How will Kamala Harris fare as Vice President of the USA?

[MenInG]

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has named Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate - the first black woman and Asian American in the role.

Once a rival for the top job, the California senator of Indian-Jamaican heritage had long been considered the front-runner for the number two slot.

The former California attorney general has been urging police reform amid nationwide anti-racism protests.

Mr Biden will face President Donald Trump in the election on 3 November.

At a White House news conference on Tuesday, Mr Trump, a Republican, described Ms Harris as "my number one draft pick".

Ms Harris will debate Mr Trump's running mate, Vice-President Mike Pence, on 7 October in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Only two other women have been nominated as vice-presidential candidates - Sarah Palin by the Republican party in 2008 and Geraldine Ferraro by the Democrats in 1984. Neither ended up on the winning ticket.

A woman of colour has never been appointed to a presidential ticket by either of the two main American political parties. No woman has won the US presidency either.

What did Biden and Harris say?

Mr Biden tweeted that he had "the great honour" to name Ms Harris as his number two.

He described her as "a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country's finest public servants".

He noted how she had worked closely with his late son, Beau, when she was California's attorney general.

"I watched as they took on the big banks, lifted up working people, and protected women and kids from abuse," he tweeted.

"I was proud then, and I'm proud now to have her as my partner in this campaign."

Ms Harris later tweeted that Mr Biden "can unify the American people because he's spent his life fighting for us. And as president, he'll build an America that lives up to our ideals.

"I'm honored to join him as our party's nominee for Vice President, and do what it takes to make him our Commander-in-Chief."

The campaign announced that Mr Biden and Ms Harris will deliver remarks in Wilmington, Delaware, on Wednesday afternoon on "working together to restore the soul of the nation and fight for working families to move the country forward".

Mr Biden pledged in March to name a woman on the ticket. He had faced mounting calls to pick a black woman in recent months as the nation was convulsed by social unrest over police brutality against African Americans, a key voting bloc to the Democratic Party.

Ms Harris, 55, dropped out of the presidential race in December after failing in her bid to win the Democratic nomination.

She repeatedly clashed with Mr Biden during the primary election debates, most notably criticising his praise for the "civil" working relationship he had with former senators who favoured racial segregation.

The Democrat was born in Oakland, California, to two immigrant parents: an Indian-born mother and Jamaican-born father.

She went on to attend Howard University, one of the nation's preeminent historically black colleges and universities. She has described her time there as among the most formative experiences of her life.

Ms Harris says she's always been comfortable with her identity and simply describes herself as "an American".

In 2019, she told the Washington Post that politicians should not have to fit into compartments because of their colour or background. "My point was: I am who I am. I'm good with it. You might need to figure it out, but I'm fine with it," she said.


The obvious pick

Sometimes the obvious pick is obvious for a reason. Kamala Harris was the front-runner to be Joe Biden's running mate pretty much since the moment the presumptive Democratic nominee announced in March that he would pick a woman to be his ticket.

She's relatively young and telegenic, and as the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants reflects the growing diversity of the Democratic Party.

What's more, she's been in the spotlight of the national media, having campaigned for president in 2019 and, for a while last summer, risen to near the top of some polls. Many of her rivals for the number-two spot had never faced such scrutiny, so there was no proof that they could hold up under fire.

Another underrated advantage for Ms Harris was her friendship with Mr Biden's late son, Beau, formed when they were both attorneys general. Mr Biden places a high value on family - and that connection may have made choosing her easier.

Now Ms Harris will have a chance to hit the campaign trail again and prove that she deserves this historic pick. If she succeeds, she'll be in prime position to seek the presidency again, perhaps as early as 2024. Today has made her a force in the Democratic Party for years to come.

How could Kamala help - or hurt - Joe Biden
What is her record?

After four years at Howard, Ms Harris went on to earn her law degree at the University of California, Hastings, and began her career in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.

She became the district attorney - the top prosecutor - for San Francisco in 2003, before being elected the first woman and the first African American to serve as California's attorney general, the top lawyer and law enforcement official in America's most populous state.


Media captionPresident Trump calls Kamala Harris "meanest" US senator
In her nearly two terms in office as attorney general, Ms Harris gained a reputation as one of the Democratic party's rising stars, using this momentum to propel her election as California's junior US senator in 2017. She was only the second black woman ever elected to that chamber.

She launched her candidacy for president to a crowd of more than 20,000 in Oakland at the beginning of last year.

But the senator failed to articulate a clear rationale for her campaign, and gave muddled answers to questions in key policy areas like healthcare.

She was also unable to capitalise on the clear high point of her candidacy: debate performances that showed off her prosecutorial skills, often placing Mr Biden in the line of attack.

The self-described "progressive prosecutor" tried to emphasise more left-leaning parts of her legacy - requiring body cameras for some special agents at the California Department of Justice, the first state agency to adopt them, and launching a database that provided public access to crime statistics, though she failed to gain traction.

"Kamala is a cop" became a common refrain on the campaign trail, spoiling her attempts to win over the more liberal Democratic base during the primaries. Those same law enforcement credentials could, however, prove beneficial in the general election when Democrats need to win over more moderate voters and independents.

What's the reaction?
President Trump told reporters: "She's a person that's told many, many stories that weren't true."

He added: "She did very, very poorly in the primaries, as you know, she was expected to do well and she ended up right around 2%. So I was a little surprised that he picked her."

Mr Trump also said Ms Harris was "very, very nasty" and "horrible" to Mr Biden during the Democratic primary debates.

"She was very disrespectful to Joe Biden and it's hard to pick somebody that's that disrespectful," he said.

The Trump campaign said the choice of running mate was proof that Mr Biden is "an empty shell being filled with the extreme agenda of the radicals on the left".

Former US President Barack Obama - whom Mr Biden served as vice-president for eight years - tweeted: "She is more than prepared for the job. She's spent her career defending our Constitution and fighting for folks who need a fair shake.

"This is a good day for our country. Now let's go win this thing."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53739323

 

[MenInG]

Months after her own presidential dreams sputtered to a halt, Kamala Harris will now get another shot at the Democratic ticket.

A year ago, the California senator had surged to the front of a crowded field of candidates on the back of a series of strong debate performances - and a searing critique of her rival Joe Biden over race. By the end of 2019, however, her campaign was dead.

