala Harris
Searchin’ fo’ Kamala Harris
Afta almost tree years, da vice president stay strugglin’ fo’ make da case fo’ herself — an’ she no like dat.
All da conditions seemed right fo’ one chance fo’ reset da story.
At da Munich Security Conference in February, everybody stay all worried ’bout Russia’s war in Ukraine. An’ who dey send to lead da American crew? Kamala Harris, da Vice President. She wen get ’bout 50 lawmakers from bof parties in tow. Her first day in Germany, she stay locked up, gettin’ ready fo’ da next 48 hours. One day fulla meetings wit European leaders, da next day, she goin’ give one big speech in da fancy ballroom of da Hotel Bayerischer Hof. When she finally step out, holdin’ her head high, an’ shoulders back, Harris, she look like she in her element on da world stage. Her team sayin’ people ’round da world, dey showin’ her respect.
“I wen spend most my life as one prosecutor,” Harris say in her speech, where she tell everybody da United States officially saying Russia wen do some terrible stuff. “I know firsthand how important it stay fo’ gather da facts an’ hold ’em up against da law.”
As I look at da crowd from one balcony in da ballroom, it was like one visual reminder of all da glass ceilings Harris wen bust through. Most of ’em guys; she one woman. Most of ’em white; she one Black an’ South Asian lady, da first-generation American from da Bay Area.
Back in 2017, when Harris first wen Washington as one senator from California, people was t’inking she goin’ be da Next Face of da Party, da up-an’-comin’ star who get inside track fo’ be da next Democratic presidential nominee. But afta one disappointing 2020 campaign an’ da bad reputation dat stick ’round like glue, Harris stay lookin’ mo’ like one politician on one treasure hunt, tryin’ find one moment instead of bein’ da one who make da moments.
In Munich, it was anudda missed opportunity. Harris wen deliver her speech, but da delivery kinda awkward, an’ people miss some good parts ’cause of it. Her chief of staff, sittin’ up front, tried fo’ start some applause by herself, but da rest of da Biden crew in da audience, dey no really join in. So, Harris wen cut her trip short, headin’ back to Washington one day early. Da reason? Turns out, President Biden wen sneak off to Kyiv. An’ da impact on da vice president, well, it was déjà vu. Her three-day trip to Munich, it was ‘sposed to be her big moment, but ended up gettin’ overlooked.
Biden an’ Harris should, in theory, be ridin’ high into da 2024 race. Democrats managed fo’ hold off one “red wave” in da 2022 midterms, an’ dey keep winnin’ special elections an’ ballot referendums, thanks to all da folks who mad ’bout da Supreme Court overturnin’ Roe v. Wade. But instead, da polls keep showin’ Biden, who goin’ be 81 in November, neck an’ neck wit his likely rival, Donald Trump. An’ people stay worried ’bout his age an’ if he can handle anodda four years in da top spot.
But if Biden’s age stay da Democrats’ obvious problem, Harris, who turnin’ 59 dis month, stay da unspoken one. Three years afta dey packaged her an’ Biden together, like one two-for-one deal, givin’ dem one younger, nonwhite candidate to balance out Biden’s flaws, Democrats still no really into da idea of havin’ her as da next president. I talked wit ova 75 people who know Harris, an’ dey no can agree on her, ‘cept dat she get one image problem. Da media stay makin’ her look bad, an’ da polls showin’ people no like her much. Dis year, NBC News did one poll an’ found dat 49 percent of voters no like Harris, an’ dat’s da lowest rating fo’ one vice president since 1989 when dey started dat poll.
Even Republican presidential candidates like Nikki Haley already sayin’ dat if you vote for Biden, you actually votin’ for President Kamala Harris. Trump, he wen talk to Tucker Carlson an’ make fun of how Harris talk, an’ he also sayin’ what people stay whisperin’: da closer Harris get to da presidency, da less people believe she fit for da job.
“Dis not our future president,” Trump say, givin’ one sneak peek of how da Republicans goin’ attack her in da next election. “An’ I t’ink dey probably goin’ get some kind of primary, an’ odda people goin’ come in.”
Trump ain’t da only one floatin’ da idea dat Harris might need one replacement. In September, New York Magazine wen publish one piece called “Da Case fo’ Biden fo’ Drop Kamala Harris,” an’ one Washington Post column sayin’ “Biden could open up da process fo’ pickin’ one vice president, so we get someone betta.” Same week, two Democratic House members, Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland an’ former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, one powerhouse in da Democratic Party, from da same hometown as Harris but no particularly close to her, dey no like answer when CNN asked if dey t’ink Harris should be Biden’s runnin’ mate in 2024. (Raskin, afta he take heat, go on anodda network fo’ say he still support her).
Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, da progressive who wen run against Biden an’ Harris in da 2020 Democratic primary, she no really sure when one local radio station asked her if Biden should keep Harris as his runnin’ mate in 2024. She say, “I really like give da decision-making to Biden an’ his team.” (Warren wen call Harris twice fo’ apologize afta, but CNN say Harris wen ignore da calls).
