Kamala Harris, the Vice President, amusingly expressed her position on cannabis edibles as a coping mechanism for campaign stress during a Michigan tour. She was in a conversation with former news reporter Maria Shriver, examining the heightening anxiety levels of the nation as the election draws near. Shriver mentioned that nearly everyone is trying to switch off the news, seeking solace in meditation or yoga, or even resorting to ‘eating gummies’. When asked about her strategy, all Harris could say was ‘Not eating gummies’. Ironically, Harris claimed not to lean on these edibles, while her campaign instilled a motif of worry around the nation.
The irony runs far deeper when we realize that Kamala Harris, even though she dejectedly denied consuming ‘gummies’ herself, is not an opponent of cannabis in politics. In fact, she committed her support to the federal legalization of marijuana just the previous week. It is rather peculiar and comical to note the disjointed behavior. Harris mocks the usage of a natural palliative like cannabis edibles, while simultaneously endorsing its broad legalization.
Whilst the spectators present at the event in Michigan found their amusement in Harris’s denial, it raised more questions than laughs for others. With a dismissive one-liner, ‘Not eating gummies’, the Vice President tried to brush off the very real concern of heightened anxiety during the election period. This lighter, more trivializing response from Harris about such a significant topic felt wildly inappropriate.
The conversation took an interesting turn as Harris admitted to feeling the pressure herself as the competition with former President Donald Trump intensified. Nonetheless, her counter tactic against stress was strikingly ordinary in comparison to the innovative approaches others were trying. Boringly, Harris engages in workouts every morning. This seems a feeble attempt at controlling the formidable stress of an election run, especially when compared to the more unconventional and potentially more effective methods that others are trying.
There was no hiding the tension in her laugh, despite her weak attempt to mask it with comedy. ‘I wake up in the middle of the night usually these days, just to be honest with you,’ confessed Harris. It was a stark reminder of the strain faced by those in the political race. Her attempt at humor might have been better placed if it didn’t align so uncomfortably with this evident tension. It serves to underline the disconnection between Harris and the real-world struggles of the people she aims to serve.
Harris downplayed the gravity of the situation by stating, ‘But I work out every morning. I think that’s really important … mind body and spirit.’ It’s almost amusing that Harris tries to substitute the use of a potential natural anxiety reducer with working out. It would have been far more reassuring if she had chosen to adopt a more broad-minded stance regarding these alternate stress coping mechanisms.
Ironically, where Michiganders have the freedom to purchase and indulge recreational marijuana, their Vice President shies away from its usage. Brace yourselves as you imagine the peculiar image of a Vice President preaching the necessity for regular workouts while endorsing marijuana legalization, but blatantly refusing to openly engage in it.
Moving back to the Vice President’s jocular denial; it’s alarmingly out of touch. ‘Not eating gummies’ is unfortunate, especially in light of the looming stress induced by electoral battles. It perfectly captures the gaping disconnect of Harris in understanding the gravity of public sentiment and their anxiety. The derisive humor hardly bridges the abyss of misunderstanding, and leaves many questioning her understanding of the strain experienced.
It’s crucial to survey Harris’ attitude towards anxiety management in a broader perspective. Her campaign seemingly added momentum to the growing anxiety sentiment instead of actively seeking out ways to impede it.
While the Vice President candidly admitted to feeling the tension herself, waking up in the middle of the night these days, she trivializes the matter instead by ridiculing those who choose to deal with the anxiety differently. Sticking to her routine gym workouts, she finds it necessary to connect this with ‘mind body and spirit’. It’s an unfortunately narrow and unaccommodating view of stress management.
By vocally mulling the idea of federal legalization of marijuana, yet not considering it on a personal level, Harris’s approach seems outlined in jest than in serious consideration of the issue at hand. This garnered her a few laughs at the event, but the implications potentially send a mixed message to the citizens looking to their leaders for sense and stability.
It’s intrigue that Harris favors maintaining her ‘mind body and spirit’ through exercise. Yet she doesn’t sympathize with or understand the necessity for alternate methods such as marijuana edibles. This shows an alarming lack of adaptability and understanding on part of the Vice President, raising questions about her ability to accommodate diverse strategies of public welfare.
From an observer’s view, this situation perfectly frames a snapshot of the disconnection that Harris demonstrated. Laughing off a serious issue, dismissive of a potential support mechanism, adhering rigidly to traditional solutions, and outrightly denying engagement in a legal activity which she has endorsed.
Harris’s laugh-inducing denial and her remark, ‘Not eating gummies’, could quickly turn from a cheeky phrase meant to lighten the mood to one highlighting the chasm between her and the progressively minded electorate. Her mockery of a legal and potentially therapeutic tool, combined with the visible stress she admitted to, showcases a discordance that voters might find difficult to resonate with.
Resting beneath the surface of laughs and amusement, lies the stark truth of disengagement between Harris and the spectrum of potential stress reduction solutions. This reality isn’t diminished by her policy support for marijuana. Her personal ridicule of its use and restriction to traditionalist solutions suggest an alarming lack of flexibility and synergy with the evolving citizenry needs, an aspect crucial for the survival and success of democracy.