Now, with Mr Biden as the presumptive Democratic nominee, the 55-year-old has been chosen as the vice-presidential pick.

Here's a look at Kamala Harris, as she faces a different type of run for the White House.

The California Democrat was born in Oakland, California, to two immigrant parents: an Indian-born mother and Jamaican-born father.

After her parent's divorce, Ms Harris was raised primarily by her Hindu single mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, a cancer researcher and civil rights activist.

She grew up engaged with her Indian heritage, joining her mother on visits to India, but Ms Harris has said that her mother adopted Oakland's black culture, immersing her two daughters - Kamala and her younger sister Maya - within it.

"My mother understood very well that she was raising two black daughters," she wrote in her autobiography The Truths We Hold. "She knew that her adopted homeland would see Maya and me as black girls and she was determined to make sure we would grow into confident, proud black women."

Senator Harris' early years also included a brief period in Canada. When Ms Gopalan Harris took a job teaching at McGill University, Ms Harris and her younger sister Maya went with her, attending school in Montreal for five years.

She attended college in the US, spending four years at Howard University, one of the nation's preeminent historically black colleges and universities, which she has described as among the most formative experiences of her life.

Ms Harris says she's always been comfortable with her identity and simply describes herself as "an American".

In 2019, she told the Washington Post that politicians should not have to fit into compartments because of their colour or background. "My point was: I am who I am. I'm good with it. You might need to figure it out, but I'm fine with it," she said.

Climbing the law and order ranks
After four years at Howard, Ms Harris went on to earn her law degree at the University of California, Hastings, and began her career in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.

She became the district attorney - the top prosecutor - for San Francisco in 2003, before being elected the first woman and the first black person to serve as California's attorney general, the top lawyer and law enforcement official in America's most populous state.

In her nearly two terms in office as attorney general, Ms Harris gained a reputation as one of the Democratic party's rising stars, using this momentum to propel her election as California's junior US senator in 2017.

Since her election to the US Senate, the former prosecutor gained favour among progressives for her acerbic questioning of then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Attorney General William Barr in key Senate hearings.

White House aspirations
When she launched her candidacy for president to a crowd of more than 20,000 in Oakland, California, at the beginning of last year, her 2020 bid was met with initial enthusiasm. But the senator failed to articulate a clear rationale for her campaign, and gave muddled answers to questions in key policy areas like healthcare.

She was also unable to capitalise on the clear high point of her candidacy: debate performances that showed off her prosecutorial skills, often placing Mr Biden in the line of attack.

A California Democrat with a law enforcement resume, Ms Harris tried to walk the fine line between the progressive and moderate wings of her party, but ended up appealing to neither, ending her candidacy in December before the first Democratic contest in Iowa in early 2020.

In March, Ms Harris endorsed the former vice-president, saying she would do "everything in my power to help elect him the next President of the United States".

Her record on crime and policing
Ms Harris' 2020 run put her record as California's top prosecutor under the spotlight.

Despite leftward leanings on issues like gay marriage and the death penalty, she faced repeated attacks from progressives for not being progressive enough, and was the subject of a withering op-ed by University of San Francisco law professor Lara Bazelon.

Penned at the start of Ms Harris' campaign, Ms Bazelon wrote that Ms Harris has largely dodged progressive fights involving issues like police reform, drug reform and wrongful convictions.

The self-described "progressive prosecutor" tried to emphasise more left-leaning parts of her legacy - requiring body cameras for some special agents at the California Department of Justice, the first state agency to adopt them, and launching a database that provided public access to crime statistics - but she still failed to gain traction.

"Kamala is a cop" became a common refrain on the campaign trail, spoiling her attempts to win over the more liberal Democratic base during the primaries. But those same law enforcement credentials may prove beneficial in the general election when Democrats need to win over more moderate voters and independents.

And now, as the US grapples with an ongoing racial reckoning and there is scrutiny over police brutality, Ms Harris has taken a front row seat, using her sizable microphone to amplify progressive voices.

On talk shows, she calls for changes to police practices across the US, on Twitter, she calls for the arrests of the police officers who killed Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African-American woman from Kentucky, and she speaks frequently about the need to dismantle systemic racism.

When it comes to the contested progressive push to "defund" the police - the call for police departments' budgets to be slashed and funds diverted to social programmes - which is opposed by Mr Biden, Ms Harris hedges, calling instead for a "reimagining" of public safety.

Ms Harris has often said that her identity makes her uniquely suited to represent those on the margins. Now that Mr Biden has named her as his running mate, she might get a chance to do just that from inside the White House.

https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-53728050

 

[MenInG]

US Senator Kamala Harris - chosen by Joe Biden as his Democratic vice-presidential candidate - is known as a prominent black politician. But she has also embraced her Indian roots.

"My name is pronounced "Comma-la", like the punctuation mark," Kamala Harris writes in her 2018 autobiography, The Truths We Hold.

The California senator, daughter of an Indian-born mother and Jamaican-born father, then explains the meaning of her Indian name.

"It means 'lotus flower', which is a symbol of significance in Indian culture. A lotus grows underwater, its flowers rising above the surface while the roots are planted firmly in the river bottom."

Early in life, young Kamala and her sister Maya grew up in a house filled with music by black American artists. Her mother would sing along to Aretha Franklin's early gospel, and her jazz-loving father, who taught economics at Stanford University, would play Thelonius Monk and John Coltrane on the turntable.

Shyamala Gopalan and Donald Harris separated when Ms Harris was five. Raised primarily by her Hindu single mother, a cancer researcher and a civil rights activist, Kamala, Maya and Shyamala were known as "Shyamala and the girls".

Her mother made sure her two daughters were aware of their background.

"My mother understood very well she was raising two black daughters. She knew that her adopted homeland would see Maya and me as black girls, and she was determined to make sure we would grow into confident black women," she wrote.

"Harris grew up embracing her Indian culture, but living a proudly African-American life," wrote the Washington Post last year.

When she ran for a senate seat in 2015, the Economist magazine described her as the "daughter of an Indian cancer researcher and a Jamaican economics professor, she is the first woman, first African-American and first Asian attorney general of California".

The 55-year-old senator says she has not grappled with her identity and describes herself simply as "an American".

In many ways, say people who know her, Ms Harris straddles both communities effortlessly.

