As the so-called future of the post-Biden Democratic Party, Vice President Kamala Harris seems to be ending her first year in office on a very low note. With an alarming handful of top staffers seeking the exits, in ways that cannot simply be explained as “planned departures” or coincidence, Harris will enter 2022 with no clear focus on how she can best assist or compliment her boss on just about any issue facing the country. This week, Harris tagged along with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to sell Biden’s infrastructure bill. Harris was out of her element, and the entire trip was an awkward affair.
Now there are reports and some deeper explanations that Harris staffers are leaving because they do not want to end up closely associated with the Vice President and her numerous failings and flaws:
On Friday, Axios published a report stating that the turnover in Harris was fueled by “burnout, better opportunities and concern about being permanently branded a ‘Harris person.'”
The report notes that burnout is natural, but raises further questions regarding perceptions of the vice president.
“One recurring theme, though, is concern — even fear — about career harm by being too closely linked to a flagging operation,” the report states. “Axios is told some Harris staffers want to work on Biden’s reelection campaign, while others don’t want to be aligned with Harris in the event another promising Democrat runs for president in 2024.”
Staffers not wanting to “be aligned” with Harris or branded a “Harris person” in the future certainly seems like a big deal.
They don’t want to be labeled as a “Harris person”? By whom? And why is that so bad in political circles right now? Harris exited the 2020 Democratic primary with roughly 2% polling support before a single vote was cast. She ran a terrible campaign capped off by implying her future boss was racist for his opposition to school bussing in the 1970s. Harris was right about Biden’s past position on the matter, but she swallowed whatever criticism she had to join his presidential ticket, the rest is now history.
How then, did we arrive at this point where staffers in the Vice President’s office are leaving in such a short amount of time for fear of being too closely associated with the person previously being groomed as the logical successor and anointed heir of Joe Biden in 2024 or 2028?
Have her political prospects become that bad? Her approval numbers are worse than Biden’s, something hard to accomplish since vice presidents usually track closely to their boss or trail by a small margin. Harris trails Biden’s poor ratings with far worse ratings, is she that unliked by the country and the people who work for her?
Like her or not, Democrats are probably stuck with her. Trying to replace Harris now will inevitably cause serious rifts in the party despite her broad unpopularity with voters:
So, Harris checked the necessary boxes — a female person of color. But this also presents a problem. If the Biden administration tossed her overboard it would face a withering attack of “sexism and racism.”
In addition, while Harris may be broadly unpopular, she enjoys a 72% approval rating among black voters, and her approval among black female voters is likely even higher. So, the only possible way out is for Biden and the party to swap her for another black female. But the bench is shallow.
Harris has some job security right now, though she may have competition for the 2024 or 2028 Democratic nomination if opponents within her party see a genuine opportunity. She still has time, if she can turn things around, to build up a more positive image. She won’t be doing it, however, with her current staff, as they seem to think they’ve already reached the high point and are in search of greener pastures.