Marion Bae, FISM News

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Vice President Kamala Harris has been under the watchful eye of the American media since she launched her short-lived presidential campaign for the 2020 election cycle. After becoming Biden’s Vice President she’s been criticized for her handling of the crisis at the southern border, which she was put in charge of, amongst other things. 

One topic that has caught media buzz in recent days is her seemingly high rate of turnover amongst senior staffers. Axios published an article this week regarding possible reasons for this trend and provided insight from individuals close to the situation under anonymity.

Two staffers who recently resigned fueling the mismanagement rumors are Harris’ chief spokesperson, Symone Sanders, and communications director, Ashley Etienne. Sanders announced her expected departure on Wednesday, while Etienne announced her end-of -year departure last month. Neither woman provided public comment, but Harris, who spoke to reporters on Thursday regarding Sanders said, “I can’t wait to see what she will do next. I know that it’s been three years jumping on and off planes going around the country, and she works very hard, and I can’t wait to see what she’ll do next,”

In this same vein one of the reasons for turnover, according to what insiders told Axios, is the natural turnover that occurs due to the high-pressure nature of the work and the lack of time for personal lives and other pursuits. The article mentions that Etienne joined Harris after working for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, accounting for her possible burnout. They also talk about Sanders’ recently released book, No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America, as a potential reason for her wanting to leave her post, as she hasn’t been able to actively publicize it due to the pandemic and the presidential campaign. 

These reasons seem natural enough, but the article does mention another factor that could be at play. “Axios is told some Harris staffers want to work on Biden’s reelection campaign, while others don’t want to be aligned with Harris in the event another promising Democrat runs for president in 2024.”

They note immediately after this statement, however, that another operative they were speaking to has denied this claim. 

Though the purpose of the Axios article is to primarily discuss the turnover of senior Harris staffers, some attention is given to the administration itself and the woman running the show. At the beginning of the article it says, “[Harris’] allies say she has a terrific chance to reset and downplay the early stumbles. But top Biden officials privately roll their eyes at her team and want to see smoother, more effective leadership.”

Saying she has a chance to reset admits foremost that there were issues.

The article also highlights publicity, how to defend the Vice President from scrutiny and make sure that her achievements are highlighted. 

A Democratic strategist told Axios that the Vice President needed “someone loyal, who can…make sure everything she’s doing is being maximized and communicated to a broad population.” One may logically ask, though, if she is making big strides in improving the country, why would these impacts need highlighting when they should be widespread and obvious?

The article also mentions a meeting last summer which was devoted to “concerns about Harris’ operation and treatment by the media,” in which they discussed “how to defend her and chart a positive agenda.” Some of those in attendance were former employees of Hillary Clinton and the Obama Administration. 

One insider told Axios that these recent staff departures were putting pressure on Harris Chief of Staff, Tina Flournoy, though it seems that the staffing issue may be the least of their worries.