In a video with Indian-American comedian and actress Mindy Kaling, posted to the senator's Youtube page during Ms Harris's presidential run, the two cook Indian food together and chat about their shared south Indian background.

Kaling says that while not everyone knows about that half of Ms Harris's heritage, other Indian-Americans she meets often bring up the fact.

"It's like our thing we're so excited about, to have you running for president," says Kaling.

Kaling asks Ms Harris whether she was raised eating south Indian food.

Ms Harris reels off names of Indian dishes made at home: "Lots of rice and yogurt, potato curry, dal, lots of dal, idli".

She also says when she visited her mother's home in India, her grandfather would cheekily ask for French toast - made with eggs - when her vegetarian grandmother was out (in India, eggs are considered non-vegetarian).

In her book, she writes about making Indian biryani - and spaghetti Bolognese - at home.

(On Tuesday, Kaling called Ms Harris's vice-presidential candidacy an "exciting day...especially for my Black and Indian sisters").

When Ms Harris got married to Douglas Emhoff, a lawyer, in 2014, "in keeping with [our] respective Indian and Jewish heritage", she put a flower garland around her new husband's neck and he stomped on a glass.

Ms Harris's public image has been more tied to her identity as an African-American politician, especially recently during the current conversation around race and the Black Lives Matter movement in the US.

But Indian-Americans also view her as one of their own, her candidacy suggesting a potential wider recognition of the Indian and South Asian communities in the country.

It is clear that her late mother was a big inspiration for Ms Harris. Gopalan was born in the southern Indian city of Chennai, the oldest of four children.

She graduated from the University of Delhi at the age of 19, and applied to a graduate programme at Berkeley, "a university she'd never seen, in a country she'd never visited".

She left India in 1958 to pursue a doctorate in nutrition and endocrinology, and later became a breast cancer researcher.

"It's hard to me to imagine how difficult it must have been for her parents to let her go. Commercial jet travel was only just starting to spread globally. It wouldn't be a simple matter to stay in touch. Yet, when my mother asked permission to move to California, my grandparents didn't stay in the way," Ms Harris said.

Ms Harris writes that her mother was expected to return home after completing her education, and to agree to an arranged marriage.

"But fate had other plans."

She met Kamala Harris's father and fell in love at Berkeley while participating in the civil rights movement.

"Her marriage - and her decision to stay in the US - were the ultimate acts of self-determination and love," Ms Harris writes.

Gopalan picked up her doctorate degree at age 25 in 1964, the same year Ms Harris was born.

Ms Harris writes her mother kept working right up to the moment of delivery of both her daughters - "in the first case her water broke when she was at the lab; and the other while she was making apple strudel".

Back in India, Gopalan had been raised in a household of "political activism and civic leadership".

Her grandmother never attended high school, but was a community organiser taking in victims of domestic violence and educating women about contraception. Her grandfather, PV Gopalan, was a senior diplomat in the Indian government who lived in Zambia after it gained independence, and he helped settle refugees.

In her book, she doesn't say too much about her trips to India.

But she writes she is close to her mother's brother and two sisters, with whom she kept in touch through long distance calls and letters and periodic trips. Ms Harris's mother died in 2009, at age 70.

US Democratic Party activists like Shekar Narasimhan say her candidacy would be "seismic" for the Indian-American community. "She's a woman, she biracial, she will help win the election for Biden, she appeals to various communities and she's really smart."

"Why should Indian-Americans not be proud of her? It's a signal that we are coming of age."

https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-53745141

 

[sweep_shot]

Very bad decision from Biden. He is going for identity politics here. He should've gone with Bernie or someone appealing.

Trump should win now.

 

[Down2Earth]

It's quite sad how individuals are used for votes on racial lines. Obviously the aim is to get the ethnic vote because of her appointment.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

I thought this thread was for WWE Wrestler James 'Kamala' Harris who died 2 days ago.

 

[sweep_shot]

It's quite sad how individuals are used for votes on racial lines. Obviously the aim is to get the ethnic vote because of her appointment.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Democrats need another harsh lesson. Another landslide victory for Trump is on the card.

 

[CanadianG00se]

It's quite sad how individuals are used for votes on racial lines. Obviously the aim is to get the ethnic vote because of her appointment.

I have same thoughts too. It seems her appointment is to woo minorities especially Indian-Americans. Historically, Indian-Americans have always been pro-dems and have generously funded lot of campaigns. In recent years, tide has shifted towards GOP(Trump-Modi) which is worrisome for Dems. My family friends in US are actually going to vote for Reps(they have always been pro-dems) due to Trumps policy to protect American businesses and ‘America First’ policy. I do envy them as our leader have whole different approach ‘Canadian Last’.

Anyways, I still think Trump is going to win. Joe Biden doesn’t have the charisma like Obama did to dethrone Trump. Whoever wins in November 2020 will have difficult time next year to sail the economy.

 

[JaDed]

Very bad decision from Biden. He is going for identity politics here. He should've gone with Bernie or someone appealing.

Trump should win now.

Bernie would had resigned in 6 months.

 

[sweep_shot]

Bernie would had resigned in 6 months.

That's the problem right there. There is a division within Democratic Party.

Republicans are more united than Democrats.

 

[Bewal Express]

If she helps to get the black vote out, Biden will win. The only way Trump can win is by stoking racial fear of urban whites, and although its a serious possibility, its difficult to see.

 

[someone21]

The Tulsi Gabbard debate clip of her literally destroying Kamela becomes more relevant. The questions, records are still the same.

And she only does identity politics,how she started with Black identity and then switched to Indian identity. Expect similar things of flip-flop from her....

 

[someone21]

If she helps to get the black vote out, Biden will win. The only way Trump can win is by stoking racial fear of urban whites, and although its a serious possibility, its difficult to see.

Both sides are very capable of saying stupid things, so whoever is less stupid, or avoids mistakes wins it.

The debate will be key key.

 

[Bigboii]

I have same thoughts too. It seems her appointment is to woo minorities especially Indian-Americans. Historically, Indian-Americans have always been pro-dems and have generously funded lot of campaigns. In recent years, tide has shifted towards GOP(Trump-Modi) which is worrisome for Dems. My family friends in US are actually going to vote for Reps(they have always been pro-dems) due to Trumps policy to protect American businesses and ‘America First’ policy. I do envy them as our leader have whole different approach ‘Canadian Last’.

