Vice President Kamala Harris must have studied the effects of incendiary news coverage on illegal immigration during the Trump administration. After being assigned by her president the job of managing the border crisis, not only has Harris not been seen at the border but has remained nearly mum on the current circumstances – that being 18,000 plus children, according to some reports, wrapped in foil blankets and crowded into makeshift shelters. and a record two million projected to storm the border by the end of fiscal year 2021.
One Liberty Nation writer referred to the border crisis as a “political hot potato” as immigrants have been tossed back and forth by politicians that may see it as a career-ending issue. Wherever the American electorate stands on illegal immigration, there doesn’t appear to be anyone in this administration who wants to lay claim to a solution.
He’s Old, but Still a Cutthroat Pol
Biden pulled a savvy political move when he deferred to the vice president to get things under control. He now has plausible deniability and may well preserve what little legacy he warrants once his presidency is concluded – and there are bets in Vegas as to when that might be. Gambling.com today says the elderly leader of the free world’s odds “now sit at 4/5, suggesting Biden has just a 55% chance of remaining in office.”
That number has been ticking up higher with every public appearance, it would seem. Will Harris, who dreams of being president but could not pull two percent consistently during the Democratic presidential primary, embrace the challenge, clean up illegal Dodge City at the border, and ride that pony all the way to the Resolute Desk? Or will she hide? First impressions tend to suggest the latter.
The most unclear orator in recent history, the president announced this grand gesture last month:
“… I’ve asked her, the VP, today — because she’s the most qualified person to do it — to lead our efforts with Mexico and the Northern Triangle and the countries that help — are going to need help – in stemming the movement of so many folks, stemming the migration to our southern border.”
[bookpromo align=”left”]Harris responded: “And while we are clear that people should not come to the border now, we also understand that we will enforce the law and that we also — because we can chew gum and walk at the same time — must address the root causes that, that cause people to make the trek, as the president has described, to come here.”
But what exactly is Harris doing since this feisty and pithy repartee? Nada. And why? Because no incumbent politician can win using immigration as the campaign backdrop. It’s too hot potato-y.
Diabolical Brilliance
Biden has slipped up in referring to Harris as president. He has joked that when he croaks, she’s going to step in — with her Christian Louboutin stilettos – and take care of business. In the same breath, the guy also said he would be running for reelection in 2024. Here’s the rub: If Harris does not get her shot in 2024, she’s probably sidelined for another eight years. She needs a robust platform of running as a president, and for that to happen, well, we know the scenarios. Would Democrats nominate Harris over Biden? Too risky and unprecedented in American politics: to date, no major party has ever opted not to nominate the incumbent.
Harris is nowhere to be found on the issue of immigration – illegal or otherwise. Republicans have been to the border. The lack of Biden representatives down south speaking to Americans, touring facilities, and hashing out solutions is certainly not going to win friends or influence voters. As Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said, imploring the vice president to show up: “This is your job to fix. I promise you I will work with you, but you cannot possibly understand your job unless you come here.”
But that wouldn’t be a prudent reelection strategy, now, would it?
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Read more from Sarah Cowgill.
