If You Think Kamala Was a Bad VP, Look at What Other Woman on Shortlist Just Did to Wildfire-Racked Los Angeles

President Joe Biden's time in office is nearing its conclusion, and it seems Vice President Kamala Harris may follow suit.

While political comebacks are always possible—just look at Donald Trump—Harris’ faltering 2024 presidential campaign suggests she hasn’t learned from the mistakes of her failed 2020 bid. If history is any guide, she may repeat these errors in 2028 and beyond.

Like other unsuccessful Democratic presidential hopefuls, Harris might secure a vague position in a future administration—perhaps as a “climate envoy” or “intersectionality czar.” However, for those who shudder at the thought of what could have been, consider the current challenges facing Southern California, particularly the wildfires, and Karen Bass, the struggling mayor of Los Angeles.

For those unfamiliar with Biden’s 2020 vice-presidential selection process, Bass was among the three Black women considered top contenders. At the time, she was the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and a California congresswoman. Alongside Harris and Susan Rice, a former Obama administration national security advisor, Bass was closely scrutinized.

Other names—such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, former Rep. Val Demings of Florida, and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms—were also floated. Still, Harris, Bass, and Rice were the frontrunners.

Ultimately, Bass’ past connections to the Castro regime in Cuba and the Church of Scientology made her a potential liability, while Rice’s involvement in the Benghazi debacle during the Obama administration further narrowed the field. Biden’s team ultimately selected Harris, who seemed the safest choice at the time.

Fast forward to today, and Bass is under fire for her handling of Los Angeles’ response to the devastating wildfires that have consumed thousands of acres, displaced over 100,000 residents, and claimed multiple lives.

Elected mayor in 2022 after more than a decade in Congress, Bass was recently criticized for being in Accra, Ghana, attending the inauguration of Ghanaian President John Mahama and Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang during the crisis.

Bass’ absence during the wildfires was compounded by scrutiny of her prior decisions, including budget cuts to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD). Critics argue this weakened the city’s ability to respond to disasters of this magnitude.

The California wildfires were not unforeseen. Gov. Gavin Newsom had preemptively redirected state resources to Southern California in anticipation of high winds and low humidity. Yet, Bass only began her return to the United States after the wildfires were well underway and evacuation orders had been issued.

During her absence, her team attempted to manage the narrative on social media, even resharing President Biden’s posts on the crisis—highlighting how the outgoing president appeared more engaged with the situation than the mayor of Los Angeles.

Bass faced additional criticism during a press briefing when she struggled to respond to questions about her decisions. Notably, Elon Musk labeled her “utterly incompetent,” a sentiment that echoed in inquiries about her $17.6 million budget cuts to the LAFD.

To her detractors, Bass’ handling of the crisis reinforced fears about her suitability for leadership. Unlike Harris, who would likely have offered one of her trademark circuitous answers, Bass appeared unprepared and overwhelmed, offering no meaningful response.

As the New York Post highlighted, the situation was exacerbated by a lack of water in fire hydrants, an issue linked to years of mismanagement of Los Angeles’ water system. This included indictments of key officials and operational failures that drained reserves too quickly.

Reflecting on Bass’ potential vice presidency, one can’t help but wonder what might have happened had Biden’s choice been different. Her absence during a disaster and mismanagement of critical resources underscore the risks of prioritizing identity politics over competence.

In the end, Biden’s selection of Harris may have been flawed, but at least it avoided placing someone like Bass a heartbeat away from the presidency.