On Wednesday, CNN’s Chris Cillizza hoped, desperately hoping that this might “lastly,” in any case this time of utter ineptitude and awkwardness, be a “Kamala Harris second” when she jetted off to Europe to deal with the crises brought on by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. You may virtually see Cillizza rubbing his fear beads of concern in “Is that this, lastly, Kamala Harris’ second?”
It has been a tough first 12 months as vice chairman for Kamala Harris.
Beset by employees departures and lingering questions on how good a match she is for the job, Harris has struggled to search out her political footing. (Price noting: That is not terribly distinctive. Being vice chairman is a notoriously tough and, at instances, thankless, job.)
However with Harris jetting to Europe on Wednesday — amid the continued Russian invasion into Ukraine — the chance exists that she is about to fulfill her second.
…If Harris can discover a means by means of the this fraught interval with Poland, in addition to the continued push by Ukraine for a no-fly zone, it will quantity to a significant win — not only for the Biden administration, however for Harris specifically.
And the easy truth is that, to this point, Harris has had only a few of these throughout her time as vice chairman.
Sure, Harris actually had a tough time this previous 12 months largely as a result of she appeared so unprepared for the duties assigned to her however maybe issues may lastly change for her on her newest journey to Europe…or so Cillizza desperately hoped:
Diplomacy and overseas coverage are typically, primarily, the mandate of the chief department. This isn’t the kind of mission with which a Home member or a senator is tasked. That is uniquely a job for a president or a vice chairman.
That issues — as a result of when speaking about Harris (and her efficiency in workplace), it is unattainable to not point out her personal future presidential prospects, whether or not in 2024 if Biden decides to not run once more or in 2028. The world stage is the place politicians show their mettle, and persuade voters as to whether or not they have what it takes to signify your entire United States as its chief.
Harris badly wants a second to point out that she may step into the highest job. These moments do not come alongside fairly often, however this week’s journey may be very a lot considered one of them.
And if this had been an episode of the West Wing Kamala Harris would each meet and exceed the problem with flying colours together with maybe negotiating a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine leaving all spectators in awe of her unbelievable diplomatic expertise. You’d count on nothing much less from an Aaron Sorkin script designed to make liberals and Democrats victorious in the long run.
Nonetheless, alas, Cillizza was doomed to be slammed by harsh actuality that veered sharply from any such really feel good script as we are able to see by this typical cringeworthy Kamala Harris second under after she arrived in Poland on Thursday.
However wait… There’s extra! But extra virtually predictable cringe:
“I’m right here. Standing… right here…” ::checks notes:: pic.twitter.com/lylvfZj4qO
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) March 10, 2022
And so poor Chris Cillizza’s hopes for a “Kamala Harris second” crashed and burned upon the chilly onerous rocks of unhappy, unhappy actuality.