Former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss has criticised Vice President Kamala Harris’s record, as European allies quietly worry about Harris’s potential presidential run. Here’s the full story.
Truss Takes on Harris
Liz Truss, the former Prime Minister with the dubious honour of being the shortest-serving leader in the country’s history, recently launched into a full-throated assault on US Vice President Kamala Harris, accusing her of failing to deliver while she was in office.
Failed Pivot Attempt
Truss, who recently attempted to pivot to the US to become a conservative political commentator after suffering the embarrassment of losing her seat in the recent general election, took to Murdoch-owned Fox News to lambast Harris in a particularly tone-deaf criticism of the Vice President, considering Truss’s own record in power.
“Massive Problems” in US
Truss, who began by emphasising the “massive problems” in the US, stated, “Kamala Harris is going to change none of that, she’s been there for the last four years, she’s been responsible for those policies.”
Immigration Criticism
Truss moved on next to the well-worn conservative talking point of immigration, which has been stoked to a fever pitch over the last four years by Trump and his allies in the Republicans.
“She Has Not Delivered”
Truss stated, “She [Harris] was given the specific job of sorting out immigration on the southern border. It is now at crisis point. She has not delivered as vice-president and she’s got the job now because of the crazy situation of Joe Biden retiring at the last minute, even though everybody in America knew he was not up to the job.”
Ironic Criticism
Truss’s criticism of Harris is hilariously ironic, given her controversial and mercifully brief tenure as Prime Minister. Truss also failed to deliver on her promises as, as soon as she attempted to implement her libertarian ideology onto the country through her disastrous mini-budget, the economy crashed.
“Bizarre” Nomination
Similarly, Truss, apparently without irony, described the circumstances in which Harris would receive the nomination as “bizarre,” even though Truss got her job as Prime Minister in similar circumstances after Boris Johnson’s resignation, which came in the wake of the Partygate and Pincher scandals.
No Responsibility Taken
During the interview, Truss also failed, once again, to take any responsibility for her part in the Conservative’s spectacular wipeout at the recent general election. She stated, “The fact is in the UK, the Conservatives got thrown out because immigration was too high, taxes were too high, the economy wasn’t growing, people were paying very high costs for everything from food to petrol – and that’s exactly what I see happening here in America.”
Not Only One
However, even though Truss’s criticisms of Harris are tenuous at best, she is not the only notable figure who has recently voiced worries about Harris’s chances of securing the Presidency in November. POLITICO recently reported the unfortunate case of Isabel Schnabel, an executive board member of the European Central Bank (ECB), who was caught on a hot mic criticising Harris.
“Hopeless” and “Invisible”
Unaware she was being recorded, Schnabel stated, “They should have built up another candidate to Kamala Harris from the beginning. She would never win an election, I mean that’s hopeless. I don’t even know her because she has been so invisible.”
European Reservations
Despite the ECB retraction, which asserted the quote was “misleading,” Schnabel’s comments reflect a general uncertainty among European politicians about Harris’s ability to successfully challenge Trump.
UK’s Close Watch
In the UK, officials are closely watching Harris’s rise and potential presidency, albeit with reservations. Speaking to POLITICO anonymously, one UK official hinted at the mad dash now being undertaken in Westminster to understand Harris better, and now she seems sure to be the Democratic candidate.
Mapping Out Kamala
The official stated, “A lot of work will be going on to map out what a Kamala presidency will look like and what she thinks and feels about issues, and how we deal with her and the people around her.”
Cautious Support
Despite private reservations and concerns, public statements from European politicians regarding Harris have been cautiously supportive, though they have stopped far short of outright endorsement.
Critical Spotlight
As Harris enters the spotlight, her ability to connect with domestic and international audiences will be crucial. Despite some European reservations, many within the Democratic party will likely wear Truss’s recent comments as a badge of honour. Truss’s recent endorsement of Trump was poorly received by the former President, who, famously, hates losers.
Truss’s Final Jab
Toward the end of her interview on Fox News, Truss was asked if Americans had a problem with the idea of a woman leading the most powerful nation on earth. Truss replied, “No I don’t. I think there are some brilliant American women in politics, but I don’t think Kamala Harris is one of them.”
Endorsement by Irony
Given Truss’s track record as a woman in politics, perhaps Harris could not ask for a better endorsement than that.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / lev radin.