Kamala Harris isn't afraid to show anger. That's progress -- but is it good politics?

[left-of-center2012]

It’s a little strange, in light of the dizzying array of right-now challenges that would confront a new president, that the first real clash among the Democratic candidates had to do with an almost 50-year-old debate over integrating schools that most of the electorate is too young to remember.

It’s even stranger because it turns out there’s really not a nickel’s worth of difference between Kamala Harris and Joe Biden when it comes to their actual positions on the subject of busing now — both of them see it, if you can parse Harris’s words, as something that can work but shouldn’t be federally mandated.

There’s no policy dispute here; Harris was just trying to grab center stage while also reminding everyone that Biden is really old and really white. Check and check.

So there’s a choice to be made here, before we get too far down the road with these debates and primaries. Do you believe America has changed so much ... that it would embrace any candidate who wants to relitigate the race wars of the 1970s? Or do you believe it’s a country that will elect anyone — white or black, male or female — who seems capable of making America whole again?

Democratic voters might ask themselves that question. So, too, should their candidates.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/kamala-harris-isnt-afraid-to-show-anger-thats-progress-but-is-it-good-politics-090000788.html

[Thekaspervote]

1. Great post... thx!

[Demit]

2. Well, I guess when a political writer needs a topic to write about, the old evergreen

of "female politician is doing it wrong" is always there.

[left-of-center2012]

3. Or ...

"Politician brings up 50 year old issue" ?

[Demit]

8. Maybe that should have been his headline then.

Except he goes on at length about women and their emotions. It's a rambling piece, but that's definitely a point he wants to make.

Obama was unemotional; Harris spoke "testily." Even when women seem to be doing it right ("Clinton maintained a measured, cautious tone" )—never fear, there's a caveat! It "was often to her own detriment."

Obama was calm and that was good; Clinton was calm and that was not good. Do you see now?

[JHan]

69. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[BeyondGeography]

4. Fighting for what is right is good, taking people out in a debate is wildly overrated

After the first debate it was clear to me that too many people think life will automatically improve if we can publicly eviscerate Trump in a debate. Some problems with that:

-Hillary kicked his ass three times in a debate.

-She also debated Barack Obama about 20 times and won just about every one of those debates too. She's one of the best debaters I've ever seen, tbh. If we were to have a designated debater in our party, I'd choose her. But the ability to connect with voters and grow your base of support is far more important than debating skills.

-Even when you "win" a debate, the other side spins it as a win for their guy, especially when you're talking about the RWNJ media machine. There will be no magical victory moment in the Trump debates, if he even debates.

[MineralMan]

5. Well, if she wants to go down in flames, attacking the leading

primary candidate is a great way to go out, I suppose.

Instead, she might consider getting angry at the real enemy - Trump.

That would probably be more productive for her, I think.

[qazplm135]

6. yes

she has flamed her way out to moving from fifth to second or third in most polls.

Just a horrible result.

[Demsrule86]

13. This is a primary...her method works in a primary but has damaged her as a general election

candidate. I predict she will not be the nominee.

[qazplm135]

15. nonsensical

so her method works in the primary, but you predict she won't be the nominee?
And somehow, the general electorate is going to be so mad at her for a single attack against Biden a year and a half earlier that they will vote for Trump instead?

Bubba Kush? Pineapple Express?

[jcgoldie]

18. African Cookies

Yummm.

[ucrdem]

21. If they forget her ambush she loses her bounce.

She got a bounce when she announced, and it floated down. She attacked Biden, got another bounce. Let's see where this one goes.

[qazplm135]

22. well it's been a few weeks

and she's steadily third or better in most polls.

Seems like she's a contender to me, which is where anyone wants to be at this point.

Just like with everyone else, whether she moves from contender to winner will be based on her convincing enough folks to vote for her, and if she does, she wins, and if she wins, then no one is going to say yeah but she said something not nice about Biden once.

[ucrdem]

25. Is she wins the primary Trump will remind us 24/7.

He's a shitbag and will not be moved by Kamala's inspirational story.

[qazplm135]

26. and I'm pretty sure

that if THAT's what keeps her from winning against Trump, then this country deserves what it gets.

