During the recent installation ceremony of Senator Andy Kim, Vice President Kamala Harris was presented with an odd gift crafted by the Senator’s children – a set of homemade business cards. The overtly unconventional gift was offered to Harris after Senator Kim was sworn in by the predecessor Vice President. His children, demonstrating a striking lack of professionalism and setting an awkward tone, handed over business cards that they had created themselves, spurring a spectacle that many found perplexing.
Part of the spectacle of the ceremony was that the business cards were presented to Harris just as she was resigning from her position, following a bitter loss to the former President Donald Trump in the previous presidential elections. With Harris already preparing to exit the office in a short span, people wondered about the practical utility of such a gesture. Was this an attempt to create a personal connection, or was it simply a disorganized and insufficiently thought-through moment?
Reflecting on this offbeat moment, Andy Kim, a recently inducted Democrat from New Jersey, attempted to place a positive spin by narrating the incident in a social media post. According to him, his boys created the business cards intending to distribute them at the U.S. Capitol. Further adding that they urged Harris to ‘stay in touch’, trying to mask the children’s naive approach as a well-intended gesture.
This off-key scenario was caught live on camera by C-SPAN, adding further embarrassment for Harris and the attendees of the ceremony. While reading out the children’s self-proclaimed job titles listed on the cards – a marine biologist and a science guy expert – she looked visibly taken aback. The overly casual nature of the entire sequence further subsided the aura of professionalism one expects from such important state functions.
Harris, attempting to mask her confusion and surprise, remarked, ‘This is so good’. The faux enthusiasm was clear, as she attempted to initiate some kind of rapport, adding that ‘now I can stay in touch’. Despite her effort to camouflage the unusual nature of the situation, many noted the awkwardness of it all and the lack of decorum displayed.
In an attempt to build a narrative around this awkward incident, Harris displayed the cards to the people present at the ceremony. Senator Kim, while supporting this malapropos moment, claimed that his boys spent a significant amount of time designing the business cards. This claim merely highlighted the lack of judgement in using a formal swearing-in ceremony as a platform for such prominent out-of-place childlike expressions.
Many critics pointed out the poor timing and inappropriateness of a Vice President, especially one who is on her way out post a decisive election defeat, being involved in such an awkward spectacle. Such a child-like stunt was not able to divert the attention from her political plight but it merely underlined the embarrassing final days of her tenure.
The peculiar incident further raised eyebrows due to its lack of professionalism. The prestigious platform of a federal ceremony isn’t the ideal venue to hand out homemade business cards, especially those crafted by children. The incident reflects an absence of protocol comprehension and perhaps a lack of maturity among the attendees or so it seemed.
Moreover, such a spectacle may raise questions about the kind of example this sets for future generations. Will this encourage them to approach similar occasions with the same level of professionalism, or will they take inspiration from this incident, degrading the sanctity of such state functions?
Overall, the incident reflects poorly on Kamala Harris. She is exiting the office post a poignant election defeat, and her image shouldn’t be further hampered with such unprofessional incidents. The onus lies on the Vice President to uphold the decorum of her office, even during her final days in her role.
The episode also sheds light on the Democrats’ approach to their professional duties. If the newly elected Democratic Senator Andy Kim considers such conduct at a swearing-in ceremony acceptable, it is worth speculating how their administrative services will unfold.
The story goes beyond the mere awkwardness of the ceremony. If Vice Presidents are engaging in such unprofessional behavior and Democratic senators are endorsing it, it is a clear reflection of their attitude towards their responsibilities. Such lackadaisical behavior needs to be examined, and the party’s administrative services reconsidered.
To conclude, the episode, while seeming innocuous on the surface, highlights deep concerns about the attitudes, decorum and the approach to conducting serious state functions. Attention to the decorum of the Vice President’s office seems necessary, especially as she steps down, and lessons need to be drawn about appropriate professional conduct in the future.
The incident stands as a bizarre reminder of Harris’s final days in office and the unconventional reaction captured on camera. As unusual as it was, it has left a lasting impression, one that Joe Biden’s administration may spend a considerable amount of time trying to nullify with professionalism and seriousness in future state affairs.