A columnist at the worst online media outlet on the internet not named "Vice," The Daily Beast, met with Kamala Harris and hoo boy he could not have been more impressed with her intellect and sharp command of the facts.
David Rothkopf
@djrothkopf
I had an unusual privilege yesterday. I was invited to a small meeting with @VP. I wish this was an opportunity everyone could have. I wish it had been televised. It was extraordinary and she was exceptional--insightful, moving, masterfully in command of the issues.
She discussed everything from national security to next generation technological threats, from the horrific consequences of the end of Roe to the urgency behind the fight to end hate in America, from economic policy how to battle the fentanyl crisis.
She was absolutely fluent in the details of highly complex issues. She was warm and genuinely funny. The flashes of the fighter she has been when in the Senate or as California attorney general were striking and conveyed a real sense of strength and leadership.
She answered questions, attentively sought advice from the few of us who were fortunate enough to be present and, on issues like abortion and combatting hate, she moved people in the room to tears. It was an absolute tour de force.
The reality of who she was, of the kind of partner she was to @POTUS, of the asset she was to the administration and the country contrasted dramatically with the often skewed and ill-informed coverage she has received while in office.
She rightly noted the struggles Vice Presidents have had been understood in the past. And in the very best way, one-by-one she obliterated misconceptions about her and reminded everyone present how she had broken so many historical barriers to occupy her current high office.
Oh wow, she played the race and gender card. How unexpected.
Did you guys know that White Men Were Failing to Position Kamala for Success? It's only been her office's leaked reply to all criticisms for three years now.
I am certain that anyone who had the opportunity to interact with her as I did would come away with an entirely different & highly encouraging perspective on our Vice President. Further, it was also clear her excellent team was committed to ensuring more people saw her up close.
She is working hard on getting out there, having been already to 33 states and planning to visit more.
Ah, the Hillary Clinton "I've been on airplanes" brag.
She is taking her message directly to key communities including young voters (with a real focus on colleges), communities of color, small business people, etc.
She has also been working much harder than many people understand playing a central role for the administration on the biggest national security issues of the day--from China to Ukraine. She has met with over 150 foreign leaders.
And she's doing a heckuva job, too.
She has played a leading role convening critical players on issues like AI and how to create an inclusive opportunity-rich economy in the years ahead.
Kamala Harris is, I'm certain, essentially a neurolinguist herself.
And she and her team conveyed an absolute commitment to continue similar efforts in the months ahead.
It was a useful reminder that some of what is most impressive & positive about this administration & about what happens in Washington in general is missed in the scramble of the media to cover the story of the day. Some is lost through the muddying filter of conventional wisdom.
Yes, the "conventional wisdom" of the women-and-minorities-boosting leftwing media.
Damn them for being so criticial of women and minorities and holding them to higher standards than white (spit) men (spit)!
I came away convinced that @POTUS, who has put together one of the best teams in modern history (take it from historian of past admins) made his best choice with his first hire. I am confident that as more people get to know her better, they will come to emphatically agree.
Sounds like Biden's health has taken a turn for the worse and they're prepping the country for Kween Kamala.