Relax. Kamala Harris would be just fine.

President Kamala Harris would be a strong, credible president. And a strong, credible candidate. 

A transformation takes place when the person gets the job.

It is why inaugurations are important. 

It is why crowning the king is important. 

There is something small and weak about being number two. Few people respected Vice President Truman. Vice President Dan Quail was a butt of jokes. Prince Charles was a sad sack, looking diminished and pathetic as he waited and waited. 

Now he wears the crown and he is king. Now he is elevated.

I watched Kamala Harris in New Hampshire. She was a good candidate, lost in a crowd somewhere among Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg and ten more. There could be only one winner and it was not Harris  She was positioned in an important spot, but not the one that had the Democratic energy in 2019.  Biden could not become the alternative to the Democratic left until all the semi-centrist candidates to the right of Sanders left the race. She was a former district attorney and former California attorney general, then was a California U.S. senator. Her law and order vibe was a bit out of fashion then. Now she is back in style.

Biden has kept Harris in her place, talking about two issues, the "women's issue" of abortion and the "Black issue" of racial prejudice. He also gave her the impossible border issue. It was impossible because Democrats are divided. Democrats on the progressive left opposed strong border enforcement, considering it cruel, at least until border-state governors began sending newly-arrived immigrants north to blue states. Now they understand the problem and the political cost of an unregulated border. This realization comes too late either to solve the border problem or to absolve Harris for having been made to look ineffectual by her own party.

But imagine this: Biden announces he is resigning at noon, July 4. He blames it on his heart.

TV cameras are set up in the Oval Office. Kamala Harris is administered the oath of office by the Chief Justice at noon, then sits down at the Resolute Desk and faces the cameras.

My fellow Americans, the Constitution of this great country provided for situations of this kind, the incapacity of a president. The constitutional order of our government continues. 

I have instructed my secretary of defense to alert our armed forces around the world to be on heightened alert. I expect no problems, but I want to assure our allies and any potential adversary that the continuity of government remains intact. I have instructed our secretary of state to provide the same assurances to foreign governments, and that is underway. I met with both the Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson yesterday to request a status report on pending legislation. I would welcome legislation that would resolve the problems of unregulated immigration at the southern border.

In the past three days I have spoken with Chinese President XI Jinping, Russian President Putin, and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. America's goal is a peaceful and prosperous world, with borders secure. I told them that our navy will continue to protect trade in the world's oceans. I intend to continue the policies of former president Biden as we begin re-evaluation of our future needs as circumstances require.

This is a new chapter in America, but I build upon the work of the former president. I have instructed the White House staff to prepare a list of potential vice presidents to be selected under the rules of the Constitution, the process that named Gerald Ford in 1974. 

Your government is at work. We have work to do. I will conclude today with the same way that President Biden concluded during his presidency: God bless America and God protect our troops.

Something like that. She could go on, but the best thing would be photos of her concluding her speech and shaking hands with John Roberts, Mike Johnson, and generals in uniform. She shouldn't look like she is seeking support. She should be accepting their recognition that she is now the boss. She should be nodding a thank-you.

The old Kamala Harris of this photo is no more. 

The smiling, hand-waving cheerleader wearing a colorful light blue pantsuit will not appear again in public. She is no longer the second banana. She will look, dress, and sound like the CEO. A former general might be able to show geniality at this moment. Not her, not yet. She came out of an auxiliary role, and she is female. She is no cheerleader now. She is the leader.

Her first job is to demonstrate order and legitimacy, and a speech like this does that. She must sound secure that she holds power through legitimate means. She has taken command of our military. She is serious and competent. And she is already at work. 

Note: To get daily delivery of this blog to your email go to: https://petersage.substack.com Subscribe. Don't pay. The blog is free and always will be.]