Kamala Harris seeks to attract young Americans voters

Vice President Kamala Harris is looking ahead to the 2024 election campaign, aiming to attract young voters who may not be as enthusiastic about Joe Biden.

During her visit to a university in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, the 58-year-old Democrat was warmly received, particularly by young students.

This role for the Vice President became evident on Friday when the White House unveiled the "Office of Gun Violence Prevention," with Harris appointed to oversee it.

At the announcement, Biden (80 years old) stood beside the first member of Congress from Generation Z, Maxwell Frost (26 years old), creating a bridge between generations.

When addressing issues such as mass shootings in the United States, Harris, a former California prosecutor who has sometimes faced criticism for her sternness, turned to impactful speeches.

"On this first day of school, you now have to learn the name of your teacher, where the safe place is, and how you need to hide quietly in that dark room from a shooter," she said, alluding to the drills that take place in American schools.

Firearms, abortion, the environment, and discrimination are among the topics that Vice President Biden will address in a tour titled "Fighting for Our Freedoms," which she will lead over the course of a month at various universities to engage with African American and minority students.

Harris is the first woman and the first American of African and Asian descent to hold the office of Vice President. As such, she works to rally two groups of voters who helped Biden enter the White House: young people and minorities.

Local media reported on Tuesday that during her visit to a university specializing in short-term training courses in Reading, a small town in eastern Pennsylvania, Harris stated, "When your generation votes in large numbers, many things will change."

In a short video clip filmed with a student from a university in North Carolina, she sent the same message: "One of the most significant ways to make change in this world is by voting."

During her tour, the Vice President was greeted with music, dance, and cheers, in stark contrast to the gloomy poll numbers regarding her popularity.

According to a recent poll conducted by FiveThirtyEight, less than 40% of Americans approve of the Vice President. Biden's approval rating is approximately the same.

Harris also seeks to make an impact by discussing personal aspects of her life, such as her music preferences, particularly her affinity for rap music, especially from the West Coast.

This strategy appears to have paid off, as she received praise for her dancing at an event commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of hip-hop music. However, it also drew ridicule.

The White House still needs to address negative articles about Vice President Harris.



AFP