Kamala Harris Is Lost in Space
W.J. Astore
Did you know Vice President Kamala Harris is Chairwoman of the National Space Council? I didn't -- until a friend notified me of a feel-good video featuring Harris and a few earnest and photogenic kids on YouTube. The kids were decidedly diverse: boys and girls, black and brown and white, but they all had something in common. No, it wasn't their enthusiasm for space -- it's that they were all paid actors.
Here's the link if you haven't seen the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5PABXXdDwA
As my wife and I watched the video, my better half turned to me and said, "stagey" and "fake."
I had to laugh as Kamala Harris tried to wow the kids about seeing craters on the moon. My goodness -- on a clear night you can see craters with the naked eye. A decent pair of binoculars (I have 10x50 Tasco binoculars) will reveal plenty of gorgeous detail. You don't exactly have to visit the Naval Observatory to see moon craters.
Even through my relatively cheap $200 camera, I can see plenty of detail. Here's a photo I took of the moon, a handheld shot done quickly and inexpertly:
I have some experience talking to real kids about astronomy. Elementary school kids can be fun. One class I talked to wanted to know all about UFOs. Another wiseguy kid asked about Uranus, pronouncing it "your anus," of course. I smiled, quietly corrected his pronunciation, and answered his question. We both had a laugh.
Yet apparently Kamala Harris is not to be trusted talking to real kids who might go off-script. Perish the thought of a kid who might make a joke about Uranus. The horror! It doesn't inspire confidence that she's only a heartbeat away from the presidency, as the saying goes.
If and when the space aliens come for me, I know what I'm saying: Take me to your leader -- mine is lost in space.