In Search of Kamala Harris
“Da Search fo’ Kamala Harris: Da Struggle Fo’ Make ‘Em See!” 🌟🇺🇸
Afta almost three years, da vice president stay still wrasslin’ fo’ prove herself – an’ she t’ink she shouldn’t have to! 😔💭
All da tingz wen lookin’ jus’ right fo’ one chance to reset da story.
Back at da Munich Security Conference back in February, wit’ everybody all worried ’bout Russia’s beef in Ukraine, Vice President Kamala Harris wen lead one big kine group from da U.S., get like 50 lawmakers from both sides. First day in Germany, she stay lay low, gettin’ ready for da next 48 hours: powwow wit’ European big shots da first day, an’ den one speech da next day, right there inside da fancy ballroom at Hotel Bayerischer Hof. An’ when she finally step out, she lookin’ strong, head up high, shoulders back – Harris stay showin’ she comfortable doin’ her ting on da world stage, her crew say she get plenty respect ova dea.
“I stay spend most of my career as one prosecutor,” Harris say in her speech, when she let everybody know da U.S. stay officially callin’ out Russia fo’ their crimes against humanity. “I wen see firsthand how importan’ it is fo’ gather up da facts an’ hold ’em up against da law.”
As I check out da crowd from da balcony, I see ’em lookin’ like one living testament to all da glass ceilings Harris wen break through. Most of ’em, they stay guys; she stay one wahine. Almost all of ’em stay pale-faced; she get Black an’ South Asian blood runnin’ through her veins, one first-gen local girl from da Bay Area.
Back in 2017, when Harris wen hit up Washington as one senator from California, everybody figgah dese differences would make her Da Next Face of Da Party, da rising star wit’ one clear shot at bein’ da next Democratic presidential nominee. But afta one bummah campaign in 2020 an’ all da bad stuff stay follow her around, Harris mo’ often like one politician lookin’ fo’ her moment instead of one leader settin’ da pace fo’ da current time.
At Munich, it was anodda case of “What could have been.” Harris, her speech was kinda stiff, an’ da international audience missed some parts dey was ‘sposed to clap for. Her top aide, sittin’ right up front, try fo’ get some clappin’ goin’ herself, but da Biden gang in da crowd, dey jus’ lukewarm about it. So Harris, she head back to Washington one day earlier than dey planned. An’ den, we found out da real reason for da switcharoo: President Biden wen sneak off to Kyiv on da down low. An’ dat, friends, no good fo’ da vice president. Her three-day trip to Munich, meant to be her moment to shine, mostly went unnoticed.
In one perfect world, Biden an’ Harris would be rollin’ into da 2024 race on top of da world. Democrats wen hold back one “red wave” in da 2022 midterms, an’ dey stay winnin’ special elections an’ referendums, all ’cause people stay mad ’bout da Supreme Court bustin’ up Roe v. Wade. But da real world, poll afta poll stay showin’ Biden, who going be 81 come November, locked in one tight battle wit’ his most likely opponent, Donald Trump. An’ people stay worry ’bout Biden’s age an’ if he can finish up one second four-year term.
But if Biden’s age stay da Democrats’ obvious challenge, Harris, who hitting 59 dis month, stay da elephant in da room. Three years afta da package deal where dey sold Biden an’ Harris as one two-for-one special, da package deal wit’ one younger, not-so-white candidate fo’ balance out Biden’s weak spots, Democrats still not totally on board wit’ da president in waiting. I wen talk story wit’ more den 75 people who close to da vice president, an’ everybody get dey own opinion ’bout Harris, ‘cept they all seem fo’ agree on one ting: she stay stuck wit’ one public image problem, one bad press cycle dat keep goin’ ’round an’ ’round, get worse from da racism an’ da sexism dat still out there. Dis year, NBC News wen do one poll an’ find out dat 49 percent of voters, dey not too sweet on Harris, da lowest negative rating for one vice president since da poll started back in 1989.
Republican wannabe presidents like Nikki Haley, she stay tellin’ everybody dat votin’ fo’ Biden next November, dat mean votin’ fo’ President Kamala Harris. An’ Trump, he wen go talk to Tucker Carlson from Fox News, an’ he wen tease Harris ’bout her talk story style. Plus, he wen say what plenty people only whisperin’ ’bout: da closer Harris get to da presidency, da less folks believe she really ready fo’ be president.
“Dis ain’t da future president of da United States,” Trump say, givin’ us one preview of what da Republicans go use against her in da election. “An’ I tink maybe dey go get some kind of primary an’ odda people go jump in.”
Trump no da only one who talkin’ ’bout somebody else takin’ Harris’ place. Back in September, New York Magazine wen run one article called “Da Case fo’ Biden fo’ Drop Kamala Harris,” an’ one Washington Post columnist wen write “Biden could make one more open selection process fo’ da vice president, an’ maybe dey find one stronger partner.” Same week, two Democratic House members – Representative Jamie Raskin from Maryland an’ former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who stay one Democratic bigwig from da Bay Area who wen know Harris fo’ years, even though dey not dat close – dey was on CNN, an’ da interviewer wen ask ’em if dey t’ink Harris still da best runnin’ mate fo’ Biden in 2024. (Raskin, he change his tune later, but we go come back to dat.)
Senator Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts, she one progressive lady who wen run ‘gainst Biden an’ Harris back in da 2020 Democratic primaries. She wen kinda dodge da question earlier dis year when one local radio station ask if Biden should keep Harris as his runnin’ mate in 2024, she say, “I like let Biden decide who he like on his team.” (Warren wen call Harris twice later fo’ apologize, but Harris wen give her da cold shoulder at first, CNN wen report ’bout dat at da time.)
