{"id":2329315,"date":"2024-08-22T15:31:01","date_gmt":"2024-08-22T19:31:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/likable-enough-harris-looks-to-create-new-impression-in-acceptance-speech-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-22T15:35:39","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T19:35:39","slug":"likable-enough-harris-looks-to-create-new-impression-in-acceptance-speech-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/likable-enough-harris-looks-to-create-new-impression-in-acceptance-speech-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Likable enough: Harris looks to create new impression in acceptance speech &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Flikable-enough-harris-looks-to-create-new-impression-in-acceptance-speech-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2329315&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The\u2062 article discusses\u200c Vice President Kamala Harris&#8217;s efforts \u2063to improve her public image as she prepares to accept\u200b the Democratic nomination for president. Historically, Harris has experienced a challenging \u200crelationship with likability due to her dual portrayal as a tough prosecutor\u200d and a\u2063 relatable, fun-loving figure. Her prosecutorial \u200breputation became a liability during her 2019-2020 campaign, where she\u2063 faced criticism for her criminal \u200cjustice record.<\/p>\n<p>In an attempt to soften her image, Harris adopted a more approachable \u2062persona,\u2063 even\u200d referring to herself as &#8220;Momala,&#8221; inspired by her role as a stepmother. Despite these efforts, her \u200cfavorability ratings remained low, and she faced criticism for lacking substance in her\u200b speeches. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/if-the-judges-in-rfks-censorship-case-were-really-liberal-theyd-defend-free-speech\/\" title=\"If the judges in RFK&#039;s censorship case were truly liberal, they would support free speech\">article draws parallels<\/a> between Harris&#8217;s challenges and those \u200cfaced\u200b by other female politicians, such\u2062 as Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Warren, in navigating public perception.<\/p>\n<p>Currently, Harris is returning to her roots as a former district attorney to counter Donald Trump&#8217;s legal issues and shift focus away from the Biden administration&#8217;s unpopular\u200c record. She aims\u2064 to \u2064find a \u2063balance between toughness and approachability, attempting to redefine \u200bher public persona ahead of\u2064 the election.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Likable enough: Harris looks to create new impression in acceptance speech<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1735587\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Vice President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kamala-harris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Kamala Harris<\/a> hasn&rsquo;t always had the best image, but not because she hasn&rsquo;t thought about it.<\/p>\n<p>As the 59-year-old prepares to take the reins from President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Joe Biden<\/a> and accept the <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democratic-party\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Democratic<\/a> nomination for the top job, Harris is hoping that, contrary to the old advertising slogan, there really is a second chance to make a first impression.<\/p>\n<p>Harris has, for most of her political career, vacillated between presenting herself as a tough prosecutor and a fun-loving lady who is quick to laugh. She made her bones talking about putting criminals away in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/califfornia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>California<\/a> and grilling Trump administration officials during committee hearings as a senator.<\/p>\n<p>Though the viral clips helped boost Harris&rsquo;s profile, they did not always help her likeability. &ldquo;Kamala the Cop&rdquo; became a liability in 2019-20, as former Rep. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tulsi-gabbard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Tulsi Gabbard<\/a> assailed her prosecutorial record and progressives embraced criminal justice reform rather than law and order during the George Floyd summer.<\/p>\n<p>Harris then sought to soften her image. <em>Saturday Night Live<\/em>&rsquo;s Maya Rudolph, who portrays Harris in sketches on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/legendary-comedian-bravely-attacks-sharia-law-highlights-how-some-cultures-are-superior\/\" title=\"Renowned Comedian Fearlessly Critiques Sharia Law - Emphasizes Cultural Variations\">long-running comedy show<\/a>, summed up her rebrand well: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m also America&rsquo;s cool aunt. A fun aunt.&rdquo; Harris herself has used the nickname &ldquo;Momala,&rdquo; ostensibly given to her by her stepchildren, which also doubles as a useful reminder of how to pronounce &ldquo;Kamala.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>But if tough prosecutor Harris wasn&rsquo;t sufficiently likable, fun Aunt Momala was often seen as a lightweight. Her speeches were often dismissed as devoid of substance. She became better known for her laugh more than any accomplishments in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/biden-administration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Biden administration<\/a>. Her favorability ratings as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hunter-biden-defector-emails-pipeline-to-obama-admin-seen-as-currency\/\" title=\"Hunter Biden Defector Emails: &#039;Pipeline&#039; to Obama Admin Seen as &#039;Currency&#039;\">vice president<\/a> were persistently low. Nor did the unlikable charge go away completely. She was plagued by high staff turnover, with former employees complaining about her as a boss.<\/p>\n<p>The last candidate to try to break the glass ceiling, in a campaign against the very same Republican Harris will face, former Secretary of State <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hillary-clinton\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Hillary Clinton<\/a>, struggled with how she was perceived. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re likable enough, Hillary,&rdquo; was former President Barack Obama&rsquo;s rejoinder when asked about her in a Democratic debate. Sens. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elizabeth-warren\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Elizabeth Warren<\/a> (D-MA) and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/amy-klobuchar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Amy Klobuchar<\/a> (D-MN) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/is-the-lefts-favorite-internet-historian-a-plagiarist\/\" title=\"Is the Left&#039;s Favorite Internet Historian a Plagiarist?