An essay in the New York Times published Monday argued that Vice President Kamala Harris was "stuck" and has not become a "public face" on any major issues.
"She is hampered by Mr. Biden’s unpopularity, to be sure, but she has also not become the successful public face on any major issue," author and former senior editor for the New Yorker Jeffrey Frank wrote.
Frank argued that Harris' recent trips she has taken to talk about abortion and the Dobbs Supreme Court decision showed how narrow her responsibilities are.
"That Ms. Harris has been stuck in a political role is troubling for anyone concerned about the stability and continuity of the executive branch," he wrote.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks alongside the Rev. Al Sharpton during a memorial service for Ruth Whitfield, a victim of the Buffalo supermarket shooting, at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, May 28, 2022, in Buffalo, New York. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Harris is expected to visit Indiana on Monday to discuss a proposed abortion ban with lawmakers.
"But, in the nearly two years since Mr. Biden tapped Ms. Harris as his running mate in August 2020, we’ve learned that her bonds with Mr. Biden and key administration officials are relatively thin," the guest essay said.
Frank also wrote that the vice president has been a subject of negative reporting and faces a "double standard."
Looking ahead to the midterms and 2024 as many Democratic strategists and lawmakers have expressed concern over President Biden's ability to hold sway over the party, Frank said Harris appeared to be a "weak heir."
President Joe Biden, with Vice President Kamala Harris, arrives to speak before signing the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill into law at the White House, Nov. 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
"Ms. Harris’s absence from the executive branch, as a crisis manager and a shaper of policy, leaves her as a fairly weak heir apparent. Democrats, if not other Americans, would benefit if Ms. Harris was able to bring a compelling and varied set of experiences and ideas from her time in the White House to a competitive Democratic presidential primary race, giving more solid choices to voters and adding substantively to the debate," he said.
Frank also said Biden needed to "fulfill an urgent obligation" and further Harris' authority and "education."
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Vice President Kamala Harris tested negative for the coronavirus on Friday, a White House official said. (Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images)
Harris was asked by ABC's George Stephanopoulos in November if she felt misused by the Biden administration after a CNN report highlighted dysfunction within her office.
Harris laughed at the question and said, "No, I don't."
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