OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Vice President Kamala Harris made headlines over the weekend after she started shouting “how dare they” at a rally in support of abortion.
While speaking on Sunday in Tallahassee, Florida, Harris slammed Republican-led states for trying to restrict abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last May to eliminate constitutional protections for it. Harris called the “fundamental, constitutional, right of a woman to make decisions about her own body.”
“Can we truly be free if families cannot make intimate decisions about the course of their own lives?” Harris said. “And can we truly be free if so-called leaders claim to be quote, I quote, on the vanguard of freedom while they dare to restrict the rights of the American people and attack the very foundations of freedom?”
“The right of every woman, in every state in this country to make decisions about her own body is on the line,” Harris said. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: How dare they. How dare they?”
Harris also quoted the Declaration of Independence in her speech, saying Americans are entitled to the right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
However, she omitted part of the quote that also states Americans are granted the right to life.
“We collectively believe and know, America is a promise … It is a promise of freedom and liberty,” Harris continued. “Not just some, but for all. A promise we made in the Declaration of Independence, is that we are each endowed with the right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Be clear, these rights were not bestowed upon us, they belong to us as Americans.”
WATCH:
NOW – Kamala Harris screams: "How dare they! How dare they!"pic.twitter.com/hsp37kUHUv
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) January 22, 2023
Harris has been hit with another round of bad news last week.
The Los Angeles Times runs a weekly tracker on the approval of Harris by tracking the latest national opinion polls. The poll this week found that former Vice President Mike Pence had a higher approval rating at this time as VP than Harris currently does at this point.
“As of Jan. 3, 39% of registered voters had a favorable opinion of Harris and 53% had an unfavorable opinion — a net rating of -14 percentage points, according to a Times average. This page will update as new polls arrive. Since taking office, Harris has been assigned one of the administration’s thorniest issues: stemming the influx of immigrants attempting to cross U.S. borders. Republicans have sought to make her the face of an issue that they believe could help them politically,” the Los Angeles Times reported.
“Past polls show how the favorability of previous vice presidents changed during their first four years in office. Harris’ net favorability is slightly lower than that of former Vice President Mike Pence at this point in their respective tenures, and it’s well under the ratings of three previous vice presidents,” the outlet added.
Harris has another problem – she continues to burn through staff as another member of her communications team announced this week he is calling it quits.
Communications Director Jamal Simmons will leave by the first of the year, according to a Politico report, after having only joined Harris’ team in January to help her repair her image following a tumultuous first year in office.
In April, Harris’ chief of staff, Tina Flournoy, announced she was leaving.
“Tina has been a valued advisor and confidant to me and a tremendous leader for the office,” the vice president said. “From day 1, she led our team during a historic first year as we made progress rebuilding our economy here at home and our alliances around the world. Tina is the consummate public servant and I will continue to rely on her advice, counsel, and friendship.”
“Tina has been a critical member of the White House team since day one, working with the President and Vice President to make their partnership effective and help the administration deliver on critical priorities,” President Joe Biden’s Chief of Staff Ron Klain said. “Her experience, wisdom, and hard work have been instrumental to our success on many issues.”
