Kamala Harris, Joe Biden’s running mate for the 2020 presidential election, recently appointed longtime advisor Karine Jean-Pierre as her campaign spokesperson. Jean-Pierre’s past statements have caused some concern among political pundits, as they include her openly advocating for the defunding of police and packing the Supreme Court.
Karine Jean-Pierre has been involved in Democratic politics for over two decades, serving in roles such as national spokesperson for MoveOn.org, senior advisor for the Obama White House, and chief public affairs officer for the Center for American Progress. She is seen as a progressive voice by many, and has been outspoken in her support for issues such as racial justice, criminal justice reform, and immigration reform.
However, Jean-Pierre has recently come under fire for her stance on the controversial propositions of defunding the police and packing the Supreme Court. In an interview with The Hill, she said that defunding the police was “not a radical concept” and that “we need to reimagine what public safety should look like.” On the subject of court packing, she argued that “the current system of lifetime appointments of Supreme Court Justices is unhealthy.”
The controversy surrounding Jean-Pierre’s appointment has put Kamala Harris in an awkward position. Many moderate and center-right Democrats have expressed concern that the Harris-Biden ticket has become too liberal, despite Biden’s attempts to market himself as a moderate. At the same time, progressive Democrats have praised Harris’ decision to bring an outspoken voice such as Jean-Pierre onboard.
Only time will tell how Harris will handle the situation. For now, she has not directly addressed the issue and appears to be taking a wait-and-see approach. No matter what happens, it is clear that Karine Jean-Pierre’s appointment is a bold statement that Harris is willing to take on controversial issues and try to push the Biden-Harris ticket in a more progressive direction.