Kamala Harris is considered charismatic and intelligent



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Harris, 56, has broken many glass ceilings in his career. In his home state of California in particular, he also left broken pieces.

In 2004, at the age of 38, Kamala Harris became San Francisco's first black district attorney.

In 2004, at the age of 38, Kamala Harris became San Francisco’s first black district attorney.

Marcio José Sánchez / AP

Kamala Harris wanted to be president of the United States. He announced it in January 2019 in front of 20,000 supporters in Oakland, California, when he launched his presidential campaign. “Woman Barack Obama” was what many called the charismatic black people back then. Less than twenty months later, Harris has almost achieved his goal: he will take over as vice president alongside Joe Biden.

It is the highest political office a woman has held in the 244-year history of the United States. Only three women had run for vice presidency: Tonie Nathan in 1972 for the Libertarian Party, Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 for the Democrats, and Sarah Palin in 2008 for the Republicans. All three failed, as did Hillary Clinton four years ago as the first presidential candidate of a major party. That’s why Harris entered the Senate four years ago.

Described as “socialist” and as “right-wing hardliner”

Who is the 56-year-old man who will be number two in American politics as of January 20? Like Biden, Harris is considered a moderate Democrat, even if Donald Trump and the Republicans tried to portray her as a socialist in the election campaign. And like Biden in the Senate, Harris is also considered a bridge builder. Even many Republican counterparts praise Harris, despite, or perhaps because of, his legendary harsh style of questioning at Senate hearings. “She’s really smart, people like her,” Sen. Lindsey Graham told the San Francisco Chronicle, and Sen. James Lankford called her a “good listener” and “extremely sociable.”

The vice presidency is the culmination of a steep political career that began in the California Bay Area. Born in Oakland to a Tamil and Jamaican Indian woman, the eldest of two daughters studied at the renowned African American Howard University in the Capital District of Washington. There he networked early on in the influential Alpha Kappa Alpha African American student fraternity before adding a law degree in California.

Kamala Harris' maternal ancestors are Tamil Indians.  A house is being prepared for the victory celebration in Chennai state in southern India.

Kamala Harris’ maternal ancestors are Tamil Indians. A house is being prepared for the victory celebration in Chennai state in southern India.

Aijaz Rahi / AP

In 2011, Kamala Harris and her family are celebrating the inauguration as California Attorney General and Attorney General.

In 2011, Kamala Harris and her family are celebrating the inauguration as California Attorney General and Attorney General.

Zuma / Imago

Harris has had significant experience as an attorney. Time and time again she broke glass ceilings: at the age of 38 she became San Francisco’s first black district attorney, nine years later the first woman to be elected California attorney general was elected. In this role, Harris also met Joe Biden – he worked closely with his late son Beau, the Delaware attorney general, who introduced Harris to his father.

In 2014, President Barack Obama offered him the position of Attorney General of the United States, but Harris turned it down. Obviously, she had other ambitions: Two years later, she entered the Senate for Democrats, as the second African-American woman in history. There he sat on the renowned secret services, justice and home security committees. She attracted particular attention with a type of questioning that made Trump’s cabinet and the judges’ attorneys sweat at the hearings. “You make me nervous,” former Attorney General Jeff Sessions once said.

Controversial in California

During the election campaign, Republicans drew Harris as a left-wing socialist, over whose strings Biden, 78, would dance like a puppet. Indeed, Harris had slid sharply to the left in the course of his presidential candidacy: he supported Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s radical climate plan and promised fundamental health insurance reform (Medicare for all).

At the same time, Harris remains controversial in her home state of California for exactly the opposite reason: As a prosecutor in her various capacities, she had a reputation for being tough. To this day, many argue that she, of all people, the first black female prosecutor in San Francisco, often demanded very high sentences against criminals of color. She is particularly controversial because, as attorney general, she enforced that parents of absent children must go to jail. She justified this with the fact that many criminal careers begin with truancy, and therefore have to start there to save people from the wrong path.

For the first time a “Miss Vice President”

In light of the change of course from right to left and now as the moderate Biden’s “running mate”, many observers wonder what Harris really stands for. It is also unclear how he will hold the vice presidency. Due to Biden’s advanced age, some believe he will assume a more prominent role in government than many of his predecessors.

Harris’s move to the White House also raises other questions: Is her husband Douglas Emhoff the “Second Gentleman”, based on the traditional title of “Second Lady”? Or the “first gentleman”? Even if there are no answers yet, another title is clearly safe: As of January 20, she will be called “Madam Vice President” for the first time in America.

Doug Emhoff, Kamala Harris' husband.

Doug Emhoff, Kamala Harris’ husband.

David Zalubowski / AP

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