Would Kamala Harris be a good president?

Elisa (No)

In 2023, many felt Kamala would not be ‘ready’ for the presidency, and not much has changed since last year. Many Democrats are against Kamala Harris as president and are not even certain she could win against Trump. This lack of confidence in their own party indicates disaster for her future presidency. In other words, many feel she is “necessary,” but no one really believes she is the ‘best’ candidate. 

Unfortunately, she has a reputation for being a little ‘off the wall’; many dislike her discourse style and have mocked her for saying or repeating things like 'unburdened by what has been' and ‘You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?’ throughout her VP career. She is known for 'word salads' and almost as many 'gaffes' as Biden is.

In the past, many have claimed she was 'not a good vice president,' so what would make her ready to be president now? Unfortunately, she has many blatant weaknesses, including her ‘underwhelming’ policy instincts. Even China claims her performance is ‘mediocre’ in all ways. 

She also has much controversy surrounding her, such as her recent ‘snubbing’ of Netanyahu. In other words, she may not do well with international affairs, and when conflict in the Middle East is at an all-time high, this is alarming for a potential future presidency. There is much controversy and 'confusion’ surrounding her work as a ‘border czar,' in which the border crisis is still ‘disastrous’ for this nation. 

Even former President Obama has not endorsed Kamala Harris. Many are asking, desperately, “Is this the best the Democrats can do?'

Andrew (Yes)

Kamala Harris is an experienced leader who has spent the last few years working alongside President Biden in the White House. She knows what the job entails and is ready for the responsibilities. Her past work as a progressive prosecutor, where she created much-needed reforms for nonviolent drug offenders, shows that she is a progressively minded reformer ready to look at difficult decisions and make choices that reflect modern attitudes. During her time in the Senate, Harris was on the Intelligence and Judiciary committees and championed efforts to raise the federal minimum wage while reforming the bail system. 

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade along partisan lines, our nation has had a confusing and chaotic patchwork of access to reproductive care. This has caused real pain for individuals and is deeply unpopular with most Americans. This is an issue that Kamala Harris can speak to with authenticity, which will allow her to lead the nation out of its current predicament.

Kamala Harris welcomes diversity to our nation’s highest office. As the first female president and second POC to hold the office, Harris’s example would be immensely inspirational to women and girls as well as people of color. Representation matters, and a Harris presidency would go a long way toward combating the ascendancy of the far right and white nationalists following the MAGA takeover of the Republican party. Further, Harris is significantly younger than our previous two presidents. Having a more vibrant and energetic leader makes sense for our nation, which is one of many assets Harris brings alongside her candidacy.