Will Kamala Harris' Nomination as VP Help Joe Biden Win?
Kamala Harris’s nomination feels much more impactful than any other vice presidential nomination in recent memory. In the 2016 election, Tim Kaine and Mike Pence appeared out of nowhere with little name recognition. Although most people don’t make their vote by trying to elect their favorite vice presidential candidate, nor does the VP usually have a drastic impact on a given voter’s decision. In the past, there has been speculation as to whether or not VP’s can drag their partner down (specifically referring to Sarah Palin, who was John McCain’s running mate in 2008). Does Kamala’s celebrity-like status have any potential to sway voters, either positively or negatively?
Legislative Accomplishments
Most of us are familiar with Senator Kamala Harris from her questioning of Republicans during the hearings on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. However, before Harris was elected to the Senate as a Democrat to represent California, she served as district attorney of San Francisco from 2004-2011 and then moved on to serve as attorney general of California from 2011-2017. While serving as district attorney, Harris made some controversial decisions. Shortly after taking the post as DA, there was a shooting in Baby Hunter’s Point, where a police officer was killed. The neighborhood was working-class and predominantly black. Harris ran her platform against the death penalty, so did not pursue it in sentencing. After the fact, police unions were angry, which made it significantly more difficult in her run for attorney general. Moreover, in a New York Times article, reporters Danny Hakim, Stephanie Saul, and Richard A. Oppel Jr. quoted David Campos, a former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, who argues that when Harris “had the opportunity to do something about police accountability” as the city’s district attorney, “she was either not visible, or when she was, she was on the wrong side.”[1] At large, she has been criticized for her role as a prosecutor, taking more heat for some of her steps when she was attorney general.
As attorney general, Kamala took a position that defended the state’s use of the death penalty. This was shocking to learn, considering she opposed the penalty during her presidential campaign. In order to mitigate some of the negative decisions made by her office, Harris stood in support of a bill that outlawed the use of “gay panic defense.”[2] All things considered, the office of the attorney general in California is the second-largest following the U.S. attorney general’s office.
Presidential Campaign
Unlike other recent VP nominations, Harris ran a campaign before becoming Joe Biden’s running mate. She spoke about reforming the criminal justice system, while being tough on crime with conviction. However, she came under scrutiny for her opinions on healthcare policy, for which she was unable to take a firm stance. Her commitment to uplifting low and middle class Americans was also a highlight of her campaign, but there was skepticism as to whether her policies could actually accomplish their aims. Harris, who was initially seen as a frontrunner, ultimately dropped out of the race, seeing as she was unable to sustain traction and was low on funds.
Debate Performance
Kamala Harris’s debate performance was exactly what was expected and needed from her. Following the disastrous presidential debate, where Trump interrupted constantly and Biden, while remaining calm, was not always solid in his responses, Harris showed her ability to stay composed and answer questions confidently. She was also effective at deflecting targeted and irrelevant questions about her past. Unlike Biden, Harris was able to put the pressure on the Trump Administration for their poor handling of the Covid-19 Pandemic. She also answers the questions asked of her more directly, whereas Pence took every possible opportunity to talk about the economy or criticize “the democrats” views on abortion.
Harris has an edge that Biden is missing, which in the debates, showed well for the Biden-Harris ticket. No matter what, moderate critics are going to argue she is too far left and progressives that she is too moderate. Biden and Harris have been argued to be more moderate than Trump and Pence, who are solidly conservative. This position may encourage moderates to choose Harris and Biden. Ultimately, Harris’s nomination as VP, is positive and it is easy to foresee that she instills people with confidence for the Biden vote.
Sources:
Demby, Gene. “Let's Talk About Kamala Harris.” NPR. NPR, October 14, 2020. https://www.npr.org/2020/10/13/923369723/lets-talk-about-kamala-harris.
Hakim, Danny, Stephanie Saul, and Richard A. Oppel. “'Top Cop' Kamala Harris's Record of Policing the Police.” The New York Times. The New York Times, August 9, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/09/us/politics/kamala-harris-policing.html.