Media Reveals Reason Why Employees Are Leaving VP Kamala Harris' Office
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The story comes two days after a report that Symone Sanders, chief spokesperson for the second-in-command will leave office at the end of the month. In a farewell message obtained by Politico, Ms Sanders did not mention the reason for her departure, which comes amid Kamala Harris' low approval ratings.
Burnout, better job offers, and concern about being permanently branded a "Harris person" are among the reasons behind the high turnover at US Vice President Kamala Harris' office, Axios has reported, citing people familiar with the matter. According to the outlet, top officials in the Biden administration have been frustrated with her team and want to see more effective leadership from Ms Harris.
One Democratic strategist, who wished to remain anonymous, told Axios that the VP needs someone loyal who can "think methodically to best position the vice president and to make sure everything she's doing is being maximised and communicated to a broad population and get her numbers up".
Axios writes that one "recurring theme" among the staff members who left the VP's ranks was "concern" and even "fear" about how working for Kamala Harris would affect their career, with individuals worrying they'll be closely linked to a "flagging operation". Some staffers want to work on Joe Biden's re-election campaign, while others don't want to be linked to Ms Harris should another promising Democrat throw their hat into the ring during the 2024 presidential race.
A Democratic operative close to the vice president's office, who also requested anonymity, said the recent departure of communications director Ashley Etienne and alleged departure of chief spokesperson Symone Sanders add pressure to Kamala Harris' chief of staff Tina Flournoy to avoid "internal collapse" and "external criticism".
One Democratic strategist, who wished to remain anonymous, told Axios that the VP needs someone loyal who can "think methodically to best position the vice president and to make sure everything she's doing is being maximised and communicated to a broad population and get her numbers up".
Axios writes that one "recurring theme" among the staff members who left the VP's ranks was "concern" and even "fear" about how working for Kamala Harris would affect their career, with individuals worrying they'll be closely linked to a "flagging operation". Some staffers want to work on Joe Biden's re-election campaign, while others don't want to be linked to Ms Harris should another promising Democrat throw their hat into the ring during the 2024 presidential race.
A Democratic operative close to the vice president's office, who also requested anonymity, said the recent departure of communications director Ashley Etienne and alleged departure of chief spokesperson Symone Sanders add pressure to Kamala Harris' chief of staff Tina Flournoy to avoid "internal collapse" and "external criticism".
Staff employees who spoke with Axios said the reasons behind the purported exodus are quite natural – they are exhausted after the presidential campaign and first year in office. They note that Ashley Etienne and Symone Sanders stepped down for the same reason. Part of the turnover is driven by better job offers and interest in personal life.
One individual even brushed aside allegations that people were leaving because they were concerned about being part of a "flagging operation". The insider emphasised that staffers don't think that working for the vice president will be problematic for their career.
One individual even brushed aside allegations that people were leaving because they were concerned about being part of a "flagging operation". The insider emphasised that staffers don't think that working for the vice president will be problematic for their career.
Why Does the Report Matter?
The news comes amid speculation about the 2024 presidential race. Last year, at the height of the presidential campaign, Joe Biden described himself as a politician who will hold office until a new generation of Democrats is ready to take the baton.
"Look, I view myself as a bridge, not as anything else. There's an entire generation of leaders you saw stand behind me. They are the future of this country", Biden told an audience during a rally in New Jersey.
Thus, when Joe Biden chose Kamala Harris as his running mate, pundits quickly mentioned that she will be among the politicians to lead the Democratic Party in the future and participate in the 2024 presidential race.
The talk about Kamala Harris being the next occupant of the Oval office began even before Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States. Biden, 79, is the oldest president in the history of the US and will be 81 on election day. Biden's venerable age led pundits and lawmakers to speculate that he may not seek re-election and is laying the groundwork for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign in 2024.
These rumours, however, were recently quashed, when the White House announced that the Democrat would run for office. US media outlets reported that the Biden team has been at odds with Kamala Harris' office over her performance. The first Asian-American and first woman to be elected vice president has a low approval rating. A recent survey conducted by USA Today/Suffolk University found that only 28 percent of respondents were satisfied with her performance.
Since taking office, Ms Harris has been criticised by Republicans and some media outlets for failing to visit the nation's southern border with Mexico. the scene of a migrant crisis. Joe Biden had earlier appointed the VP the administration's point person to tackle illegal migration.
Current and former aides of Kamala Harris, who spoke with CNN, voiced frustration that the White House has not offered support to the vice president like it did for other members of the administration and said she hasn't been given assignments where she could shine.
The talk about Kamala Harris being the next occupant of the Oval office began even before Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States. Biden, 79, is the oldest president in the history of the US and will be 81 on election day. Biden's venerable age led pundits and lawmakers to speculate that he may not seek re-election and is laying the groundwork for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign in 2024.
These rumours, however, were recently quashed, when the White House announced that the Democrat would run for office. US media outlets reported that the Biden team has been at odds with Kamala Harris' office over her performance. The first Asian-American and first woman to be elected vice president has a low approval rating. A recent survey conducted by USA Today/Suffolk University found that only 28 percent of respondents were satisfied with her performance.
Since taking office, Ms Harris has been criticised by Republicans and some media outlets for failing to visit the nation's southern border with Mexico. the scene of a migrant crisis. Joe Biden had earlier appointed the VP the administration's point person to tackle illegal migration.
Current and former aides of Kamala Harris, who spoke with CNN, voiced frustration that the White House has not offered support to the vice president like it did for other members of the administration and said she hasn't been given assignments where she could shine.
"They're consistently sending her out there on losing issues in the wrong situations for her skill set", a former high-level Harris aide told CNN.
