Presiding over the Congressional certification of the electoral college votes on January 6, Kamala Harris declared Donald J. Trump the winner of the 2024 election, embodying the role of a noble stateswoman who was reestablishing the norms that her adversary had once tried to dismantle.
This was the narrative presented by numerous mainstream media sources. Many left-leaning platforms praised her grace and magnanimity following a fiercely contested and notably acrimonious campaign.
Even in a video addressed to her supporters just before fulfilling her constitutional responsibilities, Harris could have been excused for succumbing to the temptation to subtly criticize President-elect Trump.
‘As we have seen, our democracy can be fragile,’ she said in a not-too-thinly veiled swipe at Trump for refusing to accept that he lost the 2020 election.
But in the days since Kamala ‘the traditionalist’ has faded into the background as a different version of the soon-to-be ex-Vice President has, maybe for the first time, emerged unvarnished.
The post-election Kamala appears far different than the laughing, glowing, smiling ‘Momala’ that traversed the country appealing for votes on a campaign of ‘Joy.’
Could it be that the real Harris has finally broken through – and is breaking traditions and scything through social niceties?
Unlike previous VPs, she did not extend to Vice President-elect JD Vance and wife Usha an invitation for a formal sit-down at the vice president’s official residence – the US Naval Observatory in DC – a break with a long-held courtesy.
When Kamala Harris presided over the Congressional certification of the electoral college votes on January 6 (pictured), she adopted the stance of the righteous stateswoman.
The post-election Kamala appears far different than the laughing, glowing, smiling ‘Momala’ that traversed the country appealing for votes on a campaign of ‘Joy.’ (Pictured November 5).
Vice President Dick Cheney welcomed Biden as Obama’s VP to the residence in 2008 and Biden in turn welcomed Trump’s VP Mike Pence in 2016.
Presidential historian Kate Andersen Brower told the Daily Mail that the breach of protocol was, ‘a real degradation of these ceremonies that are so important to our country, and to democracy and the peaceful transition of power.’
Indeed, the COVID pandemic (and the January 6 Capitol riots) notably derailed Harris’s pre-inauguration tour. But she hasn’t restored the custom either.
There has now been communication between the Vance team and the Navy aides who oversee the VP’s residence, but it appears belated and begrudging. And there are signs the American people don’t like this ‘new’ Kamala.
Daily Mail polling of registered voters released this week showed she is hemorrhaging support, with her favorability rating dropping 16 percentage points since late December among Democrats. Her standing among independents and Republicans hovers at historic lows.
Perhaps, the sudden change in Harris’s mood – from one of unbridled, if not slightly unhinged, glee during her 2024 presidential run to moody brooding – was most evident at the funeral service for President Jimmy Carter on January 9.
You could almost feel the chill in the air when Harris and Emhoff walked into the National Cathedral to take their places in the front row pew. Neither of them made eye contact with the former presidents and first ladies already seated, including Bill and Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama (He went stag because Michelle skipped to reportedly stay on ‘extended vacation’ in Hawaii).
Harris’s decided lack of joy was also evident in the icy stare she flashed as her gaze fell on Obama, who was happily chatting with her archnemesis Donald Trump. Later – pointedly – her social media team cropped Trump out of a photograph of the occasion that she posted to her X account.
And it’s not just incoming administration members who have found themselves on the wrong side of Harris’s mean streak. She is visibly on the outs with her own team.
Beside failing to acknowledge any Democrats at Carter’s funeral, her interactions with First Lady Jill Biden have become increasing uncomfortable. It’s no secret the two women loathe each other. Jill has never forgiven Harris for accusing Joe, during a Democratic primary debate in 2019, of opposing federal desegregation policies.
Jill has never forgiven Harris for accusing Joe of opposing federal desegregation policies, during a Democratic primary debate in 2019. (They are pictured together in November).
It’s not just incoming administration members who have found themselves on the wrong side of Harris’s mean streak. She is visibly on the outs with her own team. (She is pictured with Doug on January 7).
For his part, President Biden continues to dutifully thank Harris for her ‘historic’ vice presidency at public events, but their meetings have been noticeably devoid of any warm personal exchanges.
Behind the scenes, it’s reportedly even worse.
‘The postelection rapport among the Bidens and Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, in private settings has at times been frosty,’ sources told the Wall Street Journal on January 3.
In recent days, Harris has reportedly complained to close allies that she’s disappointed that Biden has claimed in interviews that he could have won the 2024 election if he hadn’t dropped out of the race.
Harris is said to have expressed a ‘deep sadness’ over her loss and those close to her believe Biden’s dubious contention that he would have won shows the ‘one-sided loyalty’ of their relationship.
This all paints a very gloomy picture of the outgoing VP, but she has seemingly been followed by a dark cloud for her entire political career.
As far back as the 2010s, when Harris served as California’s Attorney General, she was allegedly known for running a ‘toxic’ workplace.
After she was elected in 2017 to represent California in the US Senate, working conditions reportedly did not improve. Analysis showed her office had the ninth-highest staff turnover rate out of the 114 senators who served between 2017 and 2020.
Others who worked for Harris before she was VP told the Washington Post in December 2021 that she often lodges ‘soul-destroying criticism’ and behaves like a ‘bully.’
All this raises an inevitable question for Harris, a lifelong political animal: What is she going to do next?
If the past several weeks are any guide, it seems that she plans to double-down, not on joy, but misery.
When Republican Senator Deb Fischer’s husband, Bruce, awkwardly refused to shake her hand at a swearing in event on January 6, Harris promptly tried to monetize the moment by fundraising on it.
‘Some people will do what they do…’ read the appeal that plead for donations, as small as $5.
‘The postelection rapport among the Bidens and Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, in private settings has at times been frosty,’ sources told the Wall Street Journal on January 3.
Harris has reportedly complained to close allies that she’s disappointed that Biden has claimed in interviews that he could have won the 2024 election if he hadn’t dropped out of the race. (They are pictured at Jimmy Carter’s funeral).
Harris is said to have expressed a ‘deep sadness’ over her loss and those close to her believe Biden’s dubious contention that he would have won shows the ‘one-sided loyalty’ of their relationship. (The Bidens are pictured with Trump on November 13).
The VP’s ability to portray herself as a faithful public servant will truly be tested on Monday, as she attends Trump’s swearing-in ceremony on the steps of the US Capitol.
‘She’s probably going to be gritting her teeth as she does it, it’s really going to be difficult on Inauguration Day,’ said Andersen Brower, the author of ‘First In Line, Presidents Vice Presidents, and the Pursuit of Power.’
According to insiders, Harris is not done with politics and well-connected strategists in DC fully expect her to emerge as a presidential candidate in 2028 or make a bid for governor of California in 2026.
But if Harris does return to the political fray, she may well run into the same roadblock that thwarted her presidential ambitions this time round.
The trouble with Harris appears to be that you can’t fake sincerity and now that people are seeing the real her, they really don’t like it.
