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Trump legacy heft vs Harris identity crisis
It must also be admitted, however, that Harris did not get many opportunities to show her skills and authority or her political acumen.
File photo / Reuters
A unique opening of fortune for Vice President Kamala Harris. It is up to her, as a candidate for the post of President of the United States, to take advantage by tapping the vast numbers of votes of women of Asian American and affable African American descent.
But it is a testing time for Harris who may not like to be identified as having anything to do with Indianness lest she lose minority votes – her main strength.
Not many gave her a chance to be President.
Kamala Harris may have never dreamt of a situation like this. Originally, the sitting president was the candidate. But fortune did not smile at him. There were missed opportunities and age-related and disturbing mental issues.
Eventually he was persuaded by party stalwarts like Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton to withdraw from the race.
So, the part fell on Harris to play. Reluctant to identify with her Indian heritage, she presents herself as an African American.
President Donald Trump questioned her African American heritage. The press did not want to accept her Indian descent.
We all know that Harris was close to her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a Tamil Indian, and her Chennai-based maternal grandfather.
Harris made her mark in the presidential debate with Trump, trying to out-do the former president. But Trump is quite experienced in wounding people and, unfortunately, Harris never played a major role in US and world affairs like President Joe Biden did.
It must also be admitted, however, that Harris did not get many opportunities to show her skills and authority or her political acumen.
There were real challenges that came her way, like the withdrawal from Afghanistan, imposition of millions of illegal immigrants with alleged criminal records for murder, rape and drug abuse and having psychological problems.
Trump and the Republicans called her the “border Czar”, claiming she had failed to control the illegal, mass border crossings despite her efforts. It was a real disaster.
President Biden’s presidency is beset with wars, plunging in conflict Israel, Iran, Russia and Ukraine. In contrast, President Trump’s term passed off peacefully without any war. That was something historic.
I am sure President Trump would have avoided these unethical and unwarranted wars.
On the economic front, President Trump’s administration offered the best economic conditions with low interest rates, low power bills and the most efficient federal government and systems.
Importantly, he was a great friend of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He made a historic visit to India in the third year of his presidency.
President Trump proudly declares that he is a “great friend of India and fan of Hindus.
The author was appointed by President Trump to the Mental Health Services National Advisory Council and continued in the Biden administration.
(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of New India Abroad)ADVERTISEMENT
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