Remember the superhit political thriller – House of Cards, where Frank and Claire Underwood rise on to become President and Vice President of the United States, and the latter eventually takes over the handling of White House’s foreign policy outlook and spearheads America’s international relations? As we know, Claire Underwood then goes on to become the President of the United States in the series’ final season. Although Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are not a couple, they most definitely seem to have learnt a lot from the House of Cards, which is why the President is taking a backseat, and major foreign policy handling has been delegated unto Vice President Kamala Harris already.
Kamala Harris is the best bet Democrats have against a Donald Trump or Republican sweep in 2024. However, her portfolio is not very impressive. On the foreign policy front itself, which the Vice President seems to be heading, Kamala is a disaster who has close to no knowledge of international affairs. This has forced her to take ‘crash courses’ in international relations, which we at TFI have reported about. The Democratic party, however, does not have the time or the luxury to wait for Harris to carve out and then hone her diplomatic skills. So, the media has stepped in to project Kamala Harris as a foreign policy miracle which the United States has been gifted with, albeit, without any fact to back such assertions with.
It is widely known that Kamala Harris is being projected as the Democratic presidential candidate for 2024. Joe Biden, already 78, is unlikely to run for the White House once again. And then there is Trump, who has made it known that he will most definitely consider a re-run for the US presidency when the time comes. So, Democrats are naturally shaking in their boots. They do not want to lose in 2024, and Kamala Harris is the best they have to prevent a rout three years down the line.
The Washington Post has therefore taken the lead, and in a piece titled “Kamala is playing an unusually large role in shaping Biden’s foreign policy”, has drooled over the fact that Kamala Harris – a Black, Indian, Democrat woman is playing a key role in the White House’s handling of international affairs. In another opinion piece titled “Kamala may be our best bet to prevent a return of Trumpism”, the leftist publication made it a point to project the Vice President as the only alternative to Donald Trump in 2024.
It is our understanding that over the remainder of Joe Biden’s presidency, Kamala Harris will be handed out all the diplomatic victories, and will be credited for much of the domestic successes of the administration as well. Consider this – Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is infuriated with Joe Biden. To restore normalcy in relations, Kamala Harris – an Israel proponent herself, is conversing with the Jewish nation’s prime minister and trying to alleviate his doubts about Biden.
President Joe Biden, despite having a rather rich foreign policy portfolio spanning many decades, has led to many international disasters in only over a month as President. Most of these situations have had to be salvaged either covertly or overtly by Kamala Harris. The media has come to know about the same, and Harris’ ‘firefighting’ skills have suddenly become her biggest asset, even though she practically has not even a fraction of diplomatic knowledge which Joe Biden does.
Already, TFI has reported how Kamala Harris, on behalf of Joe Biden, phoned French President Emmanuel Macron to address bilateral relations. Although it is very common for vice-presidents to engage in calls made by US presidents to other world leaders, it is rare for them to make calls on their own accord. Harris also dialled Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison to discuss bilateral alliance of the U.S. and Australia and their wider Indo-Pacific policy. She broke protocol earlier by also phoning Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to recall her high school years in Montreal and also to discuss “diversity, COVID-19, climate change and other issues.”
It is almost as if Biden and Harris have a tacit understanding and are acting under a sophisticated game-plan of ensuring that the Vice President is projected by the media as an able diplomat over the next three years, thus leading to her being declared fit for the presidential run in 2024. It is not entirely impossible that Biden has agreed to take the backseat, and let Harris lead from the front when it comes to America’s international dealings. A friendly media, meanwhile, is more than enthusiastic to do the bidding of those currently occupying the White House, as long as they are served free breakfasts and thrown champagne parties.
