Kamala Harris Finds Her Passion

Discussing climate change with Gloria Estefan at the Aspen ‘Ideas’ festival in Miami Beach

What’s happening: Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to appear next week at the Aspen Ideas: Climate festival in Miami Beach, where she will “participate in a conversation with iconic singer and songwriter Gloria Estefan” about “the potential for climate solutions and a new clean energy economy.”

What it means: This could be an example of how Harris, according to the New York Times, is still “trying to define her vice presidency.” She has struggled thus far, mostly because she doesn’t really want to be in charge of anything or take on any actual responsibility. Hanging out with celebs at the beach is more in line with her skill set.

Why it matters: Harris is one octogenarian heartbeat away from the presidency, which means the United States of America is one octogenarian heartbeat away from becoming a failed state. Democrats don’t really want Joe Biden to run for reelection, but they really don’t want Harris to be the party’s nominee.

What they’re saying: “Even some Democrats whom her own advisers referred reporters to for supportive quotes confided privately that they had lost hope in [Harris].” —The New York Times

Context: Aspen Ideas: Climate is a “solutions-focused event designed for the public to interact with and learn from climate leaders whose ideas and actions are critical to address our collective future.” Attendees will be given “exclusive access to interactive, educational, and inspired experiences in the greater Miami Beach area.”

In addition to Harris and Estefan, the event will feature appearances from billionaire activist Tom Steyer, nerd activist Bill Nye, and plucky entrepreneur Her Highness Sheika Samma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, the Cambridge-educated and Yale-affiliated granddaughter of the former Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.