Democrats can relax with Kamala Harris on the presidential ticket. Here’s why | Opinion

In 2020, shortly after becoming the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden spoke of being a bridge to the younger generation, a better and more decent America. While Biden may be an important transitional figure in our politics, Vice President Kamala Harris is positioned to be the bridge to the next generation of voters.

The former California Attorney General is 59 years old, young enough to mend the national consternation surrounding Biden and opponent Donald Trump, who are 81 and 78 respectively.

There have been calls for California Governor Gavin Newsom or Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to jump into the fold and become the Democratic nominee. That’s insulting to Harris, who has grown into her role as VP. Moreover, Harris has been in this political match with Trump since 2020, and if anything she has shown that she knows how to discredit the cultural grievances powering his movement.

The daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants, Harris is a historic figure as the first woman and the first woman of color to be vice president. By all accounts, Biden chose her to run with him as much for her governing experience and communication skills as her cultural background. Of all the Democratic candidates who challenged Biden during the 2020 primaries, Harris was the one most unafraid to take him on directly.

Biden was also sensitive to Black voters who helped him get elected. We wanted someone like Harris and we got her.

Harris was not the most beloved leader when she first began her vice presidency, but recent calls for Biden to step down due to his age have bolstered Harris’ viability as a presidential candidate.

Opinion

Harris’ star has risen

I firmly believe Biden, as president, should be the Democratic nominee. But we should recognize that Harris is ready to ascend to the presidency. She is qualified as the former District Attorney of San Francisco, former California AG and a former U.S. Senator. She is smart, personable, and tough. Though some will try, she can’t be painted as a far-left ideologue. She’s a moderate on many issues.

Coming from a multiracial background, Harris’ story can connect to millions of Americans with similar family journeys. As a graduate of Howard University, one of America’s most prestigious historical Black colleges, she has firsthand experiences that qualify her to address racial inequities in our country.

Most people of my generation and younger - Millenials and Gen Z - might know Harris as a meme. People who spend hours on Tik Tok remember the video where Harris, at the podium in the White House, says, “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.”

Or they remember the video clip of Harris, upon receiving the news that she and Biden had been elected, gushing “We did it Joe,” in a phone call to Biden.

Harris’ inflection on the phrase quickly turned her into a butt of many jokes online. It’s time that we move away from the immature lens in which we see the vie president.

Harris has a pulse on the issues younger people care about like reproductive rights and student loan debt. Millennials and Gen Zers would be wise to see her more than a couple of memes.

Our country has struggled with the idea of a woman leading America. Harris could finally get us to that point. She has spent the last four years as a bridge between warring ideologies between Republicans and Democrats.

As VP, she has acted as a tiebreaker vote in the Senate and there have been many occasions where she had to be the deciding vote in a polarizing senate. Since 2020, the VP has made 33 tiebreaker votes in the Senate, most notable was to pass the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022.

I remember when Tyre Nichols, who was from Sacramento, was brutally beaten and killed by police last year in Memphis. Harris flew down to be at his funeral. She sat in the first row with Nichols’ mother, consoling her.

Harris primed for this moment

Though Biden had a storied career in the U.S. Senate, it wasn’t until he was vice president that voters saw him as a legitimate contender for the presidency. The same can be said for Harris.

We have seen Harris grow into a reliable, strong and empathetic leader.

The stage was set in 2020 for Biden to be a bridge for a better America. The person who is better equipped to finish that bridge, however, is Harris.