I'm also pretty sure it's not going to be a deciding factor.

[ucrdem]

27. It would be in PA

and MI and WI. Probably in other swing states too.

[qazplm135]

28. oh of course not

this idea that somehow PA voters will rise up against whomever our nominee is if it's not Biden or Harris specifically is nothing more than fan fiction written by somehow with some sort of belief that "only Joe can win."

[ucrdem]

29. Well, there's 2016. nt

[qazplm135]

34. no idea what that means

although I do know some folks have had PTSD about a one time event.

[Demit]

30. "Fan fiction" is a GREAT description of some of the stuff I've read here, lol.

[ucrdem]

31. . . . and now there's busing. And reparations. And M4A. And even AOC.

I honestly don't think Harris can win any election in PA or any other swing state.

[qazplm135]

35. you're honestly wrong

but you do you.

[ucrdem]

37. That's what I kept hearing last time. Unfortunately

I was right.

[qazplm135]

38. lol

last time is not this time.

Biden wasn't running last time, neither was Harris or anyone else but Sanders.

None of them are Hillary Clinton.

Trump hadn't been President for four years.

Looks like I nailed it with the PTSD comment.

[ucrdem]

39. Hillary wasn't running on busing either. nt

[qazplm135]

40. lol

yes, Harris is "running on busing."

I'm done wasting my time here, continue being petrified.

[ucrdem]

41. See you around.

[EffieBlack]

56. She's only "running on busing" in the right wing talking points

being pushed to sow discord among Democrats and to try to tarnish the black female candidate who’s scaring the snot out of them.

[Thekaspervote]

52. I would luv to see a woman prez...but have to agree harris will not be a winner in swing states

[Demsrule86]

46. It raised her numbers some...but no she won't win the nomination.

[LanternWaste]

49. What objectively points to this method as damaging to her in a general election?

[Demsrule86]

51. She is running on race which is a bad thing in a general. Americans

want a president for everyone. President Obama did not play the race card...he was right. I think Kamala has and it will hurt her in a general along with some of her positions like MFA and reparations and decriminalizing the border. Like it or not (and I don't) , we live in a center left country. I would prefer a progressive utopia.

[StarfishSaver]

57. How is she "running on race"?

And please note: a black person talking about race isn't "running on race."

[LanternWaste]

48. Given her recent rise in polling it simply does not follow.

You might consider that the opponents in a primary are other candidates, instructing she get angry with Trump is irrelevant to that... I suppose.

Instead, you might consider that primaries consisting of more than one candidate require conflicting ideas.


That would probably be more relevant, I think...

[MineralMan]

50. I'll come to my own conclusions, if you don't mind.

[tishaLA]

7. "anger"

We see you, Yahoo op-ed writer. We see you.

[Demit]

10. Dollars to donuts the next time Biden displays anger it will be lauded as admirable.

[loyalsister]

43. You nailed it

Of all the privileges white men take for granted, being able to just be a little grumpy after a bad day or in response to an ordinary nuisance, like traffic, is one that is not only overlooked, but embraced with zeal even in Democratic politics.

[StarfishSaver]

65. When men get angry it's "righteous" When women get angry, they lost control

They don't even have to actually be angry. If they just speak with conviction or without smiling, they're angry - and not righteously so.

[loyalsister]

9. "relitigate the race wars"

How about we finally admit they never ended and that the US is in the same state of white male supremacy that it was founded on.
Despite our advancements racial disparities are the rule. When talking about elicits defensiveness and people take pains to discredit the messenger, it becomes clear that there are people who still want it that way. And significantly more don't want to offend people who want to deny that the problem exists.

[Demsrule86]

12. The question is do we want to attempt to re-litigate race during this election...we will surely

lose if we do. Before we can accomplish anything we need to win.

[ucrdem]

23. Agree. Busing is exactly what Trump needs to escape his own trainwreck. nt

[Demsrule86]

45. Trump won't beat us...but if we are not careful we may lose all on our own.

[left-of-center2012]

14. 50 year old battles are still important

Modern day problems are so nothing.
Keep fighting the old battles !