Anyways, I still think Trump is going to win. Joe Biden doesn’t have the charisma like Obama did to dethrone Trump. Whoever wins in November 2020 will have difficult time next year to sail the economy.

I am not so sure about "especially" Indian-Americans because in US she always identified herself as black (her code switching on black shows, faking the listening to "Tupac" "Snoop Dogg" no one even knew that she was half-Indian (hell I am sure even most Indian-Americans wouldn't know either ) so this decision has more to do with killing two birds with one stone "black and women" voters than getting Indian voters (but they wouldn't mind).

 

[JaDed]

That's the problem right there. There is a division within Democratic Party.

Republicans are more united than Democrats.

They are not.. they are just whipped.

 

[CricketCartoons]

I am not so sure about "especially" Indian-Americans because in US she always identified herself as black (her code switching on black shows, faking the listening to "Tupac" "Snoop Dogg" no one even knew that she was half-Indian (hell I am sure even most Indian-Americans wouldn't know either ) so this decision has more to do with killing two birds with one stone "black and women" voters than getting Indian voters (but they wouldn't mind).

True. She was picked for her black, not indian ancestry. but indians love to give themselves all the tributes in the world and would like to believe her choice reflects the importance of indian americans. a qaum full of ehsas-e-kamtari.

 

[JaDed]

I am not so sure about "especially" Indian-Americans because in US she always identified herself as black (her code switching on black shows, faking the listening to "Tupac" "Snoop Dogg" no one even knew that she was half-Indian (hell I am sure even most Indian-Americans wouldn't know either ) so this decision has more to do with killing two birds with one stone "black and women" voters than getting Indian voters (but they wouldn't mind).

Actually she has been marketing her Indian identity since Nov with Mindy and Hasan.. and now she gets VP running position.. Politicians are smarter than one imagines..

 

[dildilpak]

Dont think that Trump will win this time (this coming from a Republican) - his bungled handling of corona virus has really landed him in a soup. The thing is elections in US is not decided by the Trump base or the die-hard Dems, its the moderate independents in swing states who matter & dont think they are too impressed with him at this point. Look at the coverage here- nobody is looking to cast mud on Joe biden (except his lack of enthusiasm), this has definitely become a referendum on Trump though. The only thing that will save Trump will be an early coronavirus vaccines or economy fully reopening (unlikely to happen till Nov)

 

[El Generico]

I have same thoughts too. It seems her appointment is to woo minorities especially Indian-Americans. Historically, Indian-Americans have always been pro-dems and have generously funded lot of campaigns. In recent years, tide has shifted towards GOP(Trump-Modi) which is worrisome for Dems. My family friends in US are actually going to vote for Reps(they have always been pro-dems) due to Trumps policy to protect American businesses and ‘America First’ policy. I do envy them as our leader have whole different approach ‘Canadian Last’.

Anyways, I still think Trump is going to win. Joe Biden doesn’t have the charisma like Obama did to dethrone Trump. Whoever wins in November 2020 will have difficult time next year to sail the economy.

I highly doubt it was especially done for Indian voters considering the Indian vote is around 0.5% of the total votes. Her being a black woman is likely going to be what her identity is and has been centred around.

But yeah being half Tamil definitely won’t hurt with the Indian or Tamil Sri Lankan voters.

 

[JaDed]

Dont think that Trump will win this time (this coming from a Republican) - his bungled handling of corona virus has really landed him in a soup. The thing is elections in US is not decided by the Trump base or the die-hard Dems, its the moderate independents in swing states who matter & dont think they are too impressed with him at this point. Look at the coverage here- nobody is looking to cast mud on Joe biden (except his lack of enthusiasm), this has definitely become a referendum on Trump though. The only thing that will save Trump will be an early coronavirus vaccines or economy fully reopening (unlikely to happen till Nov)

I think the same.. also he is imploding , his decisions for past 2 months have made him look super desperate.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I'm thrilled to welcome <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KamalaHarris</a> to a historic Democratic ticket. She's already proven herself to be an incredible public servant and leader. And I know she’ll be a strong partner to <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a>. Please join me in having her back and getting her elected. <a href="https://t.co/cmtOO8Gqqv">pic.twitter.com/cmtOO8Gqqv</a></p>— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) <a href="https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1293286127386927104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Varun]

This is like shuffling deckchairs on the Titanic.

Trump is going to polish them both off for breakfast in the first quarter of the first debate.

It's a great pity though - the US moving back to the Democrats could act as a catalyst to swing the rest of the world - including India - back to more centrist or left of center politics. But perhaps it is not to be in 2020 at least.

 

[El Generico]

This is like shuffling deckchairs on the Titanic.

Trump is going to polish them both off for breakfast in the first quarter of the first debate.

It's a great pity though - the US moving back to the Democrats could act as a catalyst to swing the rest of the world - including India - back to more centrist or left of center politics. But perhaps it is not to be in 2020 at least.

If the polls are anything to go by, Biden is leading comfortably at this point but it might change after the debate. I know some poll got the US elections wrong last time but generally this polls tend to be pretty accurate. I think most polls rightly precited the recent Indian, UK and the Canadian elections.


Anyways it's not just the polls, Trump has really messed up his handling of the virus and the BLM issue, so who knows he might lose despite the democrats putting up the worst possible candidates.

 

[ManFan]

It was advantage Biden before this bone-headed move.

Now it’s in the fickle American air.

 

[Giannis]

The Tulsi Gabbard debate clip of her literally destroying Kamela becomes more relevant. The questions, records are still the same.

And she only does identity politics,how she started with Black identity and then switched to Indian identity. Expect similar things of flip-flop from her....

I don't like Kamala but don't bring up Hindu nationalist Tulsi Gabbard on here, I hate these fake progressives and them cheerleading Tulsi without knowing her background.

 

[KingKhanWC]

All I know is she has Indian roots too.

Didnt she stand up for the Kashmiris after RSS extremists laid claim to all of Kashmir?

 

[JaDed]

All I know is she has Indian roots too.

Didnt she stand up for the Kashmiris after RSS extremists laid claim to all of Kashmir?

https://www.wionews.com/world/why-kamala-harris-unsettles-policymakers-in-new-delhi-320038

 

[CanadianG00se]

I am not so sure about "especially" Indian-Americans because in US she always identified herself as black (her code switching on black shows, faking the listening to "Tupac" "Snoop Dogg" no one even knew that she was half-Indian (hell I am sure even most Indian-Americans wouldn't know either ) so this decision has more to do with killing two birds with one stone "black and women" voters than getting Indian voters (but they wouldn't mind).

