The U.S. Constitution gives vice presidents few official duties, but apparently, some of Vice President Kamala Harris’ aides are frustrated that she is often stuck in Washington, D.C., to carry out one of them.
Aside from being around to take over in case a president dies, resigns, or is removed, the Constitution only assigns one duty to the vice president: presiding over the Senate.
Article 1, section 3 states, “The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.”
The nation’s first vice president, John Adams, described the post as “the most insignificant office that ever the Invention of man contrived or his Imagination conceived.”
And according to a tally from the Senate’s website, she has cast more tie-breaking votes in just over a year than all but two of her predecessors.
Harris has cast 23 tie-breaking votes.
Adams, one of the vice presidents who surpassed Harris’ vote tally, cast 29 tie-breaking votes.
Politico reported on Tuesday, “With a 50-50 Senate, the need for Harris to be on hand for possible votes has frustrated some aides who said she would much rather be traveling the country, touting the administration’s accomplishments on replacing lead pipes or repairing highways and bridges.”
“That’s especially true as the Covid-19 pandemic has receded. Harris, those around her say, would prefer amplifying support for abortion rights, voting rights and other issues important to her and the administration. But tie votes need breaking, and she has that constitutional honor,” it added.
The outlet reports that even Harris has “lamented her inability to escape the D.C. bubble.”
But Harris being stuck in the nation’s capital may not be the worst thing for her political future.
While Harris would like to be traveling the country, that is often the time when she gives her opponents ammunition against her.
Like President Joe Biden, Harris is prone to delivering gaffes or bizarre responses.
Most recently, at the summit of the Association of Southeast Nations, Harris got stuck repeating the same phrase over and over.
“I often note and I’ve talked with many of you about our shared belief that our world is increasingly more interconnected and interdependent,” she began.
Harris added, “That is especially true when it comes to the climate crisis, which is why we will work together and continue to work together to address these issues, to tackle these challenges and to work together as we continue to work, operating from the new norms, rules and agreements that we will convene to work together on to galvanize global action.”
KAMALA: "We will work together, and continue to work together, to address these issues, to tackle these challenges, and to work together as we continue to work operating from the new norms, rules, and agreements, that we will convene to work together…We will work together" pic.twitter.com/AblARhoSQj
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 15, 2022
Or there was the time in March when she spoke about the “significance of the passage of time.”
There was also the time when she awkwardly burst out laughing after being asked about Ukrainian refugees.
.@VP Harris awkwardly starts laughing when asked about the Ukrainian refugee crisis pic.twitter.com/SIHhiLbK6X
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) March 10, 2022
And let us not forget about when she described the Ukraine situation this way, “Ukraine is a country in Europe. It exists next to another country called Russia. Russia is a bigger country. Russia is a powerful country. Russia decided to invade a smaller country called Ukraine. So basically, that’s wrong.”
Kamala Harris explains the Ukraine/Russia conflict:
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 1, 2022
“Ukraine is a country in Europe. It exists next to another country called Russia. Russia is a bigger country." pic.twitter.com/QYPLJ02mDy
A recent NBC News poll showed how favorably respondents view a variety of politicians and institutions.
Harris was in the second to last place, ahead of the Democratic Party, but below Biden, former President Donald Trump, the Republican Party, the Supreme Court, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).
The best thing Harris staffers could do while polls show the public does not view Democrats or Biden too favorably is to try to limit the self-inflicted political damage to their boss.
One way to do that would be a major course correction that probably involves Harris being coached on interviews and public appearances, or having her do the job of vice president and cast tie-breaking votes and avoid the spotlight for a bit.