Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), a Black and South Asian woman, didn’t shy away from noting how her vice presidential candidacy is historic as she accepted her nomination as Joe Biden’s running mate during the third night of the Democratic National Convention. And she nodded to some came before her.
“…none of us are free until all of us are free.”
Indeed…someone is really trying very very hard to take away our freedom to vote!
So let’s fight with conviction. Let’s fight with hope. Let’s fight with confidence in ourselves and a commitment to each other,”
I know why they did it this way - traditional, wanted her to look presidential. But I wish they would have dropped the podium. I like the humanizing of her. People don’t know who she is (we do in SF, I’ve known Kamala since she was an assistant DA in Alameda; not personally, but have interacted with her since then) and this warmer less attack dog approach is smart as it will (a) help to defuse the Trump line that she is “AOC seeking to control Senile Joe”, and (b) sets up some of the positive understanding of who she is that will allow her to attack more later.
That said, we can thank Obama (both) and others for taking on the attack dog roll. We may be able to let both her and Joe stay as positive as possible given how horrible Trump is, and spend more time talking about how they have a positive plan to fix things.
I think the visual was important. I also think she has the ability to project herself away from and beyond a podium, the same as she does when seated behind a desk in Senate hearing rooms. Her words were so compellingly personal and warm that I fell for her more than before. Not everyone tells their own story well. She can, and does.
I have a larger write-up on a different thread, but Harris’ speech stood out to me as very well crafted and presented. Her body language and tone exuded optimism. She told her American story which was intended to diffuse the impact of far right attacks on her identity and framing of her as an ‘angry black woman’. Her story inspired many minority women across the country. It also validated the values of blue America and modern suburban America (again, a counter point to Trump’s views on the suburbs). Just look at her family: black, Indian, Jewish and White, all upwardly mobile in 1 generation. She also did what VP’s are supposed to do: build up the nominee and contrast with the opponent. This presentation played well in Middle America.
What was most remarkable to me is that none of her optimism detracted at all from her rather sober portrait of where we are today at this inflection point. There was no sugarcoating about where we are as a country and the challenge we face over the next 70+ days. She also indicted Trump without mentioning his name more than once. She has had a good roll out, has added a lot of excitement and support among minority voters, particularly Black, Latino and Asian voters, and has high favorables. She didn’t give Trump/GOP a real target to hit, and those guys really don’t know what they’re doing next week except to drone on about racial grievance for 2+ hours a night.
And Trump insists on being on stage every night. That will ensure media coverage.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Kamala, but she’s not a retail politician. She’s like a pit bull trying convince everyone she’s a French poodle. The smiles and etc look forced and mostly unnatural.
She’s a hard boiled prosecutor, not a public speaker who is good at turning on the charm with phony smiles and etc.
She should just come out and say this is who I am and I hope you’re all okay with it and drop the forced shit. Just be yourself Kamala. After some time, she may become more comfortable in the spotlight. I said this when she was campaigning in the primary. The only time she seemed natural and relaxed was when she had her sister beside her.
Unless there has been an amazing covert separate planning and preparation project with Trump magically sneaking away to dedicate huge amounts of disciplined time … there simply will not be much pre-prodouced content featuring Trump … to have Trump on for 1-2 hours a night would require going live … unscripted … and high risk … and by the final night his tank could be empty … his voice shot … and his hands trembling wildly.
The podium is fit.
If she hadn’t used it, others would have said “See, they can’t stand seeing a woman in a position of power. They made her stand all alone to try and make her softer, like Katie Couric in her disaster of a news show.”
You have many good posts, vivant. But when making analogies, I ask you to refrain from comparing powerful women to female dogs. Or even not powerful women please.
How weird is this? You need to explain yourself, I think.
While it is always possible for you to be more wrong about Kamala Harris, I cannot imagine how you’d go about it.
She was fantastic. She is truly a happy woman who is aware and awake. WE now have to vote.
“I know a perpetrator when I see one.” And then a long pause looking directly into the camera without a blink. Wow, just wow. This woman has a spine of steel and a big heart.
What the hell are you talking about? You are completely blind not to see the authenticity of her smile and her spirit. No one on this planet is perfect but…I approve of Kamala Harris.
Ware a mask and practice social distancing and wash your hands often and vote.
The RNC’S convention is going to be a shit show. They had just a few weeks to put it together. Maybe Putin is helping with the technology. It’s going to be a shit show. Trump will provide the toilet paper.
Ware a mask and practice social distancing and wash your hands often and vote.
Okay, I’ll admit I didn’t watch her speech last night. Most campaign speeches are mostly feel good shit that’s ignored once the campaign is over. And it does get old after awhile. I watched Monday night and had my fill. I did watch her when Biden announced she was going to be VP.
To me, she has never seemed comfortable with politicking. I’m not dissing her, I much prefer people who are not good at retail politics and soaring speeches who can use the camera expertly.
At least a week before Joe announced his choice, I wrote I wanted Rice as VP because I liked her attitude. I also wrote I’d put money on Kamala being the choice in the same post. I think Kamala was the right choice and I’m glad she was chosen.
I do like Kamala a lot and I feel her hard as nails toughness is a plus.
I repeat, I was not dissing her in any way. I prefer a politician that’s more like Truman than Obama. They generally don’t build up your hopes only to let you down. I prefer those who say what they mean and mean what they say.
There was nothing negative intended by that analogy.
I won’t pile on…
Then you should have kept your yap shut.
“Pit bull” works for me, though. It’s part of what I love about her. Tenacious.