Actually, I was referring to some of news media being stroking word ‘Indian-American, Indian-Jamaican-American’. Heck, I saw an article today about her Tamil roots. I mean, some of the media are trying to portray her as someone who represents minority, specially after ‘BLM’ movement we have seen past few weeks.

Your last point regarding ‘One stone two birds’ might be right, they are using ‘Kamala-Harris’ to garner minority as well women voters on board.
Do you think people in America buying it?

 

[CanadianG00se]

I highly doubt it was especially done for Indian voters considering the Indian vote is around 0.5% of the total votes. Her being a black woman is likely going to be what her identity is and has been centred around.

But yeah being half Tamil definitely won’t hurt with the Indian or Tamil Sri Lankan voters.

I think it’s more to do with lot of $$ affiliates with Indian voter(Indian ethnicity being the wealthiest in America) than actual number of votes they might bring.

 

[JaDed]

I think it’s more to do with lot of $$ affiliates with Indian voter(Indian ethnicity being the wealthiest in America) than actual number of votes they might bring.

Exactly! But having said that Indian headquartered consultancies will also probably be supporting Democrats.

This is a mixed bag for India (country as such) Democrats oppose right wing BJP, Kashmir stance but will probably enable Indian IT and might as well pass the s386 .(As per Biden).

Trump as such benefits India with no interference in dictatorial matters.

 

[CanadianG00se]

Exactly! But having said that Indian headquartered consultancies will also probably be supporting Democrats.

This is a mixed bag for India (country as such) Democrats oppose right wing BJP, Kashmir stance but will probably enable Indian IT and might as well pass the s386 .(As per Biden).

Trump as such benefits India with no interference in dictatorial matters.

Do you really think Biden would be able to scrap S386? I mean there is rumour going around for ages that it is actually Indian diaspora(ones who back Dems as well) are the ones blocking such removal. Indian born Americans facing lot of competition in IT field directly from people from India for jobs in already competitive market. Allowing them easy migration would mean, signing their own death warrant(metaphorically ofc).

 

[JaDed]

Do you really think Biden would be able to scrap S386? I mean there is rumour going around for ages that it is actually Indian diaspora(ones who back Dems as well) are the ones blocking such removal. Indian born Americans facing lot of competition in IT field directly from people from India for jobs in already competitive market. Allowing them easy migration would mean, signing their own death warrant(metaphorically ofc).

Yeah but thats why they might vote Republicans lol.. I mentioned that in that Donald Trump thread except Patel Bros no one wants more Indians :

 

[KingKhanWC]

https://www.wionews.com/world/why-kamala-harris-unsettles-policymakers-in-new-delhi-320038

She will change her tune if elected. US like UK general elections are a joke, different cheeks on the same backside, fooling people with childish slogans such as 'change' 'lets make america better'. US has some of the smartest people on the planet but also have a large minority of people with no brain cells. Being brown or black makes no different, only evil people ever get elected in the white house, many now accused as peados. Vote for them at your own concious.

 

[JaDed]

She will change her tune if elected. US like UK general elections are a joke, different cheeks on the same backside, fooling people with childish slogans such as 'change' 'lets make america better'. US has some of the smartest people on the planet but also have a large minority of people with no brain cells. Being brown or black makes no different, only evil people ever get elected in the white house, many now accused as peados. Vote for them at your own concious.

Yes..which is what I hope she does if elected. My point was to your Indian root thing -it doesn't really matter , if it was before 1995 America would had called India up in UN for it , its just business.. if India was doing well economically surely Kashmir would be on their agenda for now is not ,its Tibet, Uyghur ,Taiwan, HK which is how world works incl you ..

 

[JaDed]

Except for some progressive leaders like Bernie, Corbyn , Tom Muclair etc everyone else is hypocritical but these guys always lose coz they rather be right, virtuous than make a difference...not sure what that says about them.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Yes..which is what I hope she does if elected. My point was to your Indian root thing -it doesn't really matter , if it was before 1995 America would had called India up in UN for it , its just business.. if India was doing well economically surely Kashmir would be on their agenda for now is not ,its Tibet, Uyghur ,Taiwan, HK which is how world works incl you ..

If someone with Indian roots becomes VP of the US and brings Kashmir up reguarly, it will upset India a lot. But this wont happen. I feel when India gets worse economically which it will and US goes into huge recession which it will, their policy on Kashmir might change even to change the subject of the economy. One thing for sure, Kashmir issue has been highlighted like never before in the last few years and this will only increase esp now Pak and Saudi's are fighting.

 

[Oxfordchamp]

I am not so sure about "especially" Indian-Americans because in US she always identified herself as black (her code switching on black shows, faking the listening to "Tupac" "Snoop Dogg" no one even knew that she was half-Indian (hell I am sure even most Indian-Americans wouldn't know either ) so this decision has more to do with killing two birds with one stone "black and women" voters than getting Indian voters (but they wouldn't mind).

Not true.. in fact she identifies more with her Indian roots.she has always stated that it was her mother who shaped her life after their parents divorce in the 70s. Most Indians I know are aware of her Indian origin and those who don't will know now that all mainstream media are carrying reports of her indian roots. The problem for dems is blacks don't identify completely with her like they did with Obama even though both are half black.

 

[El Generico]

I think it’s more to do with lot of $$ affiliates with Indian voter(Indian ethnicity being the wealthiest in America) than actual number of votes they might bring.

That stat is probably not relevant here though. Indians are the wealthiest ethnicity as in on average an Indian person probably makes the most in America but because of their small numbers, collectively other ethnicities probably donate more to political campaigns. Votes and money from the Black and Hispanic communities would be way higher priority considering their sheer numbers. I don't doubt the Indian community was factored in while selecting Harris but it is far fetched to think she was especially picked because of them.

If the Indian community was the main target then Harris, who has been vocal about the Kashmir issue and has called for intervention is probably not the best choice. Tulsi Gabbard despite not being Indian, would have likely appealed to Indian voters way more because of her religion and pro-Modi/Rss image.