Da doubts get Harris an’ her crew all busy doin’ some public-relations work. Harris, she show up 13 times in one video when dey announced Biden running again. An’ da top advisers at da White House, dey tellin’ Democrats fo’ stop badmouthing Harris to da press, on record or off, ’cause dey say dat no good fo’ da whole team. 🙏🗳️
NOW IN ENGLISH
In Search of Kamala Harris
“The Search for Kamala Harris: The Struggle to Make Them See!”
After almost three years, the vice president is still wrestling to prove herself – and she thinks she shouldn’t have to!
All the things were looking just right for one chance to reset the story.
Back at the Munich Security Conference back in February, with everybody all worried about Russia’s beef in Ukraine, Vice President Kamala Harris led one big group from the U.S., with like 50 lawmakers from both sides. The first day in Germany, she stayed low, getting ready for the next 48 hours: a powwow with European big shots the first day, and then a speech the next day, right there inside the fancy ballroom at Hotel Bayerischer Hof. And when she finally stepped out, she looked strong, head up high, shoulders back – Harris was showing she’s comfortable doing her thing on the world stage, her crew says she gets plenty of respect over there.
“I’ve spent most of my career as a prosecutor,” Harris said in her speech, letting everybody know the U.S. is officially calling out Russia for their crimes against humanity. “I’ve seen firsthand how important it is to gather up the facts and hold them up against the law.”
As I checked out the crowd from the balcony, I saw them looking like a living testament to all the glass ceilings Harris has broken through. Most of them were guys; she’s a woman. Almost all of them were pale-faced; she has Black and South Asian blood running through her veins, a first-gen local girl from the Bay Area.
Back in 2017, when Harris arrived in Washington as a senator from California, everybody thought these differences would make her The Next Face of The Party, the rising star with a clear shot at being the next Democratic presidential nominee. But after a disappointing campaign in 2020 and all the bad stuff following her around, Harris is more often seen as a politician looking for her moment instead of a leader setting the pace for the current time.
At Munich, it was another case of “What could have been.” Harris’s speech was kind of stiff, and the international audience missed some parts they were supposed to clap for. Her top aide, sitting right up front, tried to get some clapping going herself, but the Biden gang in the crowd was lukewarm about it. So Harris headed back to Washington one day earlier than planned. And then, we found out the real reason for the switcharoo: President Biden had sneaked off to Kyiv on the down low. And that, my friends, was not good for the vice president. Her three-day trip to Munich, meant to be her moment to shine, mostly went unnoticed.
In a perfect world, Biden and Harris would be rolling into the 2024 race on top of the world. Democrats held back a “red wave” in the 2022 midterms, and they were winning special elections and referendums, all because people were mad about the Supreme Court busting up Roe v. Wade. But in the real world, poll after poll showed Biden, who will be 81 come November, locked in a tight battle with his most likely opponent, Donald Trump. And people are worried about Biden’s age and if he can finish up a second four-year term.
But if Biden’s age is the Democrats’ obvious challenge, Harris, who turns 59 this month, is the elephant in the room. Three years after the package deal where they sold Biden and Harris as a two-for-one special, the package deal with a younger, not-so-white candidate to balance out Biden’s weak spots, Democrats are still not totally on board with the president-in-waiting. I talked with more than 75 people close to the vice president, and everybody has their own opinion about Harris, except they all seem to agree on one thing: she is stuck with a public image problem, a bad press cycle that keeps going around and getting worse due to the racism and sexism that still exist out there. This year, NBC News did a poll and found out that 49 percent of voters are not too keen on Harris, the lowest negative rating for a vice president since the poll started back in 1989.
Republican wannabe presidents like Nikki Haley are telling everybody that voting for Biden next November means voting for President Kamala Harris. And Trump, he went to talk to Tucker Carlson from Fox News, and he teased Harris about her speaking style. Plus, he said what plenty of people only whisper about: the closer Harris gets to the presidency, the less folks believe she is really ready to be president.
“This ain’t the future president of the United States,” Trump said, giving us a preview of what the Republicans will use against her in the election. “And I think maybe they will get some kind of primary, and other people will jump in.”
Trump is not the only one talking about somebody else taking Harris’s place. Back in September, New York Magazine ran an article called “The Case for Biden to Drop Kamala Harris,” and a Washington Post columnist wrote, “Biden could make a more open selection process for the vice president, and maybe they find a stronger partner.” The same week, two Democratic House members – Representative Jamie Raskin from Maryland and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is a Democratic bigwig from the Bay Area who has known Harris for years, even though they are not that close – were on CNN, and the interviewer asked them if they think Harris is still the best running mate for Biden in 2024. (Raskin changed his tune later, but we will come back to that.)
Senator Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts, a progressive who ran against Biden and Harris in the 2020 Democratic primaries, kind of dodged the question earlier this year when a local radio station asked if Biden should keep Harris as his running mate in 2024; she said, “I’d like to let Biden decide who he wants on his team.” (Warren called Harris twice later to apologize, but Harris gave her the cold shoulder at first, CNN reported about that at the time.)
The doubts have Harris and her crew busy doing some public-relations work. Harris showed up 13 times in one video when they announced Biden’s running again. And the top advisers at the White House are telling Democrats to stop badmouthing Harris to the press, on record or off, because they say that’s not good for the whole team. ️