Thank you, Chris! My sentiments exactly, especially the part about how dropping the VP is a story every time an incumbent President runs for re-election.
Aside from that, Vice-President Harris is extraordinarily competent, and fully-qualified to become President if called upon to do so. Keep in mind that Kamala Harris' career, up until 2017, was exclusively in the courtroom -- not in the legislature. She was San Francisco District Attorney and California Attorney General, where her competence and effectiveness were never in question.
Both the Senate and the White House are drastically different environments from the Courthouse, requiring her to gain an entirely new set of skills. There'is a learning curve here, and nowhere better to learn than inside the Biden administration. As others have pointed out, she now has the benefit of serious experience and a highly professional staff.
I for one am completely comfortable with the prospect of this extraordinarily capable woman becoming President. In fact, had Mr. Biden declined to run for re-election, I'd have voted for Ms. Harris without hesitation.
Here's another idea you might consider writing about:
A network of ordinary citizens at www.FeathersOfHope.net has been advocating for a bipartisan coalition in the House to remove and replace Kevin McCarthy as Speaker.
We've been urging moderates in both parties to unite in this effort by using the same "motion to vacate the chair" that's being wielded as a threat by the far-right to elect a strong, independent moderate Republican Speaker who owes nothing to MAGA extremists.
Someone like Don Bacon (R-NE) or Brian Fitzpatrick R-PA) could provide effective leadership if supported by the bipartisan majority that passed the debt ceiling increase (Fiscal Responsibility Act) a few months ago, and will eventually pass the appropriation bills to avoid a government shutdown.
We're inviting everyone who values an orderly functioning House of Representatives to pitch in and help end the chaos, hand MAGA forces in the House a stinging defeat, and reestore nomal order to the chamber.
Nice idea in theory. It’ll never happen. Any moderate Republican who became Speaker either primarily or in a coalition reliant upon Democratic votes would be signing their own political death warrant, and every single one of them knows it.
There's a common misconception that MAGA voters dominate in every district represented by a Republican. They do not. In several swing districts, a moderate Republican who confronts the extremists would likely be rewarded by their constituents from both parties.
Given that 70-80% of Republican voters still don’t think Biden won the election? You don’t even have to be that “extreme” of a Republican to think that someone who effectively engineers a Democratic takeover of the House (which is exactly how it would be portrayed in conservative media) is a traitor. And the actual crazies don’t have to dominate, they just have to stay home in a swing district and a moderate still loses a general election even if they do survive a primary.
Most swing states are not actually all that moderate. They’re just a balance of crazy lefties and crazy righties in a near even number. I mean, George Santos exists.
I feel like this is a total non-issue that the MSM is using to fill out the news cycle. If Harris and Pelosi were men, I don't think the question would even have been asked.
If Biden replaced Harris it would be pounced upon as a sign of weakness.
As to the three options, let's address in reverse order:
3. Harris is simply not that gifted as a politician, and has struggled to adapt to the challenges and scrutiny of the vice presidency.
Answer: Perhaps true. But she can be coached on this as well as be provided better support from the administration while performing her duties.
2. Harris, as the first black and Indian American woman in the vice presidency, faces both gender and racial prejudices that a man in the same position would not
Answer: Why is it that the woman always has to take the hit because she is "not well liked." We saw that same mysoginy played out with Hillary Clinton! There's no policy substance behind it.
1. Harris was burdened with a difficult set of issues as VP — including the border — making it difficult for her to be popular.
Answer: Most definitely! But what needs to be pointed out by Democrats, Biden and Harris is that the GOP doesn't WANT immigration reform, nor do they want to SOLVE the so-called border issue. They simply want to keep the border as a campaign issue.
I do think one thing the administration could do is call out the root cause of the border immigration and migration and address that while simultaneously presenting an immigration and migration program.
The last president to present a immigration reform, to his credit, was George W Bush and it was derailed by his own party. Biden & Harris should put together a plan to alleviate issues in the home nations of the migrants (Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, etc) while simultaneously implementing a green card and guest worker identification system which documents the incoming immigrants providing legal status as they await hearings on asylum or work and pay taxes as immigrant labor.
