Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forum"We can't tell the story about Kamala Harris 2020..."
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Christine Pelosi
@sfpelosi
We cant tell the story about Kamala Harris 2020 without speaking of sexism, misogynoir, and big money in politics. Kamala has the integrity to see that she could overcome 1 or 2 but not all 3. Whichever candidate you choose as Democrat for president, fight to dismantle all 3.
1,006
1:46 PM - Dec 3, 2019
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
spicysista
(1,663 posts)Notice anything about the ladies covering this topic?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)The disarray inside Harris campaign was laid excruciatingly bare in a resignation letter from Kelly Mehlenbacher, the outgoing state operations director, who complained that staffers were being treated appallingly and top officials provided little direction on policy and lacked a viable plan to win the election.
This is my third presidential campaign and I have never seen an organization treat its staff so poorly, Mehlenbacher wrote in the Nov. 11 letter obtained by the New York Times.
https://nypost.com/2019/12/03/kamala-harris-dropping-out-of-2020-race/
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
mcar
(42,210 posts)yeah, I believe her.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
The Valley Below
(1,701 posts)Harris stated with tremendous goodwill, but she never came off as authentic.
Her message would change from audience to audience to audience, veering abruptly from lane to lane.
Had she run a consistent race as the tough pragmatic liberal with a heart that we've come to know here in CA over the years, she'd still be in the race in my estimation. She has a lot of appeal.
Too bad. But the fault of her failed run is entirely her own and those who advised her to constantly "reinvent herself" on the trail.
And the cheap shot in the debate was the worst example, as he had to admit after that her position was the same as Joe Biden's.
This wasn't a case of sexism, misogynoir, or money. It was about not seeming genuine. That's what did her in.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
mcar
(42,210 posts)How about her voice?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
wysimdnwyg
(2,229 posts)I agree. Right up until the crap about the first debate.
She didn't come across as authentic, at least not in the big moments (like debates). And it hurt her campaign.
She wasn't consistent in her positions. And it hurt her campaign.
It is her fault and that of her top advisers (which is, of course, her fault for hiring them). And it hurt her campaign.
But that shot at Biden in the first debate was fair, albeit both disingenuous and poorly chosen (seriously, it was about an issue from nearly 50 years ago). Still, it was fair. And her immediate poll bump showed it had nothing to do with her eventual departure from the campaign. Just because you (and other Biden backers) didn't like it doesn't mean it was a cheap shot or that it hurt her campaign. If anything, I think she'd have been better off continuing to attack. (I'm not saying I like that strategy, but I think she'd have been better able to maintain her poll standing than pushing one attack and then backing off.)
And finally, yes, sexism, misogynoir, and money ALL played a role in her campaign's demise. The sexism and big money both continue to have a negative impact on Warren and Klobuchar as well. Those of us more enlightened on the left may not want to accept it, but misogyny, racism, and big money are all prevalent in our society, so of course they will have an impact. Obama won despite the racism. Hillary almost won (did win the pop. vote) despite the sexism. With the fear of Trump and his despicable cadre of voters out there, many on the left are too afraid to accept the idea of a woman - especially a minority woman - getting the nomination (whether they agree with the idea or are just afraid that someone like Harris couldn't get elected). Now, that's not to say these were the overriding issues. Clearly they were not, and I've personally thought for several months that Harris was running a terrible campaign. But these issues definitely played a part.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
The Valley Below
(1,701 posts)but I also knew that she had just killed her campaign. That proved to be the case.
The shot wasn't "fair" in the slightest, as she had to backtrack and admit she had a very similar position on bussing.
It was a cheap shot and it killed her credibility. Had she continued in that vein, her campaign would have ended much sooner. It was a fatal error, in a campaign riddled with errors.
Democratic primary voters are very well disposed to supporting someone like Kamala Harris. Blaming her poor campaign on misogyny, racism, and big money take the focus off the fact that she ran a terrible campaign. She could have been top tier. Very easily, in fact. It was almost a "default" position for her.