 

[JaDed]

If someone with Indian roots becomes VP of the US and brings Kashmir up reguarly, it will upset India a lot. But this wont happen. I feel when India gets worse economically which it will and US goes into huge recession which it will, their policy on Kashmir might change even to change the subject of the economy. One thing for sure, Kashmir issue has been highlighted like never before in the last few years and this will only increase esp now Pak and Saudi's are fighting.

Yeah as I said already its dependent upon economy, that's why in 1993-1994 when GOI was in a pickle and whole OIC ,America wanted to bring Kashmir in UN but Iran somehow helped us thanks to Bipartisan leadership of Rao and Vajpayee probably the only time Congress and BJP worked together.

If you think it's brought up much now you would be shocked to read articles from 1991-1995..the reason its highlighted now is because India has taken off Kashmir's autonomous status so the highlighting seems appropriate .

Till India is friends with 3 of 5 permanent UN members(tradewise and diplomatically), this will not head anywhere.

Not sure what you mean on Pak and Saudi fighting.

 

[Oxfordchamp]

That stat is probably not relevant here though. Indians are the wealthiest ethnicity as in on average an Indian person probably makes the most in America but because of their small numbers, collectively other ethnicities probably donate more to political campaigns. Votes and money from the Black and Hispanic communities would be way higher priority considering their sheer numbers. I don't doubt the Indian community was factored in while selecting Harris but it is far fetched to think she was especially picked because of them.

If the Indian community was the main target then Harris, who has been vocal about the Kashmir issue and has called for intervention is probably not the best choice. Tulsi Gabbard despite not being Indian, would have likely appealed to Indian voters way more because of her religion and pro-Modi/Rss image.

She is the darling of silicon valley which is dominated by Indians..there are tons of articles which say how thrilled silicon valley is to have her as Vp.

 

[chinaman00]

I have same thoughts too. It seems her appointment is to woo minorities especially Indian-Americans. Historically, Indian-Americans have always been pro-dems and have generously funded lot of campaigns. In recent years, tide has shifted towards GOP(Trump-Modi) which is worrisome for Dems. My family friends in US are actually going to vote for Reps(they have always been pro-dems) due to Trumps policy to protect American businesses and ‘America First’ policy. I do envy them as our leader have whole different approach ‘Canadian Last’.

Anyways, I still think Trump is going to win. Joe Biden doesn’t have the charisma like Obama did to dethrone Trump. Whoever wins in November 2020 will have difficult time next year to sail the economy.

Two things:

1. Kamala identifies as African-American. Her appointment has nothing to do with indian-Americans and everything to do with the climate of today - racial tensions and the decisive African-Americans played to rescue Biden’s struggling campaign during the South Carolina primary.

2. Trump will be crashed out. Kamala will bring in the African-American vote and the suburban women vote. She’s extremely smart and articulate woman of color who applies to moderates and minorities alike.

All polls show Trump will struggle mightily. Heck, Trump even is struggling in Texas which is a toss-up now.

This was a very smart but safe bet.

 

[El Generico]

She is the darling of silicon valley which is dominated by Indians..there are tons of articles which say how thrilled silicon valley is to have her as Vp.

Well that’s good for her. I guess this was a smart play by Biden. Harris can help him appeal to Black,Indian and Woman voters all at the same time lol.

But her ethnicity/gender will only take her so far. Her record as AG could scare off some of the more liberal voters. Biden/Harris would need to find a way to appeal to the progressive voters.

 

[Oxfordchamp]

Well that’s good for her. I guess this was a smart play by Biden. Harris can help him appeal to Black,Indian and Woman voters all at the same time lol.

But her ethnicity/gender will only take her so far. Her record as AG could scare off some of the more liberal voters. Biden/Harris would need to find a way to appeal to the progressive voters.

Nothing will unite progressive voters more than Trump. All democrats and progressives are willing to do anything to stop him from getting a second term.

 

[gsivak]

As a Indian/Tamilian in the US, I for one welcome her nomination. The next generation of Indian American kids now have diverse role models to emulate (Indra Nooyi, Sundar Pichai, Mindy Kaling...) which is good for the community.

As far as foreign policy is concerned I don't think any US government would antagonize India over Kashmir when they need India's support against China. Yes the democrats may pay more lip service to human rights violations but I doubt they will penalize India is any major way.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

I think it’s more to do with lot of $$ affiliates with Indian voter(Indian ethnicity being the wealthiest in America) than actual number of votes they might bring.

Black women are the most loyal democratic voting block. She was selected because of that. The Indian thing is a bonus, but being a Black women is the most important factor.

 

[CricketCartoons]

As a Indian/Tamilian in the US, I for one welcome her nomination. The next generation of Indian American kids now have diverse role models to emulate (Indra Nooyi, Sundar Pichai, Mindy Kaling...) which is good for the community.

Yes, now the indian american kids will like to be VP nominees instead of spelling bee champions.

 

[gsivak]

Yes, now the indian american kids will like to be VP nominees instead of spelling bee champions.

Haha! Maybe they will want to be both. At least parents will think twice before they dissuade a kid interested in politics by saying that it is not for people like us.

 

[Robert]

A very good appointment, and if successful Harris can expect a run at the White House in 2028 as Biden will be 82 by then.

 

[MenInG]

And it begins


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/jXoffXyZed">pic.twitter.com/jXoffXyZed</a></p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1293285949917495300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[dildilpak]

A very good appointment, and if successful Harris can expect a run at the White House in 2028 as Biden will be 82 by then.

I think you meant 2024, right? But tbh, I won’t be too surprised if Harris gets a promotion even before the end of this term. Biden looks tired to put it mildly & if this year was not a referendum on Trump, stood no real chance.

On a funny side, I wonder how this forum will react if 2024 were to be a showdown of Harris vs Haley (which is not an improbable scenario). First elected Woman POTUS who also has Indian origin anyone?

 

[Robert]

I think you meant 2024, right? But tbh, I won’t be too surprised if Harris gets a promotion even before the end of this term. Biden looks tired to put it mildly & if this year was not a referendum on Trump, stood no real chance.

On a funny side, I wonder how this forum will react if 2024 were to be a showdown of Harris vs Haley (which is not an improbable scenario). First elected Woman POTUS who also has Indian origin anyone?

Yep, thinking AOC for ‘28.

