Why is Kamala Harris here? French confused by Veep’s visit

Washington Examiner

Katherine Doyle - 17h ago
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PARIS — Vice President Kamala Harris’s visit for a series of high-level diplomatic engagements has drawn little public fanfare ahead of her sit-down meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

The vice president's visit earned sparse coverage during prime-time hours on France’s TF1, flying under the radar screen on Tuesday. Expectations for the bilateral conference at the Elysee Palace were measured among those who spoke to the Washington Examiner.

Asked what he thought about Harris's visit, Xavier, a restaurant worker in Place Collette, said, “Nothing at all.“

“Politically, I don't know what the purpose is,“ he added.

HARRIS WILL TRAVEL TO FRANCE TO MEND FENCES WITH MACRON AND MEET WORLD LEADERS

Macron and Harris will meet face-to-face Wednesday to discuss climate change, space, the economy, supply chains, global health, and the Indo-Pacific, according to a senior administration official.



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The visit comes just months after a rift over a U.S. plan to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarine technology. The deal prompted Australia to cut short a multi-billion dollar defense contract with France, causing major strife.

Asked whether Harris intends to raise the submarine issue in her meeting, a senior administration official said she is “focused on moving forward and not looking backward.”

French voters face growing energy costs and inflationary warnings despite a robust economic post-lockdown resurgence earlier this year. And with presidential elections on the horizon, kitchen-table issues are a priority for voters.

Tuesday evening, as Macron prepared to address the country in remarks on the coronavirus pandemic, Harris slipped out of her hotel for a private dinner with second gentleman Douglas Emhoff at the U.S. chief of mission’s residence. A senior administration official said she would not be watching the president’s remarks due to the timing.

The submarine issue remains front of mind for many in the city, however, signifying a breach of trust in the relationship that won't be easily fixed.

Mohamed El Hachmi, a driver in the city, told the Washington Examiner that Harris’s visit was an effort to paper over differences with France after dealing a massive blow to the country.

“It’s politics,” he said.

By sending Harris and not President Joe Biden, Washington showed a lack of respect, El Hachmi said. “It’s not a $400 million blow. It’s billions of dollars' worth of business that collapsed.”

Harris won’t be returning to Washington empty-handed. The official said to expect deliverables from the five-day visit, though said little about what these may be.

“This engagement is important. This is diplomacy,” the official said.

Observers stepped out on high balconies to catch a glimpse of the vice president’s motorcade en route to the Institut Pasteur biomedical research center on Tuesday, where Harris’s late mother researched cancer biomarkers more than three decades ago. As the vice president’s convoy moved through the streets, some filmed it on their cellphones. Others waved.

Speaking to reporters, Harris suggested that politicians and government officials could learn something from the laboratory bench.

“One of the things I think people in politics and government should really take from the approach of scientists: Scientists operate with a hypothesis. I love that. A hypothesis. It’s well thought out. It’s well planned,” Harris said. “They start out with a hypothesis. And then they test it out — knowing invariably if you’re trying something for the first time, there will be glitches, there will be mistakes.”

After 10 months in office and the Democrats’ drubbing in Virginia’s statewide elections last week, some have called on the party to engage in this kind of self-reflection. Harris herself had a 28% job approval rating in a recent USA Today/Suffolk University poll.

David Ramadan, an adjunct professor at the Schar School at George Mason University and resident scholar at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, told the Washington Examiner in the wake of Virginia’s gubernatorial losses a rethink was overdue.

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