Stephen and Sanders’ decisions to head out for exits then beg a simple question: What is going on in the Harris world?

While the question is straightforward, the answer – or the answers – are not.

There are those who even dispute the premise of the question, insisting that Harris is being tried by an unfair standard because of her historic status as the first female, first African-American, and first Asian American to occupy. the vice-presidency.

But, departing staff at such a high level so early in a term would cause questions no matter who was in the VP’s office, because, well, they’re weird and not typical.

So, again, what’s going on?

“Exhausted from what they see as entrenched dysfunction and lack of focus, key West Wing aides largely raised their hands to Vice President Kamala Harris and her staff – deciding there was no just no time to deal with them right now, especially at a time when President Joe Biden faces rapidly growing legislative and political concerns.

The exasperation goes both ways. Interviews with nearly three dozen former and current Harris aides, administrative officials, Democratic agents, donors and outside advisers – who have spoken at length to CNN – reveal a complex reality inside the White House Many in the vice The president’s circle rants that she is not sufficiently prepared or positioned, and that she is rather sidelined. she herself has told several trusted people that she feels limited in what she is able to do politically. around hI’m wary of even hinting at future political ambitions, as Biden’s team are very sensitive to signs of disloyalty, especially from the vice president. “

When a politician feels stress or thinks that he is being misused, he almost always puts pressure downstream – on his staff. And, reports of problems with Harris staff are nothing new.

And Harris is struggling to retain his staff, which is nothing new.

“I didn’t cover her up close in Sacramento, but I know she made noise with the staff,” Mark Z. Barabak, a senior political reporter for the Los Angeles Times, said of the time. of Harris as Attorney General of California. “Especially in communications at the end of the operation.”

Barabak has his own theory as to why Harris struggled so hard: it’s part of the job.

“Even though she takes on a range of political portfolios, even as she travels to Paris this week to try to remedy the administration’s severed relationship with France, it remains a fact that the No. 2 post at the White House is inherently down, ”he said. written in mid-November. Later, in the same room, he added this:

“Virtually every vice president in modern history – with the exception of Dick Cheney, who played an unusually important role in directing defense and foreign policy under President George W. Bush – seemed more smaller than when he accepted the post.

“That’s because a primary requirement of the job is to step away from the spotlight, except when it comes to supporting the president and his agenda.”

Whatever the reason, Harris is nowhere near where she and her team had hoped to be as she completes her first year as vice president. And things, at least for now, seem to be getting worse, not getting better.