Kamala Harris allies say White House will send VP out to promote administration achievements amidst staff departures

A little over a year into the vice presidency, Kamala Harris has already faced a lot of criticism and scrutiny for her performance on the job. The vice president’s allies have expressed optimism that a new year, including new additions to her team along with the duty of promoting White House achievements, could help Harris and her public image.

The Daily Mail reports that Harris allies have expressed optimism that this year would mark another opportunity for Harris to rebuild her public image. Harris has already brought on a new communications director and is expected to appoint a new chief spokesperson. This follows previous reports revealing eight staffers of the vice president stepping down as well as claims of a difficult work environment.

One year into the vice presidency, Harris’s allies believe that things will go smoothly now. However, they would steer clear from using the term “reboot.”

“I wouldn’t call it a reboot. I’d call it chapter two,” said Harris ally Rev. Leah Daughtry, who was also the former chief of staff to the Democratic National Committee chair, to the Los Angeles Times.

This follows last week’s reports that the head of Harris’s speechwriting team is set to step down from their position. Kate Childs Graham will be leaving the vice president’s office at the end of the month. Graham’s impending departure follows some high-profile resignations from Harris’s office, such as the vice president’s adviser and spokesperson Symone Sanders, who left at the end of 2021.

The departures reportedly began following Harris’s visit to Central America in June 2021 as part of her diplomatic efforts to stem migration and address its root causes with leaders of the countries in the region.

In other related news, Harris’s husband, second gentleman Douglas Emhoff, was evacuated from a high school in DC Tuesday by Secret Service agents following reports of a bomb threat. Emhoff was at Dunbar high school for an event celebrating Black History Month and was in the school for five minutes before being approached by a Secret Service agent who told him that they have to leave.

Students and faculty were also instructed to leave the school upon knowledge of the threat. DC public schools spokesman Enrique Gutierrez said that there was a bomb threat. It is not clear if the bomb threat was related to Emhoff’s visit or due to the Black History Month event the school was celebrating.