I agree - Democrats need to suck it up and make peace re Harris. To do otherwise is to play into the hands of Republicans. I also think gender and race are playing a larger role than you may think. Having spent a lifetime as female (although not a minority), I can smell its stench and so can many other women.
I question the premise that Harris drags Biden down. Harris’s favorable percentage is only about a point lower than Biden’s, and her unfavorables are also lower, giving her a slightly better net than Biden. Overall, no real meaningful difference between Biden and Harris on favorability.
This seems to come up quite often, as you have said. It is a good question, I suppose. However, I have no issue with Harris. She’s inexperienced for the role, not an easy one and she has struggle. True. However, we had a politically inexperienced man child in the role. Unlike Trump, she will surround herself with experienced and smart people. The job as president has a learning curve for everyone. Biden is not only a seasoned politician in the senate but the role as veep. Not all that rise to the presidential nomination have that much experience.
I was wondering where this was going, but you hit the nail on the head. Here's the one scenario I can imagine where Harris is replaced:
Alito or Thomas resign from the Supreme for corruption or "health reasons" and Biden nominates her to the seat, which Chuck Schumer rushes through the Senate over the hypocrtical whining of Mitch McConnell and Lindsday Graham.
Well reasoned - if Nancy Pelosi had answered Anderson Cooper with your points in the second half of the column, might have put the issue to bed. My sense is, Nancy Pelosi was trying to not weigh in on Harris to not make it a focus, however, as you point out, it ends up looking like a non-denial denial, which was worse.
Democrats are hand wringers and pessimists - worrying about what the challenges are, as opposed to what the benefits and strengths are. They will jump on any story which challenges the status quo, and implies there must be something better. Please recall, in the 2020 Presidential campaign, Biden was not considered the clear front runner, and was reportedly struggling, until James Clyburn said, Biden is the guy! Then the party stopped its hand wringing and got behind Biden. The Biden Campaign should, at some point, do the same with Kamala Harris - say she is the ticket, and ask everyone to move on. Until they do, there will be endless stories with speculation that someone could be better (fed by the right wing and the Russian/Chinese/Iranian propaganda machines), just like the endless speculation there must be someone better than Biden. At this point in time, this is the ticket the Democrats have - Biden - Harris. The stories are mostly click bait for advertising revenue or to encourage disinformation and dissent.
Someone needs to explain to me how Nikki Haley is more qualified than Kamala Harris to be President.
Harris was the Attorney General and junior Senator for the biggest state in the union, and now serves as the Vice President.
Haley served briefly in the South Carolina state house, then won as a Tea Party endorsed candidate for governor after Gov. Sanford's "Appalachian Tail" fiasco, served six years, then was the U.S. Secretary to the U.N. for a President who didn't believe in either the U.N. or NATO. She's been on every side of every issue.
And I'm supposed to worry about Harris' credentials?
Kamala Harris received 2% of the 2020 Democrat primary vote. She was only selected for her race and gender, just like KBJ and KJP. This is the pinnacle of affirmative action and DEI. Everyone knows it, but the media can't do anything except clutch its pearls and distract away how unlikable and incompetent she is.
Yezz,,, and twumpy is the net result of 30 years drunk on Newton Limbaugh. Dumbed down to a clown show low. The Spawn from Palin's trailer had more backseat Boebert MGT Babies than we needed I guess.
Cillizza: "I see NO way that Biden tries to replace Harris on the ticket. . . What it would do is drive a narrative of panic — that Biden doesn’t think he can win with Harris and feels the need to throw a Hail Mary pass to wind up back in the White House. . . And that doesn’t even mention what it would look like — and how it would impact key Democratic constituencies — if Biden dropped the history-making Harris from the ticket. It might not lead to a full-scale rebellion but man oh man would there be some hurt feelings — and no obvious way to soothe them."
Herewith a "soothing" scenario:
Harris resigns as VP ("personal" reasons)-- Biden initiates search for replacement VP
Merrick Garland resigns as AG ("health" reasons)
Biden appoints Harris as AG
Search committee recommends Michele Obama for VP
Harris and Obama accept their appointments and are confirmed
Biden/Obama ticket wins 50 states (jk)
I think few people would view a move from VP to AG as a demotion, let alone a sign of "Hail Mary" desperation or panic on Biden's part, and most Dem constituencies would unbegrudgingly accept Obama as Harris's replacement
Timing would be critical, as well as a willingness for the principals to sacrifice 4-5 years of their lives (esp Michele)
I agree with you , Chris, that Joe won't replace VP Harris. She is currently viewed as a liability chiefly because the right wing media machine targeted her . I stand second to none in my general admiration for Nancy Pelosi, but failing to back VP Harris as she is under assault is bad judgment. Barro's take is grist for the talking head mill, but it's wholly impractical. Recall that it was the African American community in South Carolina who buoyed Joe when things bad for him in 20. It would be folly to alienate that community by ditching VP Harris without valid cause. Two additional points: 1) VP Harris was given nothing but thankless jobs. Was that an effort to prevent her from outshining Joe? If so, it backfired. 2) I recall well her very effective examinations of Jeff Sessions and others when she was in the Senate. She is plenty smart and able
I don't get the unfavorable rating for Harris. Because, as usual with the VP, there is not a lot of press. It makes it seem like she hasn't done much, though she hasn't had a major fail, in my opinion, which explains the low favorable rating. This tells me that many of the 55% don't like Joe Biden’s VP.
From reading different things, I think of Kamala Harris as being concerned with her historical place. Perhaps a little obsessed, and as a result, too scrutinizing of herself. She seems too worried, being the first woman of Black and Indian descent, just to be herself. None of this is enough to replace her. Imagine Biden picking Whitmer instead. The optics would be terrible.
Thank you, Chris! My sentiments exactly, especially the part about how dropping the VP is a story every time an incumbent President runs for re-election.
Aside from that, Vice-President Harris is extraordinarily competent, and fully-qualified to become President if called upon to do so. Keep in mind that Kamala Harris' career, up until 2017, was exclusively in the courtroom -- not in the legislature. She was San Francisco District Attorney and California Attorney General, where her competence and effectiveness were never in question.
Both the Senate and the White House are drastically different environments from the Courthouse, requiring her to gain an entirely new set of skills. There'is a learning curve here, and nowhere better to learn than inside the Biden administration. As others have pointed out, she now has the benefit of serious experience and a highly professional staff.
I for one am completely comfortable with the prospect of this extraordinarily capable woman becoming President. In fact, had Mr. Biden declined to run for re-election, I'd have voted for Ms. Harris without hesitation.
.
Jerry, Kamala needs a lot more people like you!
Thanks, Chris.
Here's another idea you might consider writing about:
A network of ordinary citizens at www.FeathersOfHope.net has been advocating for a bipartisan coalition in the House to remove and replace Kevin McCarthy as Speaker.
We've been urging moderates in both parties to unite in this effort by using the same "motion to vacate the chair" that's being wielded as a threat by the far-right to elect a strong, independent moderate Republican Speaker who owes nothing to MAGA extremists.
Someone like Don Bacon (R-NE) or Brian Fitzpatrick R-PA) could provide effective leadership if supported by the bipartisan majority that passed the debt ceiling increase (Fiscal Responsibility Act) a few months ago, and will eventually pass the appropriation bills to avoid a government shutdown.
We're inviting everyone who values an orderly functioning House of Representatives to pitch in and help end the chaos, hand MAGA forces in the House a stinging defeat, and reestore nomal order to the chamber.
Learn more here: https://www.FeathersOfHope.net or jerryweiss,substack.com
.
Nice idea in theory. It’ll never happen. Any moderate Republican who became Speaker either primarily or in a coalition reliant upon Democratic votes would be signing their own political death warrant, and every single one of them knows it.
Perhaps, perhaps not, Eric.
There's a common misconception that MAGA voters dominate in every district represented by a Republican. They do not. In several swing districts, a moderate Republican who confronts the extremists would likely be rewarded by their constituents from both parties.
Here are a few possible candidates:
https://jerryweiss.substack.com/p/if-mccarthys-out-whos-in
.
Given that 70-80% of Republican voters still don’t think Biden won the election? You don’t even have to be that “extreme” of a Republican to think that someone who effectively engineers a Democratic takeover of the House (which is exactly how it would be portrayed in conservative media) is a traitor. And the actual crazies don’t have to dominate, they just have to stay home in a swing district and a moderate still loses a general election even if they do survive a primary.
Most swing states are not actually all that moderate. They’re just a balance of crazy lefties and crazy righties in a near even number. I mean, George Santos exists.
I feel like this is a total non-issue that the MSM is using to fill out the news cycle. If Harris and Pelosi were men, I don't think the question would even have been asked.
If Biden replaced Harris it would be pounced upon as a sign of weakness.
As to the three options, let's address in reverse order:
3. Harris is simply not that gifted as a politician, and has struggled to adapt to the challenges and scrutiny of the vice presidency.
Answer: Perhaps true. But she can be coached on this as well as be provided better support from the administration while performing her duties.
2. Harris, as the first black and Indian American woman in the vice presidency, faces both gender and racial prejudices that a man in the same position would not
Answer: Why is it that the woman always has to take the hit because she is "not well liked." We saw that same mysoginy played out with Hillary Clinton! There's no policy substance behind it.
1. Harris was burdened with a difficult set of issues as VP — including the border — making it difficult for her to be popular.
Answer: Most definitely! But what needs to be pointed out by Democrats, Biden and Harris is that the GOP doesn't WANT immigration reform, nor do they want to SOLVE the so-called border issue. They simply want to keep the border as a campaign issue.
I do think one thing the administration could do is call out the root cause of the border immigration and migration and address that while simultaneously presenting an immigration and migration program.
The last president to present a immigration reform, to his credit, was George W Bush and it was derailed by his own party. Biden & Harris should put together a plan to alleviate issues in the home nations of the migrants (Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, etc) while simultaneously implementing a green card and guest worker identification system which documents the incoming immigrants providing legal status as they await hearings on asylum or work and pay taxes as immigrant labor.
Why would anybody not like Kamala Harris? In what sense is she “unlikeable”? What has she done to make anyone believe she is “incompetent”?
I agree - Democrats need to suck it up and make peace re Harris. To do otherwise is to play into the hands of Republicans. I also think gender and race are playing a larger role than you may think. Having spent a lifetime as female (although not a minority), I can smell its stench and so can many other women.
I question the premise that Harris drags Biden down. Harris’s favorable percentage is only about a point lower than Biden’s, and her unfavorables are also lower, giving her a slightly better net than Biden. Overall, no real meaningful difference between Biden and Harris on favorability.
This seems to come up quite often, as you have said. It is a good question, I suppose. However, I have no issue with Harris. She’s inexperienced for the role, not an easy one and she has struggle. True. However, we had a politically inexperienced man child in the role. Unlike Trump, she will surround herself with experienced and smart people. The job as president has a learning curve for everyone. Biden is not only a seasoned politician in the senate but the role as veep. Not all that rise to the presidential nomination have that much experience.
I was wondering where this was going, but you hit the nail on the head. Here's the one scenario I can imagine where Harris is replaced:
Alito or Thomas resign from the Supreme for corruption or "health reasons" and Biden nominates her to the seat, which Chuck Schumer rushes through the Senate over the hypocrtical whining of Mitch McConnell and Lindsday Graham.
Well reasoned - if Nancy Pelosi had answered Anderson Cooper with your points in the second half of the column, might have put the issue to bed. My sense is, Nancy Pelosi was trying to not weigh in on Harris to not make it a focus, however, as you point out, it ends up looking like a non-denial denial, which was worse.
Democrats are hand wringers and pessimists - worrying about what the challenges are, as opposed to what the benefits and strengths are. They will jump on any story which challenges the status quo, and implies there must be something better. Please recall, in the 2020 Presidential campaign, Biden was not considered the clear front runner, and was reportedly struggling, until James Clyburn said, Biden is the guy! Then the party stopped its hand wringing and got behind Biden. The Biden Campaign should, at some point, do the same with Kamala Harris - say she is the ticket, and ask everyone to move on. Until they do, there will be endless stories with speculation that someone could be better (fed by the right wing and the Russian/Chinese/Iranian propaganda machines), just like the endless speculation there must be someone better than Biden. At this point in time, this is the ticket the Democrats have - Biden - Harris. The stories are mostly click bait for advertising revenue or to encourage disinformation and dissent.
Someone needs to explain to me how Nikki Haley is more qualified than Kamala Harris to be President.
Harris was the Attorney General and junior Senator for the biggest state in the union, and now serves as the Vice President.
Haley served briefly in the South Carolina state house, then won as a Tea Party endorsed candidate for governor after Gov. Sanford's "Appalachian Tail" fiasco, served six years, then was the U.S. Secretary to the U.N. for a President who didn't believe in either the U.N. or NATO. She's been on every side of every issue.
And I'm supposed to worry about Harris' credentials?
Yeah, Chris. You make a lot of sense here. I agree with practically all of it. That's a breath of fresh air on this subject. 👌
Kamala Harris received 2% of the 2020 Democrat primary vote. She was only selected for her race and gender, just like KBJ and KJP. This is the pinnacle of affirmative action and DEI. Everyone knows it, but the media can't do anything except clutch its pearls and distract away how unlikable and incompetent she is.
Hilarious that you think KBJ is an affirmative action hire, despite credentials that are at least as lofty as Trump's three SCOTUS appointments.
As for KJP, you may not like how she replies to the press, but she's not a total fraud like McEnany and Huckabee Sanders.
Yezz,,, and twumpy is the net result of 30 years drunk on Newton Limbaugh. Dumbed down to a clown show low. The Spawn from Palin's trailer had more backseat Boebert MGT Babies than we needed I guess.
I blame the black man with the funny name. 😁
.
Cillizza: "I see NO way that Biden tries to replace Harris on the ticket. . . What it would do is drive a narrative of panic — that Biden doesn’t think he can win with Harris and feels the need to throw a Hail Mary pass to wind up back in the White House. . . And that doesn’t even mention what it would look like — and how it would impact key Democratic constituencies — if Biden dropped the history-making Harris from the ticket. It might not lead to a full-scale rebellion but man oh man would there be some hurt feelings — and no obvious way to soothe them."
Herewith a "soothing" scenario:
Harris resigns as VP ("personal" reasons)-- Biden initiates search for replacement VP
Merrick Garland resigns as AG ("health" reasons)
Biden appoints Harris as AG
Search committee recommends Michele Obama for VP
Harris and Obama accept their appointments and are confirmed
Biden/Obama ticket wins 50 states (jk)
I think few people would view a move from VP to AG as a demotion, let alone a sign of "Hail Mary" desperation or panic on Biden's part, and most Dem constituencies would unbegrudgingly accept Obama as Harris's replacement
Timing would be critical, as well as a willingness for the principals to sacrifice 4-5 years of their lives (esp Michele)
Cheers!
(Plan B -- OPRAH!)
.
I agree with you , Chris, that Joe won't replace VP Harris. She is currently viewed as a liability chiefly because the right wing media machine targeted her . I stand second to none in my general admiration for Nancy Pelosi, but failing to back VP Harris as she is under assault is bad judgment. Barro's take is grist for the talking head mill, but it's wholly impractical. Recall that it was the African American community in South Carolina who buoyed Joe when things bad for him in 20. It would be folly to alienate that community by ditching VP Harris without valid cause. Two additional points: 1) VP Harris was given nothing but thankless jobs. Was that an effort to prevent her from outshining Joe? If so, it backfired. 2) I recall well her very effective examinations of Jeff Sessions and others when she was in the Senate. She is plenty smart and able
Put her on the Supreme Court and get Newsom to bring the energy
I don't get the unfavorable rating for Harris. Because, as usual with the VP, there is not a lot of press. It makes it seem like she hasn't done much, though she hasn't had a major fail, in my opinion, which explains the low favorable rating. This tells me that many of the 55% don't like Joe Biden’s VP.
From reading different things, I think of Kamala Harris as being concerned with her historical place. Perhaps a little obsessed, and as a result, too scrutinizing of herself. She seems too worried, being the first woman of Black and Indian descent, just to be herself. None of this is enough to replace her. Imagine Biden picking Whitmer instead. The optics would be terrible.