Janice R. Andrews
WASHINGTON Vice President Kamala Harris said she “will not be silent” following her meeting this week with the prime minister of Israel. This speech represented a more comprehensive proclamation of independence in addition to addressing worries about Palestinian suffering in the Gaza Strip. Harris has served as President Joe Biden’s silent backup for over four years. She now has to develop her own voice as the presumed Democratic presidential nominee while still being loyal to Biden—a tightrope political performance.*
Over the next 100 days, Harris will have to clearly state her positions on a number of subjects without openly defying Biden. Her every word will be closely examined to make sure it complies with the administration’s directives. She does, however, want to show the world who she is as a leader and how she defines herself.
Discovering Her Voice
There are rumored to be few serious conflicts in Harris and Biden’s cordial working relationship. Because of this dynamic, Harris may find it easier to control her inclinations throughout the campaign. Still, it’s critical that she forge her own identity as a leader. This shift was highlighted by Biden’s choice to remove Harris from her position as the administration’s public face while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in town.
With a strong desire to keep former President Donald Trump from taking office again, Biden has a stake in Harris’s success. There is pressure on him and Harris to properly coordinate their statements given his tardy decision to withdraw from the contest.
Richard Moe, the former vice president Walter Mondale’s chief of staff, points out that because of the particular circumstances, Harris could have greater flexibility in negotiating this difficult terrain. Moe stated, “It all depends on the issue and whether Biden feels strongly about it, but it’s evident nonetheless that Biden is willing to give her a good deal of latitude.”
Three major obstacles face an incumbent vice president vying for president, according to Joel K. Goldstein, a vice presidency expert at St. Louis University School of Law: shedding the administration’s baggage, emerging from the president’s shadow, and making the shift from follower to leader. “She has skillfully managed to remain loyal to President Biden and the accomplishments of the administration while presenting herself as an independent, vigorous new leader from a different generation with a different style,” writes Goldstein in praise of Harris’s early actions.
Historical Models
In modern memory, only three vice presidents have had such difficulties: Hubert Humphrey in 1968, George H.W. Bush in 1988, and Al Gore in 2000. Everybody faced different challenges. While Bush and Gore attempted to set themselves apart from Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, respectively, Humphrey grappled with the legacy of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s involvement in the Vietnam War.
Author of Humphrey’s biography “True Believer,” James Traub, emphasizes the tremendous strain Humphrey endured. In contrast to Humphrey, Kamala Harris “can afford to deviate from administration policy,” according to Traub.
Gore separated himself from Clinton as a result of the Monica Lewinsky affair, while Bush cemented his independence by rejecting a deal with Manuel Noriega of Panama. Realizing how crucial their vice presidential candidates’ victories would be to their own legacies, Reagan and Clinton endorsed one other’s campaigns. According to Goldstein, Biden will support Harris’ candidacy in a same manner because he sees it as advancing his goals and ideals.
Crucial Concerns: Gaza and Abortion
There are two areas in which Biden and Harris have demonstrated different priorities: the Gaza crisis and abortion rights. Although Harris has been more outspoken and fervent about the topic, both of them are in favor of a national abortion right. While they both have similar positions on Gaza, Harris has been more forceful in addressing humanitarian issues.
Harris upheld Israel’s right to self-defense and called pro-Hamas protestors “despicable” during Netanyahu’s visit. She said, “We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering, and I will not be silent,” but she also brought attention to the suffering of Gaza’s civilian population. This balanced stance was a change from Biden’s usually more Israel-focused speech.
The Middle East Institute’s head of its program on Palestine and Palestinian-Israeli issues, Khaled Elgindy, observed that Harris’ tone was different from Biden’s. “Harris kind of flipped that formula by centering Palestinian suffering and humanity throughout her remarks, whereas Biden typically centers Israeli needs, interests, and trauma,” Elgindy added.
Handling Reactions and Upcoming Actions
Israeli officials were taken aback by Harris’s comments during Netanyahu’s visit, viewing them as more incisive than what had been discussed behind closed doors. They voiced fear that by implying a lack of U.S.-Israeli alignment, her remarks may incite Hamas to oppose a cease-fire agreement. Netanyahu expressed similar worries to Trump during their meeting at Mar-a-Lago.
Trump questioned how Jewish people could support Harris, calling her remarks “disrespectful” to Israel. Harris, whose spouse is Jewish, continues to pay more attention to Biden’s response than to Trump’s critiques. Advisors stress that she wants to speak up for herself and respect Biden at the same time.
Richard Moe recognizes that Harris must ultimately set herself apart but counsels her to support Biden’s agenda while she is still vice president. It’s difficult since the audience will naturally want her to eventually stand on her own. However, she may fundamentally set herself apart by style and intensity, as seen by her remarks on Gaza and the Palestinian people, according to Moe.
Final Thoughts
Harris must strike a balance between her urge to forge her own identity and her commitment to Biden as she negotiates her new position as the presumed Democratic presidential contender. Her approach to dealing with touchy subjects like abortion and Gaza will be crucial in determining her leadership style. Her campaign and the Democratic Party’s future will be shaped over the course of the next 100 days as she attempts to establish her voice without alienating the president she serves.
