Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, is facing criticism from her own party.
Here are the key points:
- A Democratic group did research to understand why voters dislike Harris
- The feedback on Harris from this research was very negative
- Some criticized her nervous-sounding laugh and questioned if President Biden actually likes her
- There are also signs that rising Democratic star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could replace Harris
Do Democrats have serious concerns about Kamala Harris as Vice President? Let’s take a closer look.
Democrats Unhappy with Harris
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) hired a company to run a “focus group” and get opinions on Kamala Harris from Democratic voters. The results showed that many Democrats have very negative views of the Vice President.
Several focus group participants said they were bothered by Harris’ nervous laughter, which she does a lot. Here’s an example they criticized:
“You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? [laughs] I really love Venn diagrams, the circles right? [laughs] You know, it comes in the morning. [laughs]”
Other Democrats in the group questioned if President Joe Biden even likes having Harris as his Vice President. The relationship between the two leaders seems tense or awkward.
Rising Star AOC Overshadowing Harris?
The televised panel discussing these focus group results also raised another concerning issue for Harris. Some speculated that up-and-coming Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, known as AOC, could end up replacing Harris.
At a recent Earth Day event, President Biden praised the young, outspoken AOC in an odd way, saying “I learned a long time ago, listening to that lady.” It was an unusual compliment that baffled the TV commentators.
This led to suggestions that Biden may be grooming AOC as a future presidential candidate to push Harris aside. AOC is very popular with young liberal voters, while Harris struggles to connect with that crowd.
Problems for Harris to Fix
Most of the panel agreed that Kamala Harris’ awkward, nervous persona is really just a side-issue. Her bigger problem is failing to accomplish meaningful goals or outline a clear vision as Vice President.
One commentator argued that rather than focusing on irrelevant distractions like her laugh, Harris should be working on kitchen-table issues that impact American families:
“If I were advising Harris, I’d have her advocating for the administration on abortion rights, being tough on crime to improve safety, and rolling back laws that let criminals go free without bail.”
The panel concluded that unless Harris can change her substance and achieve some victories, cosmetic changes like rebranding or media training won’t change voters’ negative perceptions of her abilities.
Bottom Line
Many Democrats, not just Republicans, seem unhappy with Kamala Harris’ performance and standing so far as Vice President. Her nervous demeanor and aimless goals are prompting critics to float replacing her with rising stars like AOC.
Only time will tell if Harris can win back Democrats’ confidence. But one thing’s for sure – she’ll need to accomplish real results that improve people’s lives, not just change her image. Otherwise, will President Biden keep her as his running mate in 2024?
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Photo credit: AI