Too bad. She's my Senator. I've voted for her many times and likely will in the future. But I'm hardly alone among Californians in questioning how Harris was "positioning" herself, as she often didn't seem like the person we all thought we knew.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
wysimdnwyg
(2,229 posts)"Blaming her poor campaign on misogyny, racism, and big money take the focus off the fact that she ran a terrible campaign"
I DON'T "blame her poor campaign" on those things. I very clearly blame HER for the poor campaign. But that doesn't mean those things didn't play a part in the campaigns eventual failure. Just like pretty much everything in life, it's not a binary choice. It's a combination of things, the most important one of which was the poorly run campaign.
As for the busing thing, well, we will just have to agree to disagree about whether it was a cheap shot and whether it helped or hurt her campaign. It's all academic now, and we can just hope that she and Joe have mended their own personal fence, regardless of your or my thoughts on the matter.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
stopdiggin
(11,095 posts)the "narrative" was that everyone would eventually be going after the front runner (Biden) .. and Harris wanted to take that first shot -- and thus anoint herself as the dragon slayer. The tough woman who wasn't afraid ...
It was a miscalculation. It was deliberate. And it hurt her.
(and then there were the other issues .. but the Biden gaff came first)
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
TidalWave46
(2,061 posts)"This wasn't a case of sexism, misogynoir, or money."
That is the part I slightly disagree with. It was about those three things but they weren't the biggest or most prominent problems that did her in. You highlight the bigger problems throughout your post.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
The Valley Below
(1,701 posts)or that she's of mixed ancestry, or because she wasn't raising enough money.
The money woes were due to poor campaign choices.
Let's not forget the initial enthusiasm for Kamala Harris. She lost that support. We do better as a party that wants to win races to be honest about why some candidacies fail and to learn from the mistakes.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TidalWave46
(2,061 posts)"Her supporters did not peel off because they suddenly discovered that Harris is a woman, or that she's of mixed ancestry, or because she wasn't raising enough money."
You paint it as a one size only problem. There is no doubt in my mind that there is a certain segment out there who perceive her as a woman and minority in a negative light. That includes all preconceived notions that come along with it.
You are claiming it as an either or situation when it truly can't be one.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
ismnotwasm
(41,921 posts)Im hearing it right here, that nope, sexism and racism had nothing to do with it so stop saying that it was the poor campaign choices hit at Biden wasnt connecting campaign in disarray blah blah blah
Since no campaigns are perfect and every one of our candidates have made fairly egregious errors, some are still in the running some arent. I find the ones who want to completely deny that racism and sexism had absolutely nothing to do with it hush any sign that racism and sexism had shit to do with it
People who dont follow Kamala dont realize how hard she was working, and how little media coverage she was getting. She was out of time and money. We who were part of the #Khive knew.
And you know what? Fuck this. Fuck racism deniers.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
mcar
(42,210 posts)I was amazed at how some held Harris's "attack" on Biden at the first debate as the most horrible awful thing to ever have happened to a candidate, ever. Yet Harris went on, and often defended Biden and others against unfair attacks.
Yet when Gabbard launched her lying attack against Harris, no one defended her after. Not one of the candidates. They sure defended Gabbard when HRC never even used her name.
Every candidate has made, and will make, mistakes. Some of them get mentioned, but many get ignored. Harris's mistakes and campaign difficulties were amplified, her policies, ideas, enthusiasm, and enthusiastic support by many were disregarded by the media.
I am appalled that some here think it's no big deal that the December debate stage for a DEMOCRATIC primary may have no POC on it. Some are saying that it's because the POC candidates don't have "good ideas," unlike, I suppose, all the white candidates.
Or, that Kamala wasn't "genuine," didn't have any ideas, blah, blah.
I'm disgusted by what I'm seeing.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden