Who is Afraid of Kamala Harris?

Joe Biden chose Kamala Harris as his Vice Presidential candidate for the 2020 General Elections.

Normally, Vice Presidential candidates do not tip the balance in the U.S. Presidential races.

On rare occasions, like LBJ with John F. Kennedy in 1960, they can add strength in a region.

Or, they can subtract, like Sarah Palin with McCain in 2008.

The U.S. Democrat Party prides on being a patchwork of different minority groups and interests.

With this move, the Party may be placating two groups in one stroke- the African Americans and the Asian Indians.

In the early 1980's. Kamala Harris did her undergraduate program at the Howard University in Washington D.C. At that time, I was an Assistant Professor in the University's School of Architecture and Planning.

Teaching mainly graduate students, I did not have occasion to come across undergraduates.

Kamala's mother studied in New Delhi, the same city where my wife, Revathy, got her medical degree.

Kamala Harris's candidacy has lot of similarities to that of Barack Obama. Both of them shot to prominence during their first term as Senator. Both of them represent different segments of the American society that had not been in political forefront before.

In the case of Obama, America used his candidacy as a reparation for the ill treatment of African Americans in this Country. Kamala will try to be an equalizer for women.

There is, understandably, lot of euphoria over Kamala Harris candidacy.

I remember Sara Palin was touted as a rising star when she was first introduced by John McCain.

Soon, her shallowness and lack of knowledge were exposed.

The real Kamala Harris will be revealed during the course of the campaign.

To me, Kamala Harris's performance in the Primary debates was underwhelming.

She was overly aggressive against Joe Biden and when attacked by Tulsi Gabbard, she demurred.

One got the feeling that she did not connect well with the audience.

Already, there is scrutiny. Critics claim that she has no foreign policy experience (as if Dan Quayle had plenty). Some feel that she will not help in battleground states (this is legitimate). Some in the fringes think that she is not black enough. Indian Americans feel that she is not sufficiently forthcoming about her Asian Indian heritage.

As California State Attorney General, she was considered soft on crime by some, and pro-law enforcement by others. Everyone agrees that her candidacy takes the party further to the left.

What matters though, there is a rumor in the Nations Capital that the last person Trump forces wanted to see in the Democrat Ticket was Kamala Harris.

May be, that is proof she may be the right choice.