Caught on Camera: Kamala Harris and Her ‘Dysfunctional’ Staff Throw Party at VP’s Residence
Opal Vadhan/Twitter
Vice President Kamala Harris and her staff threw a party at the Naval Observatory that was caught on camera by multiple attendees, just days after a Politico piece depicting that same staff as a “dysfunctional” mess dominated one political news cycle.
The VP and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff (which is reportedly short for “Douglas”) hosted what was dubbed as a post-July 4th BBQ for the press and comms team, a gathering that was documented at length in nearly two-dozen photos that were tweeted out by various members of said staff.
Personal Assistant to the Vice President Opal Vadhan was first to tweet photos from the event, and wrote “What an honor to be at the Vice President’s residence with incredible colleagues for a post July 4th BBQ. As always an honor to work on a team that looks like America. Thank you, @VP & @ SecondGentleman for having us over! #VPRBBQ”.
What an honor to be at the Vice President’s residence with incredible colleagues for a post July 4th BBQ. As always an honor to work on a team that looks like America. Thank you, @VP & @SecondGentleman for having us over! #VPRBBQ pic.twitter.com/PxH4FUjvfq
— Opal Vadhan (@OpalVadhan46) July 8, 2021
Senior Advisor and Chief Spokesperson for the Vice President Symone Sanders also posted a thread featuring nine photos, and wrote “Tonight the Vice President and Second Gentlemen hosted the team at their home. The food was good and the people were amazing. #VPRBBQ,” later correcting the typo in “Gentleman.”
Tonight the Vice President and Second Gentlemen hosted the team at their home. The food was good and the people were amazing. #VPRBBQ pic.twitter.com/6zuYvGKXrn
— SDS (@SymoneSanders46) July 9, 2021
And second gentleman should be spelled with an A, but I digress. In other news here is a photo of two of my favs and our lawyer ?? @JHsu5 pic.twitter.com/cmx2yG9AVw
— SDS (@SymoneSanders46) July 9, 2021
Other comms staff members — Vadhan, Peter Velz, Rachel Palermo, and Vince Evans — posted more photos of the happy event as well.
.@VP and @SecondGentleman hosted the team tonight and it was a wonderful time had by all. It’s an honor to serve the American people alongside a team that reflects the best of this country. Onward. #VPRBBQ pic.twitter.com/BccJPHpEJe
— Vincent Evans (@VinceEvans) July 9, 2021
Our comms/press teams + @SecondGentleman!
Great night at the @VP’s residence for a summer bbq. Very grateful for this team ✨ pic.twitter.com/yTg7PELnNd
— Rachel Palermo (@RachelPalermo46) July 9, 2021
“You’re having an impact on people you may never meet, people who may never know your names but because of the work you do their lives forever will be uplifted and better.” – @VP #VPRBBQ pic.twitter.com/HxLARUVcex
— Opal Vadhan (@OpalVadhan46) July 9, 2021
Me, taking every opportunity for selfies with @OpalVadhan46@VP: Hand over that phone!
Turns out the @VP a pretty good photographer (and #VPRBBQ host) pic.twitter.com/hn7UY0LLEm
— Peter Velz (@PeterVelz46) July 9, 2021
CHEERS TO THE COMMS PRESS SQUAD (with a cameo by @SecondGentleman) @SabrinaSingh46 we missed you tonight. #VPRBBQ pic.twitter.com/i6bY9ro48h
— SDS (@SymoneSanders46) July 9, 2021
What’s @RachelPalermo46 showing @SecondGentleman on Twitter — wrong answers only #VPRBBQ pic.twitter.com/IveRxnIItd
— Peter Velz (@PeterVelz46) July 9, 2021
The veep hosted a historic bipartisan dinner for women senators a few weeks ago, and that gathering generated a similar volume of Twitter images, but not quite as many as this one did.
The virtual photo essay comes on the heels of negative reporting from anonymous sources on the vice president’s office, which prompted a number of White House officials to speak out in defense of Harris and her team.
That context is tough to miss in this deluge of happy photos, the subtext of which could just as well be “Excuse me, who’s dysfunctional?”
To which some might say “That’s just what you’d expect a dysfunctional staff to do,” so you be the judge.
