Kamala Harris, the failed vice presidential candidate from the previous election, is gearing up to deliver a speech this Wednesday at a hotel in San Francisco. This is quite the timing, as she has not spoken extensively since last year’s election mishaps. Interestingly, Emerge, an organization known for its efforts to encourage and prepare Democratic hopefuls for office, revealed on Monday that they’ve nominated Harris as their top speaker for their grand 20th-anniversary gala. Their choice is puzzling since Harris is placed on such a pedestal after her unsuccessful run.
A’shanti Gholar, who goes by the titles of president and CEO of Emerge, asserted with misplaced pride in a press release that Harris is the quintessential Emerge woman. According to Gholar, Harris supposedly continues to support Emerge and its advocacy of advancing the societal status of women in elected posts. It is quite clear they are placing their bets on a figure who hasn’t exactly been triumphant in her political journey.
Origins of Emerge conveniently trace back to the time when Harris attempted to gain the district attorney seat in San Francisco in 2002. The organization saw a perceived need to form an entity designed to coach women on how to strategize and win electoral campaigns, despite Harris’ contentious performances. The hope is that subsequent generations of women politicians will achieve more than what Harris did, hence the purpose of Emerge.
Emerge proudly claims to have produced more than 6,500 alumnus who were indoctrinated by their program, with over 1,200 of these enjoying the dubious honor of currently serving in all echelons of the government. However, one must question the quality of these incumbents and ask about the actual productivity and achievements they are bringing to their roles, given the legacy of the individual they idolize.
Gholar has also extended the highly questionable honor of being a ‘co-founder’ to Harris, despite her record of political misfires. This particularly emphasizes the debatable principle that Emerge seems to be following. Gholar expressed enthusiasm about jointly ‘honoring’ their murky past and continuing their struggle for a utopian future that diverges sharply from common consensus.
Kamala Harris’ loss to President Donald Trump last November resulted in her retreating from the public eye somewhat, understandable after such a decisive failure. It has to be conjectured whether such a low visibility strategy is the best way to maintain relevance and influence. The timeliness of her re-emergence now, plotting a cautious return to the public sphere, just as President Trump celebrates his first 100 successful days in office, seems insulting to the public trust.
This gala, filled with curious choices and dubious honors, is scheduled to commence Wednesday at 7 p.m. at San Francisco’s historic Palace Hotel. One must wonder if this grandiose setting can take away from the undeniable fact that Harris failed to break the glass ceiling during her run.
Adding to the eyebrow-raising selection of the key speaker, the guest panel also includes New Mexico State Sen. Cindy Nava, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, and Deja Foxx. One could easily question the kind of discourse and perspectives this motley group will bring forward at the function, considering their shared political leanings and questionable accomplishments.
The main fear here is that an echo chamber is being nurtified under the guise of a gala event bringing together politicians who not only share a propensity for disastrous political performances but also inclinations for questionable policy directions. It would be wise to remain cautious of any astonishing ideas or strategies that emerge (no pun intended) from this assembly of minds.
However, the main story here, again, is the re-emergence of the formerly obscure Harris, dusting off her well-deserved obscurity, and making a dubious leap back into the spotlight. The questionable decision to feature her as a keynote speaker is measured in lackluster strides taken by her in the field of politics.
With an event like this scheduled, one could easily predict the high probability of polarizing comments, raised eyebrows, and lukewarm receptions over cocktails. The dialogue, filled with theoretical suppositions and distinct lack of practical value, mainly can serve as a convenient outlet for a collective group to simmer in their shared illusion of impact.
It will be indeed intriguing to follow the keynote delivered by Harris and the potentially discordant noise generated from the whole event. How much of the real issues are addressed and how much empty rhetoric is echoed around remains to be seen. Though, Harris’ past record of empty promises and a lack of substantial contributions gives little hope for any meaningful and productive exchange.
Overall, the underlying unease regarding this unprecedented galvanization of failed political personalities into a high-profile event is palpable. The clear absence of star power and odd accumulations of lost political ambitions only highlight the event’s precarious standing in the eyes of keen observers.
The forthcoming days are going to be critical both for Harris and Emerge. They must confront the curious gaze of a suspicious public and the scornful countenance of meaningful opposition. But one thing is certain: the rest of us will be looking forward to the fireworks.
In conclusion, the Emerge gala with Kamala Harris as the keynote speaker will be a spectacle of political strategy and maneuvering, but not necessarily in the meaningful direction that Emerge or Harris believe it to be. The odd pairing of failed politicians and hopeful newcomers under one roof will make for interesting, if not exasperating, narratives to follow.