The White House is publicly defending Vice President Kamala Harris after a new report claiming that key West Wing aides have grown exasperated with the embattled Ms. Harris.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted, “For anyone who needs to hear it. @VP is not only a vital partner to @POTUS but a bold leader who has taken on key, important challenges facing the country — from voting rights to addressing root causes of migration to expanding broadband.”
Her comments Sunday night came after CNN, citing three dozen sources, reported that top presidential advisers “have largely thrown up their hands at Vice President Kamala Harris and her staff — deciding there simply isn’t time to deal with them right now, especially at a moment when President Joe Biden faces quickly multiplying legislative and political concerns.”
“The exasperation runs both ways,” the report stated. “Many in the vice president’s circle fume that she’s not being adequately prepared or positioned, and instead is being sidelined. The vice president herself has told several confidants she feels constrained in what she’s able to do politically.”
Ms. Harris just returned from a five-day visit to France, a trip that was partly intended to boost her profile. A poll last week showed her approval rating at 28%, a historic low for a vice president at this point in the first year in office.
The former California senator will appear with President Biden Monday afternoon at the White House when he signs into law a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill. She is also expected to speak at the event in the Rose Garden.
Ms. Harris has been criticized repeatedly for her handling of the illegal immigration crisis. People close to her have complained that the president has given her what they consider no-win assignments, such as immigration and voting rights.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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