All dis doubt makin’ Harris an’ her team go all out on da PR front. She was in da spotlight 13 times in one video announcin’ Biden’s re-election campaign. An’ da White House big shots stay tellin’ Democrats fo’ stop talkin’ smack ’bout Harris, on da record or off, ’cause dey sayin’ dat goin’ hurt da whole ticket.
NOW IN ENGLISH
In Search of Kamala Harris
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Title: “Searching for Kamala Harris”
After almost three years, the vice president is struggling to make the case for herself, and she doesn’t like it.
All the conditions seemed right for one chance to reset the story.
At the Munich Security Conference in February, everyone was concerned about Russia’s war in Ukraine. And who did they send to lead the American delegation? Kamala Harris, the Vice President. She had about 50 lawmakers from both parties in tow. Her first day in Germany, she was locked up, getting ready for the next 48 hours. One day full of meetings with European leaders, the next day, she was going to give one big speech in the fancy ballroom of the Hotel Bayerischer Hof. When she finally stepped out, holding her head high and shoulders back, Harris looked like she was in her element on the world stage. Her team said people around the world were showing her respect.
“I spent most of my life as a prosecutor,” Harris said in her speech, where she told everyone that the United States officially said Russia had done some terrible things. “I know firsthand how important it is to gather the facts and hold them up against the law.”
As I looked at the crowd from one balcony in the ballroom, it was like a visual reminder of all the glass ceilings Harris had broken through. Most of them were guys; she was a woman. Most of them were white; she was a Black and South Asian lady, a first-generation American from the Bay Area.
Back in 2017, when Harris first went to Washington as a senator from California, people were thinking she was going to be the Next Face of the Party, the up-and-coming star with the inside track to be the next Democratic presidential nominee. But after a disappointing 2020 campaign and the bad reputation that stuck around like glue, Harris is looking more like a politician on a treasure hunt, trying to find a moment instead of being the one who makes the moments.
In Munich, it was another missed opportunity. Harris delivered her speech, but the delivery was kind of awkward, and people missed some good parts because of it. Her chief of staff, sitting up front, tried to start some applause by herself, but the rest of the Biden team in the audience didn’t really join in. So, Harris cut her trip short, heading back to Washington one day early. The reason? It turns out President Biden had snuck off to Kyiv. And the impact on the vice president, well, it was déjà vu. Her three-day trip to Munich was supposed to be her big moment but ended up getting overlooked.
Biden and Harris should, in theory, be riding high into the 2024 race. Democrats managed to hold off a “red wave” in the 2022 midterms, and they keep winning special elections and ballot referendums, thanks to all the folks who are mad about the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. But instead, the polls keep showing Biden, who will be 81 in November, neck and neck with his likely rival, Donald Trump. And people are worried about his age and if he can handle another four years in the top spot.
But if Biden’s age is the Democrats’ obvious problem, Harris, who turns 59 this month, is the unspoken one. Three years after they packaged her and Biden together as a two-for-one deal, giving them a younger, non-white candidate to balance out Biden’s flaws, Democrats still aren’t really into the idea of having her as the next president. I talked to over 75 people who know Harris, and they can’t agree on her, except that she has an image problem. The media is making her look bad, and the polls show that people don’t like her much. This year, NBC News did a poll and found that 49 percent of voters don’t like Harris, and that’s the lowest rating for a vice president since 1989 when they started that poll.
Even Republican presidential candidates like Nikki Haley are already saying that if you vote for Biden, you’re actually voting for President Kamala Harris. Trump talked to Tucker Carlson and made fun of how Harris talks, and he’s also saying what people are whispering: the closer Harris gets to the presidency, the less people believe she’s fit for the job.
“This is not our future president,” Trump said, giving a sneak peek of how the Republicans are going to attack her in the next election. “And I think they probably are going to get some kind of primary, and other people are going to come in.”
Trump isn’t the only one floating the idea that Harris might need a replacement. In September, New York Magazine published one piece called “The Case for Biden to Drop Kamala Harris,” and a Washington Post column said, “Biden could open up the process for picking a vice president so we get someone better.” The same week, two Democratic House members, Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a powerhouse in the Democratic Party, from the same hometown as Harris but not particularly close to her, didn’t answer when CNN asked if they think Harris should be Biden’s running mate in 2024. (Raskin, after facing heat, went on another network to say he still supports her).
Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, the progressive who ran against Biden and Harris in the 2020 Democratic primary, isn’t really sure when a local radio station asked her if Biden should keep Harris as his running mate in 2024. She said, “I would really like to give the decision-making to Biden and his team.” (Warren called Harris twice to apologize afterward, but CNN says Harris ignored the calls).
All this doubt is making Harris and her team go all out on the PR front. She was in the spotlight 13 times in one video announcing Biden’s re-election campaign. And the White House big shots are telling Democrats to stop talking negatively about Harris, on the record or off, because they say that will hurt the whole ticket.