A Vice Presidential Learning Curve: How Kamala Harris Picked Her Shots

When a draft of a Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade leaked in 2022, a vice president met with the White House chief of staff in her office. He proposed that she lead a new task force on abortion rights. Initially uncertain, she eventually accepted the role after considering the potential impact. This moment encapsulated her approach to the vice presidency - deliberate, cautious, and at times risk averse. She found her voice as the administration’s champion of abortion rights, an issue that the president was less comfortable addressing. Her record as vice president is complex, characterized by fulfilling assigned tasks, representing the administration abroad, and breaking tie votes in the Senate.