Staff Reports
Vice President Kamala Harris is already becoming an enigma wrapped in a mystery, leaving European leaders scratching their heads and adopting a “wait-and-see” strategy amid President Biden’s shocking exit from the race for a second term. Most European leaders seem to be trotting out the old adage, “Better the devil you know,” as they outline their eagerness to collaborate with either a familiar Trump administration or the Biden one they’re already used to. How’s that for loyalty?
Biden’s decision to abandon his re-election bid during a bout with COVID-19 and while vacationing at the beach is nothing short of a political tsunami. After all, it’s not every day that a president mixes up the names of his vice president with that of a leading GOP contender while fumbling through a press conference. Then there’s the added flair of calling the Ukrainian president by another leader’s name entirely. It’s as if someone replaced Biden’s morning coffee with herbal tea—he’s certainly not firing on all cylinders.
Harris a well known figure among Europe's power elite, but leaders taking wait-and-see approach https://t.co/eqzeTwGm7d via @JustTheNews
— Norman Firebaugh (@FirebaughNorman) July 24, 2024
Despite her frequent interactions with European heads of state and attendance at key events like the COP-28 summit and the Munich Security Conference, Harris remains a pretty big question mark. Reports indicate many Europeans are still trying to “size up” the vice president as the Democratic Party begins to rally around her. With one-third of Europeans reportedly unaware of Harris or having no opinion about her, it’s akin to rolling the dice while hoping for a seven.
Undeniably, Trump has never been the favored child across the pond, which explains why most European leaders have chosen to publicly support the soon-to-be-outgoing Biden. They have been paparazzi-ing his every social media move, including the likes of Britain’s fresh-faced Prime Minister Kier Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who seem to be channeling their inner cheerleaders. Interestingly enough, vocal Trump supporters across Europe are convinced that whoever the Democrats pick, Trump is still set to win the November showdown. Sounds like a revolution is brewing on the other side of the Atlantic.
Now, Harris does have her defenders, most notably in the form of European Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, who seems enamored with a Kamala Harris figurine. But one wonders if Italy’s economy is relying on figurines for leadership—because as many critics point out, she may not be ready for prime time. Comments from former Pentagon and NATO officials about her lacking international experience resonate loudly. Adding to the chorus, some European media outlets have labeled her selection as “unconventional” at best, and “incompetent and deeply weird” at worst, leaving her position looking about as solid as a Jenga tower in a windstorm.
As Harris’s future trajectory remains under scrutiny from both sides of the Atlantic, one has to wonder what will happen next. With less than ideal opinions floating around European media and criticisms ranging from a lack of experience to outright incompetence, one can only anticipate how the American voter will react. After all, when even a figurine is the best defense a leader has, perhaps the future could use a bit more clarity.
