Despite the odds, US Vice President Kamala Harris has expressed confidence that current President Joe Biden will be re-elected to office. However, she admitted that the road will not be easy.
Kamala Harris was speaking at a fundraising event held at the home of renowned Pakistani-American physician and philanthropist Dr. Asif Mahmood in Bradbury, California, where the issue of Pakistan was also raised.
It was probably the first time in US history that a political event for a sitting vice president was held at the home of a Pakistani-American Democrat. The fundraiser was co-sponsored by a Pakistani business tycoon, Tanweer Ahmed, who enjoys good relations with top Democrats and Republicans.
Nearly 50 guests were invited to the event and each of them contributed significantly to the “Biden Victory Fund.” The seating was poolside and guests were served traditional Pakistani cuisine. After all, Harris is also of Indian descent. In her remarks, the Vice President praised the services of Dr. Mahmood for his unwavering support throughout her political journey.
“I want to thank my friend Dr Asif Mahmood. He has supported me for at least 15 years and I am always very touched by his support. I want to thank him for everything he has done for me,” the Vice President said to loud applause.
She devoted nearly three minutes of her 12-minute speech to praising Dr. Mahmood, reminding the audience, “I think this is the third time (as vice president) that I’ve been to your house.” Harris mentioned that on previous occasions, she had addressed him from a different part of the backyard. Her podium was located in the shade as the sun was still shining at 6:30 p.m.
The event was organised a day before the first Biden-Trump debate and some participants were sceptical about Biden’s performance against the so-called “bully ex-president”. “We are going to win. It’s not going to be easy, but we are going to win,” Kamala Harris said. Stressing the importance of the vote, she went on to say: “In this election, we will determine what kind of country we want and we will make a statement about who we are as a country.”
Four years ago, Americans declared they no longer approved of Trump. This time, the world is asking whether they want four more years of Biden. In the past year, some Democrats have distanced themselves from the party over its support for Israel’s war on Palestine. When it comes to Israel, however, Donald Trump is no different.
“We all know what our country stands for, as imperfect as it is and as imperfect as we are. And when we think about the importance of this election and what is at stake, the impact and the outcome of this election will affect the American people and people around the world,” the vice president explained without mentioning any particular global issue.
Most polls indicate that Trump has a good chance of winning the White House. The question is: can Biden and Harris get all the dissatisfied voters to cast their votes? The vice president knew very well that most Pakistani-Americans do not go to the polls.
“I hope everyone understands the power of their vote and that it is an extension of their voice in deciding what kind of country we want to live in,” she stressed. She then highlighted the measures Biden has taken to “elevate the middle class.”
There is no doubt that when it comes to voting, American voters put the economy above all else. According to ForbesThe economy performed better under Trump, but Biden also took some steps to please voters.
“On the one hand, you have our president, who spends all his time thinking about the American people and how to improve their condition, their circumstances and their quality of life. He does this thinking about how to create jobs and how to build the middle class. On the other hand, you have the ex-president who only cares about himself and seeks personal gain.”
If re-elected, Trump has promised to use the National Guard to deport millions of immigrants. He has previously stigmatized them as “invaders,” blamed them for “poisoning the country’s blood” and committing crimes like “animals.” There is no doubt that the immigrant community in the United States is stunned to witness a “white wave” fueled by some of Trump’s statements. It is probably with that in mind that Harris built her case.
“The most important thing is freedom. We are talking about freedom from hatred and intolerance in a world where these extremists are trying to divide our country by spreading hatred.”
After her speech, Harris chatted with some of the guests in the adjacent living room.
Pakistani-American business magnate Tanweer Ahmed told me that he raised the issue of Pakistan at that time. After briefly narrating his love for the country of his birth and how America had transformed his life, Ahmed expressed his discontent with the state of Pakistan-US relations.
“I want to express my concern in advance, and that is that Pakistan does not have a good image in the US. The US and Pakistan have a long history together, which has had its ups and downs. It is a paradox that both countries have done so much for each other and yet there is more misperception and mistrust,” Ahmed lamented.
“The US continues to view Pakistan in a limited light, in terms of counter-terrorism and security. My sense is that Pakistan has always been blamed and not listened to; instead, many other voices shape the view on Pakistan. For example, even the USIP Senior Study Group on Afghanistan advocates the resumption of US-Pakistan counter-terrorism cooperation to stem the tide of terrorist groups residing in Afghanistan. However, it also says that Pakistan should prevent a terrorist attack on India, which is presumptuous and even disheartening for a country that continues to bleed daily due to terrorist attacks,” he continued.
In the same vein, Ahmed said, “It is even more worrying that India’s campaign of state-sponsored extrajudicial killings on British, Canadian, American and Pakistani soil is being ignored by the media, even though the American government has done its part. Therefore, it gives me reason to believe that it is a matter of perception and not politics.”
And then he asked, “How can we change the perception that the United States has of Pakistan? And, as I said before, how can we create positivity and lasting trust between my two home countries?”
So what did she answer?
Ahmed said: “I was very eager to know a little bit more about the issue. He put me in touch with his chief of staff and told me that we should exchange information.”
“She said very loudly and clearly that she was glad I raised all those points and that they were very valid and concerning points. She stressed that we need to stay in touch and she appreciated me raising these issues.”
The fundraiser lasted for an hour, as Kamala Harris had to attend six more events. A helicopter kept hovering over the area and security personnel kept watch over the gated community from all sides. However, locals were allowed to drive freely. All guests were invited at 5:00 pm sharp. However, due to the nightmare traffic, I arrived at Bradbury Mansion at 5:40 pm.
Almost none of the neighbors knew that the vice president was going to speak next door. I asked a lady who was passing by if she knew what was going on.
“It looks like they’re filming a Hollywood movie!” he told me with some confidence. I told him that Kamala Harris had been here a little while ago. With wide eyes, he could only say: “Wow!”
On the way back to the airport, I asked my African-American cab driver if he saw any chance of Biden taking back the White House on November 5.
“If I look at my pocketbook, I’ll vote for Trump. But, if I look at my family and our future, I’ll vote for Biden. So it’s fifty-fifty.”
This answer says it all. When it comes to the election, the most important thing is the economy. Harris may be right in saying, “We will win,” but if a part of the immigrant community is also undecided about Biden, then it surely means that the road to the White House is going to be very tough.
