Vice President Kamala Harris has extended a warm welcome to Senator JD Vance, R-Ohio, following his selection as former President Trump's running mate.
A Biden campaign official disclosed to Fox News that Harris had reached out to Vance, expressing her anticipation for a potential vice presidential debate. "Vice President Harris reached out to Senator Vance and left a message to congratulate him on his selection, welcome him to the race and express her hope that the two can meet in the vice presidential debate proposed by CBS News," the official stated.
According to Fox News, Trump's choice of Vance as his running mate was unveiled in a Truth Social post during the inaugural afternoon of the Republican National Convention, following months of speculation. Trump had previously agreed to a vice presidential debate on Fox News on behalf of his future running mate. However, the Biden campaign has shown a preference for CBS as the debate platform.
The prospect of a vice presidential debate between Vance and Harris remains uncertain. However, should it materialize, it could present a formidable challenge for the vice president. President Biden and former President Trump have consented to two presidential debates, the first of which was hosted by CNN on June 27, with the second slated for September 10 on ABC.
Ashley Etienne, Harris' former communications director, once told CNN, "I think JD Vance would pose the greatest threat [to] Kamala Harris, in some respects. I mean he's an incredible debater." She further noted Vance's appeal to the undecided voters who are likely to tune into the debates. Etienne described the 39-year-old senator as "super smart" and "quick-witted," traits that could potentially unsettle Harris.
Harris, known for her "word salads" or rambling monologues, could find herself at a disadvantage in a debate setting. Her tendency to deliver convoluted speeches has been widely circulated on social media platforms like TikTok. One such clip features Harris asking, "You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?" before continuing, "You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you."
The vice president's communication style has even been parodied on Saturday Night Live. "Its a process I call speaking without thinking," quipped Daily Show correspondent Desi Lydic, who portrayed the vice president's "holistic thought adviser, Dahlia Rose Hibiscus." She added, "Its not about the destination of the thought, its about the journey and how many words you use to describe the journey."
Elaina Plott Calabro, an author who profiled Harris for the Atlantic, observed, "Shes a very poor communicator when the parameters are quite wide." In a debate scenario, where effective communication is paramount, it remains to be seen whether Harris can hold her ground.
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