 

[Thomaskutty]

Biden and Harris are a supremely effective ticket that have all bases covered, I don't see a way back for Trump unless there's some extreme October surprise planned .. maybe some executive order on immigration?

 

[dildilpak]

Yep, thinking AOC for ‘28.

Yeah could be - AOC might be veep candidate next election too. Another rising star - Stacey Abrams.

 

[James]

Great appointment — the winning ticket.

If Harris plays her cards right then she is likely to also be a future President.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Great appointment — the winning ticket.

If Harris plays her cards right then she is likely to also be a future President.

Proud moment for all Indians. Just shows Indians have arrived on the world stage. One president does a Howdy Modi event to win Indians, and another president candidate picks an Indian origin person as the second in command. Never was a better time to be an INDIAN!!!

 

[someone21]

I don't like Kamala but don't bring up Hindu nationalist Tulsi Gabbard on here, I hate these fake progressives and them cheerleading Tulsi without knowing her background.

You are incomprehensible. These are facts, records about Kamela. Many African-American and poor were unfairly incarcerated by her

It's important to talk bout her disastrous work and history.

 

[IMMY69]

I think Harris is an inspired choice for VP...

Trump's politics of hate isn't working this time because he's proven to be far more corrupt then those residing in the swamp that he wanted to drain...

All the arguments he raised against Clinton, he did it himself. Appointed big CEO's, hid his taxes, appointed family members in various positions, stoked the right wing with his handling of pretty much every incident...

Finally, his handling of Corvid has given a glimpse in to the mind of someone whose clearly losing his marbles.

 

[Technics 1210]

Biden has played into the hands of Trump.

McCain pulled the same stunt and lost. Hillary went against Obama in the democratic nominee in 2008, she lost. She then suffered further ignomy by losing to Trump.

There are more mysoginsts in Amreeka than racists.

Trump to win.

 

[Markhor]

Biden and Harris are a supremely effective ticket that have all bases covered, I don't see a way back for Trump unless there's some extreme October surprise planned .. maybe some executive order on immigration?

If Ruth Bader Ginsberg departs and another opening is created on the SC, mobilising the GOP base, is the only thing that could save Trump.

Otherwise his handling of covid-19 and the economic collapse means he is in dire straits.

 

[dildilpak]

If Ruth Bader Ginsberg departs and another opening is created on the SC, mobilising the GOP base, is the only thing that could save Trump.

Otherwise his handling of covid-19 and the economic collapse means he is in dire straits.

The GOP base will vote for Trump irrespective of SCOTUS issue, its the independents who are going away that Trump has to worry about. Unfortunately till now he has done anything for them to make them stay, all he has done is cater to his die-hard base. Unless the economy changes overnight, cant see him winning this.

 

[KingKhanWC]

A very good appointment, and if successful Harris can expect a run at the White House in 2028 as Biden will be 82 by then.

They will never elect a black/coloured woman to the white house in the next 50 years let alone 2028. Come on Robert, now you're just being silly.

 

[moghul]

Biden has dementia, glad he picked and brainy lady.

One candidate is crazy and racist, other has dementia, we are into an interesting election this time.

 

[moghul]

Great appointment — the winning ticket.

If Harris plays her cards right then she is likely to also be a future President.

You're right. If Biden;s dementia deteriorated, he will not be a candidate in 2024, Kamala has a chance.

 

[Farz]

She is the darling of silicon valley which is dominated by Indians..there are tons of articles which say how thrilled silicon valley is to have her as Vp.

She is a Wall Street darling as well.

 

[MenInG]

US Senator Kamala Harris has been chosen as the running mate by presumptive Democratic nominee for president Joe Biden. This gave the South Asian community in the United States a reason to cheer.

Harris came to the US as an immigrant from Tamil Nadu in India.

Since her nomination, a lot is being said about Harris and her Indian roots. Now, an old video has resurfaced in which the senator is seen making dosa with actor Mindy Kaling, who also has Indian roots.

The dosa-making was done at Kaling’s home in Los Angeles where the two women also bonded over their shared South Indian roots. It was posted on social media channels of Harris.

As the video begins, Kaling starts off by talking about Indian spices kept in small jars which she said has been done by her father. Harris says she is reminded of her own home by seeing this and the dishes her mother used to make.

Kaling talks about the long process to make dosa batter and introduces a readymade stuff available in the US market. Harris then makes a confession.

“I have never made a dosa,” she says in the video.

They also talk about the immigration stories of their respective parents.

Harris made history on Tuesday as the first Indian-American and Black woman to run for vice-president. She has credited her Indian-born mother for inspiring her into a life in public service that led her to this historic moment.

She appeared for the first time with Biden after he named her his running mate. “Don’t just sit around and complain about things,” Harris, 55, said her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, would tell her and younger sister Maya Harris when they were growing up. “Do something.”

Gopalan, who came to the United States from Chennai and was a breast cancer researcher, passed away in 2009. But she has remained the most enduring influence in Harris’s life, the US senator wrote ahead of her failed White House bid in 2019.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/worl...-resurfaces/story-KYL1WvWXloMbMMozrwhl8K.html

 

[Firebat]

Biden campaign says Trump 'abhorrent' for fuelling Harris conspiracy

The campaign team for Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden has issued a scathing response after US President Donald Trump amplified a conspiracy theory about his running mate.

Mr Trump said he had "heard" that Kamala Harris - a US-born citizen whose parents were immigrants - "doesn't qualify" to serve as US vice-president.

The fringe theory has been dismissed by constitutional experts.

The Biden campaign called the comments "abhorrent" and "pathetic".

They noted that Mr Trump spent years promoting a false "birther" theory that ex-President Barack Obama was not born in the US.

Ms Harris, a senator from California, on Tuesday became the first black woman and the first Asian-American to be named as a running mate on a main-party US presidential ticket.

"Donald Trump was the national leader of the grotesque, racist birther movement with respect to President Obama and has sought to fuel racism and tear our nation apart on every single day of his presidency," a Biden campaign spokesman said in an email.

"So it's unsurprising, but no less abhorrent, that as Trump makes a fool of himself straining to distract the American people from the horrific toll of his failed coronavirus response that his campaign and their allies would resort to wretched, demonstrably false lies in their pathetic desperation."

Ms Harris was born to a Jamaican father and Indian mother in Oakland, California, on 20 October 1964. As such, she is eligible to serve as president or vice-president.