\">encountered similar problems<\/a> when they ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>Likability has been a hurdle for politicians who are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texasmonthly.com\/burka-blog\/is-ted-cruz-likeable-enough-to-be-president\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>neither women nor liberal<\/a>. But Harris does have a gendered understanding of the criticism as she has considered how to position herself.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;As a woman,&rdquo; Harris told a crowd in an undated clip available on YouTube, &ldquo;there&rsquo;s a balance to be struck between being tough and being a b****.&rdquo; She then erupted into her trademark laughter.<\/p>\n<p>Harris is clearly trying to strike that balance now. She is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3095096\/the-return-of-kamala-the-cop\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>returning to her roots<\/a> as a former district attorney and attorney general as a way to contrast herself with the legal problems of former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Donald Trump<\/a>. It is also a good way to run on something other than the unpopular Biden administration&rsquo;s record.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, we no longer see the grim Harris <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/kamala-harris-merry-christmas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>admonishing people<\/a> not to say &ldquo;Merry Christmas&rdquo; until her preferred legislative solution for illegal immigrants was enacted. &ldquo;Joy&rdquo; has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/daily-memo\/3117048\/joy-irrational-exuberance-soars-to-new-levels\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>famously been the theme<\/a> of her campaign. She smiles as she taunts Trump on the stump.<\/p>\n<p>Whether Harris can keep up this careful balancing act remains to be seen. She has faced criticism for being tightly scripted and declining to sit for extended interviews, though she has started taking the occasional brief question from the press.<\/p>\n<p>But the Harris we will see onstage Thursday night at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democratic-national-convetion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Democratic National Convention<\/a> to accept the nomination is going to try to mix firmness and exuberance. Her careful message will include L-words that Democrats of Biden&rsquo;s generation were warned about.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>She&rsquo;s likable enough. She&rsquo;s liberal enough, but not too liberal. She might lock you up. She will laugh.<\/p>\n<p>Psalm 30:5 says, &ldquo;Joy cometh in the morning,&rdquo; but Harris hopes it arrives on the Democrats&rsquo; final convention night and doesn&rsquo;t leave until after Election Day.<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1735587\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1735587\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To the old saying, there really is a second chance to make a first impression. Throughout her political career, Harris has fluctuated between portraying herself as a tough prosecutor and a lighthearted individual who enjoys laughter. She gained recognition for her work in California&#8217;s criminal justice system and for challenging Trump administration officials during Senate hearings. While these moments helped elevate her profile, they didn&#8217;t always enhance her likability. The label &#8220;Kamala the Cop&#8221; became problematic during the 2019-20 election cycle when former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard criticized her prosecutorial history, and progressive movements focused on criminal justice reform following George Floyd&#8217;s death.<\/p>\n<p>In response, Harris attempted to soften her image; Maya Rudolph\u2019s portrayal of Harris on Saturday Night Live captured this rebranding well by calling her \u201cAmerica\u2019s cool aunt.\u201d Additionally, Harris adopted the nickname \u201cMomala,\u201d given to her by her stepchildren, which also serves as an easy way to pronounce &#8220;Kamala.&#8221; However, while tough prosecutor Harris struggled with likability issues, fun Aunt Momala was often perceived as lacking depth. Her speeches were frequently viewed as superficial rather than substantive accomplishments within the Biden administration.<\/p>\n<p>Harris faced persistent low favorability ratings as vice president and dealt with high staff turnover due to complaints about her leadership style. Similar challenges have been encountered by other female politicians like Hillary Clinton and Senators Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar regarding their public perception of likability.<\/p>\n<p>Harris acknowledges that being a woman adds complexity to how she navigates criticism about toughness versus being perceived negatively: \u201cAs a woman&#8230; there\u2019s a balance to be struck between being tough and being a b****.\u201d Now she aims to find that balance again by returning to her roots in law enforcement while contrasting herself with Donald Trump&#8217;s legal troubles\u2014an approach that allows for campaigning beyond Biden&#8217;s unpopular record.<\/p>\n<p>Gone are the days of grim admonitions from Harris; instead, she embraces joy in campaigning while playfully challenging Trump at rallies. Whether she can maintain this delicate balancing act remains uncertain; she&#8217;s faced scrutiny for being overly scripted but has begun engaging more with press inquiries.<\/p>\n<p>As she prepares for Thursday night\u2019s Democratic National Convention acceptance speech where she&#8217;ll seek nomination support, expect an attempt at blending assertiveness with enthusiasm\u2014highlighting traits like moderate liberalism without veering too far left or appearing overly punitive while still showcasing warmth through laughter. Psalm 30:5 states that &#8220;Joy cometh in the morning,&#8221; but Harris hopes it will resonate throughout Democrats&#8217; final convention night leading up until Election Day<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2659,"featured_media":2329316,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/kamala_harris_image.webp.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[35567,4021,33017,32076],"class_list":["post-2329315","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-acceptance-speech","tag-harris","tag-political-analysis","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/kamala_harris_image.webp.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2329315","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2329315"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2329315\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2329316"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2329315"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2329315"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2329315"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}