[democratisphere]

36. Looks like others may be heading back to the 19th Century besides drumpf.

[loyalsister]

42. It's those who want to return to the 20th that worry me

Back when racism was kinder and gentler. Invoking stereotypes about "anger" to tap the sensibilities of Democratic deserters who responded to Trump's message is a step back to the glory days of "colorblind" ignorance of just how badly we need to make serious changes.... in policing, education, health, housing, etc to create a more equitable playing field.

[Demsrule86]

11. Great post...I think Harris is running on race and it is a mistake if she makes it into the

general because it is not a winning issue and will probably cause more division than exists now.

[ucrdem]

20. Agree.

Apart from being Kamala there's not a lot she can run on.

[Demsrule86]

47. That is true...her record as DA and AG will not be helpful.

[riverine]

16. On style I give Senator Harris a solid 'A' grade. She is forceful, communicative, and confident.

On substance I give her a low 'D' grade for waffling all over the place, contradictions, muddled policy, and a misguided "AA only" housing plan.

Anger is fine when done appropriately.

[left-of-center2012]

17. "a misguided "AA only" housing plan"

Good point

[ucrdem]

19. Yes she's a whiz at winning elections in California

mainly on the strength of her background. Can she build it out? Let's see if her debate bounce holds but it will probably soften like her roll-out bounce.

[tishaLA]

24. It's not an "AA only" housing plan

In part because it also helps Latinos, but more significantly because it helps all people in historically redlined areas, which are often, but not always, based on race.

[democratisphere]

32. Cooler heads will prevail.

[LakeArenal]

33. Fine to be angry. Just can't let 'em see you sweat.

I think anger is best served cold.

[Thekaspervote]

53. +1000

[LakeArenal]

54. Katie Porter. Newbie. Does it really well.

[JI7]

44. didn't read the article but i don't think she has come off angry

[Kurt V.]

55. Making the country whole again is a fantasy. at least for a few election cycles.

[58Sunliner]

58. I think Harris is more crafted than impassioned. Her background in CA -

Besides the obvious lack of advocacy for the sexual abuse victims by the Catholic church, both as DA in SF and as AG in CA, you have her history with Willie Brown. And that history, both personal and professional, and his being investigated for corruption, while he was helping Harris by giving her 2 appts to oversight committees, and support for her DA run, I think is going to be a problem if she gets the nom. And these are facts-not RW talking points. Then there are the actions she took as AG and DA. Her unwillingness to advocate for church abuse survivors, and investigate church records to see if priests who were accused were still in circulation, (they were). So she did not investigate when credible accusations against active priests, when she had church records that documented placements and church actions. Joe says he won't bring up her past? Mistake-she has some serious issues as DA and AG. And those issues have nothing to do with race or sex.

[Princetonian]

66. Harris certainly has got alot of negatives in her history that will turn off voters if they knew.

And they will end up knowing. There is no way she can win any state in Middle America with her baggage.

[58Sunliner]

68. Yeah-I think she has real problems in the mid-states.

I don't think it is a question of if, but when the opposition would use it. And it would be endless IMO.

[ecstatic]

59. I didn't see anger, but my friend who was watching with me said

Kamala's tone and facial expressions were coming across very ABW. According to her, the ABW vibe scares off white women but white men are attracted to it.

[left-of-center2012]

60. ABW Angry Black Woman

"... the ABW vibe scares off white women but white men are attracted to it."

WOW! That's a big generalization.
I'm guessing your friend is no expert on racial relations.

[ecstatic]

62. That's her take based on her experiences working in corporate America. nt

[left-of-center2012]

63. It's a shame that was her experience.

[Blue_Tires]

61. Trump carried angry white folks' anger all the way to victory

and he literally poured butane all over the flames at every single campaign stop...

I don't recall any media questioning his strategy in 2016, so why now??

[Kaleva]

64. I remember well Hillary accused of being "hysterical".

The archived threads from 2008 are interesting reading.

[wyldwolf]

67. well, you noticed when she didn't get the play she thought she'd get...

... she 'evolved.'