If President Joe Biden is seeking a second term, he needs to fix his vice president’s problem, Kamala Harris.
Although Mr. Biden’s numbers are currently not better than Mr. Harris, a recent poll by the Los Angeles Times found, as of this month, “41% of registered voters had a favorable opinion of Harris and 53% had an unfavorable opinion – net. rate of [minus]-12 percent. ”
One wonders what the 41% see as Harris accomplishing, because there hasn’t been, as far as I can tell.
Republicans have made Biden’s age an issue in the upcoming campaign and if Harris he is fit and smart enough to be President if something were to happen to him. This has always been important in selecting any vice president.
Harris may be unique among current vice presidents because in addition to what would appear to be a weak resume if he were to seek a second term, he has the added baggage of not speaking.
Earlier this month at an event sponsored by Essence magazine in New Orleans, Harris said something I defy anyone to interpret:
Culture is… It’s a reflection of our time in our time, right? And, modern culture is how we express our feelings in the moment. And, and we will always find time to express our feelings at the moment that is the manifestation of happiness because, eeeh, you know, it comes in the morning (mostly).
We also have to find ways to redefine how we feel in this moment by just having language and, and connecting with how people are experiencing life and I think this way.
I tried to read his comments backwards, thinking maybe he was talking in words, but it didn’t make sense.
The two women on stage with Harris are seen nodding as if they understand what he is saying. They have to tell us.
Critics call the verbiage “word salad.” They seem to be taking random words out of the dictionary without attaching verbs, ideas, or meaning to them.
I never thought anyone could make Biden look so good. They do, with or without a teleprompter.
Effective political leaders must be able to communicate with voters and the general public. Not all of our presidents and vice presidents have the gift of eloquence like Daniel Webster, Winston Churchill, or recently, Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton, but at least most of them can speak “king’s English” and be understood.
Imagine President Harris’s speech beginning with “Good evening, fellow Americans” and quickly descending to his speech in New Orleans. Worse, do they understand and be able to explain well the management of the exterior and interior? He was given a task to do something about it limitbut he said he didn’t do anythingmainly because in fairness to him, Biden seems to want to keep it open it.
None of the 41 percent who have a Harris’s positive attitude can point to.
This is why Biden should step in as his running mate. She will face opposition from groups who call her the first woman and the second-in-command of the vice president and who seems more interested in diversity than in actual accomplishments.
A strong, effective and articulate vice president would be the best insurance for Democrats if Biden wins and doesn’t finish a second term.
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