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The Evolution of Kamala Harris Optimistic Trailblazer to Polarizing Figure

January, 18, 2025-02:14

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The Evolution of Kamala Harris Optimistic Trailblazer to Polarizing Figure

The Evolution of Kamala Harris Optimistic Trailblazer to Polarizing Figure

Kamala Harris has long been seen as a charismatic and powerful figure in American politics, rising to prominence as the first woman, first African American, and first Asian American Vice President of the United States. Her path to the second-highest office in the land was hailed as historic, and her image as a trailblazer was cultivated through her campaign rhetoric of hope, unity, and joy. However, since her victory alongside President Joe Biden in the 2020 election, the vice president's public persona has evolved in ways that have both surprised and alarmed many political observers.

Kamala Harris initially presented herself as a beacon of optimism and progress, especially during the turbulent years leading up to the 2020 election. Her 2024 campaign for the presidency, however, painted a very different picture of her political outlook. No longer the warm, engaging leader who charmed voters with her relatable "Momal" image, she appeared increasingly distant, focused more on making pointed statements and drawing lines in the sand than on her earlier spirit of collaboration.

Perhaps the most striking shift in her demeanour came after the electoral college certification ceremony on January 6, 2025. As the ceremonial presider over the election results, Harris maintained an air of solemnity and grace, presenting herself as the defender of democracy and the rightful continuation of America’s political traditions. Yet, as she carried out her constitutional duties, many saw her remarks as a not-so-subtle jab at Donald Trump. In a video released shortly before the ceremony, Harris remarked, "As we have seen, our democracy can be fragile," which many interpreted as a direct criticism of Trump’s ongoing refusal to accept the outcome of the 2020 election.

While this moment may have solidified her image as a defender of democratic norms, it also marked the beginning of a shift in her public persona that many would describe as colder and more combative. Rather than maintaining her previously optimistic tone, Harris seemed to embrace a more hardened, politically calculated stance. Her decision to forgo traditional courtesies extended to incoming administration members, such as Vice President-elect JD Vance, did not go unnoticed. Unlike previous vice presidents, including Dick Cheney and Joe Biden, who invited their successors to the vice president’s residence for a formal sit-down, Harris chose to break this longstanding tradition. This deviation from protocol was seen by many as a symbolic gesture of her growing distance from traditional political norms.

Presidential historian Kate Andersen Brower expressed concern about this shift, noting that the break with tradition undermines the ceremonies that are critical to upholding the integrity of democratic processes. The absence of a welcoming gesture to the incoming vice president only added to the perception that Harris was stepping away from the ideal of unity and mutual respect that has historically defined transitions of power.

The changes in Harris’s behaviour have been accompanied by a significant drop in public approval, particularly among Democrats. A Daily Mail poll released this week revealed that her favourability rating has dropped 16 percentage points among Democratic voters since late December, signalling widespread dissatisfaction with her performance and demeanour. Among independents and Republicans, her approval is even lower, further indicating that her transformation from a campaign trail star to a more polarizing figure is resonating negatively with the broader electorate.

At the same time, there are signs that Harris's internal relationships within her own team and with other members of the political elite are beginning to fray. The funeral for President Jimmy Carter on January 9, 2025, provided a revealing glimpse into her increasingly strained interpersonal dynamics. As she and her husband, Doug Emhoff, arrived at the National Cathedral, they seemed to deliberately avoid eye contact with other prominent political figures, including Bill and Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Their aloofness was notable, especially in light of the warmth and camaraderie displayed by others in the room. Harris’s icy stare at Obama, who was conversing with Donald Trump, further fuelled speculation about underlying tensions within the Democratic Party.

In addition, Harris’s social media team made an unusual move by cropping Trump out of a photograph of the funeral that was posted on her official account. This seemingly petty action raised eyebrows, suggesting that Harris may be deliberately distancing herself from Trump, even in the context of a solemn, bipartisan event. Her decision to exclude him from the photograph was seen by some as a sign of her increasing political bitterness and unwillingness to engage with figures she views as adversaries, even in the most neutral of settings.

But it’s not just her interactions with the political opposition that have been marked by tension. Her relationship with First Lady Jill Biden has also become noticeably strained. The two women have reportedly had several uncomfortable moments in recent months, particularly after Harris accused Joe Biden of opposing federal desegregation policies during a Democratic primary debate in 2019. The fallout from that public clash appears to have lingered, creating a palpable rift between the vice president and the first lady.




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