Published 23:52 IST, November 17th 2021
Kamala Harris' approval rating sinks to miserable 28%; 'less than half of Narendra Modi'
As per a recent poll conducted by USA Today in collaboration with Suffolk University, a meagre 28 per cent of the voters approve of Kamala Harris as VP.
As per a recent poll conducted by USA Today in collaboration with Suffolk University, a meagre 28% of the voters approve of what Kamala Harris has been doing as the Vice President of the United States. As per the poll that was conducted among 1,000 registered voters between November 3-5, Kamala Harris' approval sunk to 28% - less than that of the most infamous Vice President Dick Cheney who bottomed out at 30% in Gallup's tracking survey. Also, Kamala's approval is less that of congressional democrats (29% approval) and congressional Republicans (35% approvals)- which is remarkable as Congress often receives low points in public opinion polls.
"Ever since Biden designated then-Senator Kamal Harris as his running mate, the Republicans and their co-partisans and supporters in the media have been really attacking her... I think race and gender are part of it, but not the whole part of it," Joel Goldstein, professor of constitutional law emeritus at Saint Louis University, said to a leading media house.
He added, " And I think the other because- the Vice President is less visible.. and has fewer opportunities to have accomplishments and to be perceived as a leader, it's more difficult to have robust ratings."
Kamala Harris getting fewer opportunities to be perceived as a leader?
While it's debatable whether Kamala Harris is 'getting fewer opportunities to be perceived as a leader', but recently in an interview when the US Vice President was asked as to why she was evading visiting the border areas of the country, she had shrugged the question off saying, "I haven't even visited Europe, I don't understand the point that you're making. I'm not discounting the importance of the border. ... I care about what's happening at the border but I am presently dealing with the root causes of the problems at the border."
Being absent from the front in the US is not all that the Vice President is under scanner for, even in conversation with world leaders, Kamala Harris has not been all that great. Take for example her recent bilateral with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on his 4-day-visit to the United States. In the joint media briefing with PM Modi, VP Kamala Harris highlighted US' role in helping India during the second wave while completely ignoring all that was done by the Indians since the outbreak of the pandemic, take for example providing vaccines to countries across the world.
While not known for her work in and outside the US, Kamala Harris has surely been a matter of discussion for her name being used to endorse her family-members' businesses. A few months back, reports suggested that the White House had asked Meena Harris, niece of the Vice President, to stop using her aunty to 'boost her brand.
"The Vice President and her family will uphold the highest ethical standards and it is the White House's policy that the Vice President's name should not be used in connection with any commercial activities that could reasonably be understood to imply an endorsement or support," said Sabrina Singh, Deputy PRess Secretary to the Vice President.
Netizens not keen on giving Kamala Harris any excuses
Some netizens also referenced a recent survey which ranked Narendra Modi, whom Harris was accused of lecturing about democracy, highest among world leaders in terms of overall approval.
(Image: @MEAIndia/@NarendraModi/Twitter)
Updated 23:52 IST, November 17th 2021