OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
It sure seems as if there’s serious trouble brewing between Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
An explosive new report from CNN, titled, “Exasperation and dysfunction: Inside Kamala Harris’ frustrating start as vice president,” reveals that there certainly appears to be a major “shade war” between Biden and Harris.
The report alleges that Harris’ allies are accusing the Biden administration of being racist for not doing more to defend Harris publicly as her poll numbers sink.
“Many in the vice president’s circle fume that she’s not being adequately prepared or positioned, and instead is being sidelined,” CNN reported. “The vice president herself has told several confidants she feels constrained in what she’s able to do politically.”
CNN’s report claims Biden allies in the administration have avoided dealing with Harris because they see “entrenched dysfunction and lack of focus” from her.
“She’s perceived to be in such a weak position that top Democrats in and outside of Washington have begun to speculate privately, asking each other why the White House has allowed her to become so hobbled in the public consciousness, at least as they see it,” the report said. “Republicans and right-wing media turned Harris into a political target from the moment she was picked for the ticket. And implicit racism and sexism have been constant.”
CNN’s report also alleges that sources said that Harris’ staff has failed her.
“When Biden picked Harris as his running mate, he was essentially anointing her as the future of the Democratic Party,” the report said. “Now many of those close to her feel like he’s shirking his political duties to promote her, and essentially setting her up to fail. Her fans are panicked, watching her poll numbers sink even lower than Biden’s, worrying that even the base Democratic vote is starting to give up on her.”
Allies to Harris have essentially accused members of Biden’s circle of being racist for not defending her.
A former Harris staffer, who spoke to current aides and Harris allies, said, “It’s hard to miss the specific energy that the White House brings to defend a white man, knowing that Kamala Harris has spent almost a year taking a lot of the hits that the West Wing didn’t want to take themselves.”
The CNN report added:
Harris’ team was mad Biden had assigned her to handle diplomatic relations with the Northern Triangle nations, in hopes of addressing the root causes of migration to the US, but gave her no role on the southern border itself. That become the most visible crisis in the early days of Biden’s presidency as unaccompanied minors overwhelmed federal government resources. It seemed like an all-around politically losing assignment even though Biden had seen it as a sign of respect because it was the same job Obama had given him as vice president.
As CNN has previously reported, Harris herself has said she didn’t want to be assigned to manage the border, aware that it was a no-win political situation that would only sandbag her in the future. But Biden’s team was annoyed that Harris fumbled answers about the border, including when she gave an awkward, laughing response about not visiting it during a spring interview with NBC’s Lester Holt. As some around Harris see it, the White House failed to come to her defense.
Harris not only seems to be distancing herself from Joe Biden but her approval ratings are also taking a nosedive.
The LA Times has been tracking national opinion polls to help gauge how voters view Harris.
As of this week, 42% of registered voters had a favorable opinion of Harris and 51% had an unfavorable opinion.
Over the summer, a new survey reveals that several Democrat strategists are alarmed at Harris’ sinking poll numbers and are questioning whether she would actually harm the party in the 2022 midterm elections.
With Harris being so unpopular, strategists worry that she won’t be able to help Democrats on the campaign trail next November.
Harris has become the most unpopular vice president six months into an administration since at least the 1970s.
The MSM is finally catching up on the White House Shade War!
Welcome to the party pic.twitter.com/VXE8AYyip3
— Jacek Posobiec 🇺🇸🇵🇱 (@JackPosobiec) November 15, 2021