Constitutional scholars have dismissed the fringe legal theory that Mr Trump was referring to.

To be vice-president or president, Kamala Harris "has to be a natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and a resident in the United States for at least 14 years", Juliet Sorensen, a law professor at Northwestern University, told the Associated Press news agency. "She is. That's really the end of the inquiry."

Anyone born in the US and subject to its jurisdiction is a natural born citizen, regardless of the citizenship of their parents, says the Cornell Legal Information Institute.

Spoiler

What did Trump say?
After a conservative law professor questioned Ms Harris' eligibility based on her parents' immigration status at the time of her birth, Mr Trump was asked about the argument at a press conference on Thursday.

The president said: "I just heard it today that she doesn't meet the requirements and by the way the lawyer that wrote that piece is a very highly qualified, very talented lawyer.

"I have no idea if that's right. I would have assumed the Democrats would have checked that out before she gets chosen to run for vice-president.

"But that's a very serious, you're saying that, they're saying that she doesn't qualify because she wasn't born in this country."

The reporter replied there was no question that Ms Harris was born in the US, simply that her parents might not have been permanent US residents at the time.

Earlier on Thursday, a Trump campaign adviser, Jenna Ellis, reposted a tweet from the head of conservative group Judicial Watch, Tim Fitton.

In that tweet, Mr Fitton questioned whether Ms Harris was "ineligible to be vice-president under the US constitution's 'citizenship clause'".

He also shared the opinion piece published in Newsweek magazine by John Eastman, a law professor at Chapman University in California, that Mr Trump was asked about.

Read more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2020-53783177

 

[James]

They will never elect a black/coloured woman to the white house in the next 50 years let alone 2028. Come on Robert, now you're just being silly.

Disagree.... a black man was elected, after everyone said that it would never happen. Why not a black woman.

There is also always the possibility, if Biden gets elected, that he does not last out his term due to illness (or worse) — he is quite old. This alone would elevate Harris to the presidency.

 

[Varun]

Picking a black person is akin to picking a Dalit over here.

How black is she anyway? She's 100% Indian on the mother's side, and only half black on the father's side. So a quarter of a Black American.

Obama pulled the same shtick though. His black father left his white mother, and he was taken care of by his mother and his white grandparents but he was happy to adopt his black father's racial identity for political gain - the same guy who abandoned him when he was little.

 

[Robert]

They will never elect a black/coloured woman to the white house in the next 50 years let alone 2028. Come on Robert, now you're just being silly.

We need more people to be silly then. Come and be silly with me.

 

[The Viper]

Newsweek apologizes for op-ed that questioned Kamala Harris' citizenship

Newsweek has apologized for an op-ed that questioned the California senator Kamala Harris’ American citizenship and her eligibility to be Joe Biden’s running mate, a false and racist conspiracy theory which Donald Trump has not dismissed.

“This op-ed is being used by some as a tool to perpetuate racism and xenophobia. We apologize,” read Newsweek’s editor’s note on Friday, which replaced the magazine’s earlier detailed defense of the op-ed.

“We entirely failed to anticipate the ways in which the essay would be interpreted, distorted and weaponized,” read the apology, signed by Josh Hammer, opinion editor, and Nancy Cooper, global editor-in-chief.

But the pair ended the note by saying that the op-ed would remain on the site, with their note attached.

The op-ed was written by John Eastman, a conservative attorney who argues that the US constitution doesn’t grant birthright citizenship. Eastman attempted to sow doubt about Harris’ eligibility based on her parents’ immigration status. Harris’ mother was born in India and her father was born in Jamaica.

Eastman ran unsuccessfully in the 2010 Republican primary as a candidate for California attorney general. Harris eventually won the election against Republican Steve Cooley.

Newsweek had earlier defended the piece, arguing that Eastman “was focusing on a longstanding, somewhat arcane legal debate” about the 14th amendment and not trying to “ignite a racist conspiracy theory around Kamala Harris’ candidacy”.

The conspiracy theory is false. Harris, who was tapped by Joe Biden to serve as his running mate on the Democratic ticket, was born in Oakland, California, and is eligible for both the vice-presidency and presidency under the constitutional requirements. The question is not even considered complex, according to constitution lawyers.

Trump built his political career on questioning a political opponent’s legitimacy. He was a high-profile force behind the “birther movement” – the lie that questioned whether Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black president, was eligible to serve. Only after mounting pressure during his 2016 campaign did Trump disavow the claims.

Asked about the matter at the White House on Thursday, Trump told reporters he had “heard” rumors that Harris does not meet the requirement to serve in the White House. The president said he considered the rumors “very serious”.

Some Newsweek staff had publicly slammed the decision to run the oped. Christina Zhao, a New York news editor, tweeted: “This is an inflammatory and racist op-ed that should never have been published. That is my opinion.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/15/newsweek-kamala-harris-citizenship-apology

 

[Giannis]

Picking a black person is akin to picking a Dalit over here.

How black is she anyway? She's 100% Indian on the mother's side, and only half black on the father's side. So a quarter of a Black American.

Obama pulled the same shtick though. His black father left his white mother, and he was taken care of by his mother and his white grandparents but he was happy to adopt his black father's racial identity for political gain - the same guy who abandoned him when he was little.

Not really. We've had a Black President and Black people are treated a million times better than low castes and dalits in India, it's not even comparable. Indians are Black and they migrate to America yet you don't see Americans migrating to India, that should tell you.

 

[KingKhanWC]

We need more people to be silly then. Come and be silly with me.

No thanks after O'Drama it's clear he was no better than Bush. Those blacks who cried when he got elected are only crying harder. Nobody falls this deception anymore, she wont make any difference. Only reason for ticket so the Deomocrats get more black votes, nothing else.

 

[El Generico]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I'm paraphrasing here, but:<br><br>If you don't support Biden between now and November, you have no head.<br><br>If you don't make Biden's life miserable every day after that, you have no heart.<a href="https://t.co/wgdVEU7AXF">https://t.co/wgdVEU7AXF</a></p>— Anand Giridharadas (@AnandWrites) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnandWrites/status/1293196474336063488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I think this is a good way to look at this election from the left's point of view. vote Biden because he is better than Trump but hold him accountable after he has been elected .

 

[KingKhanWC]

Disagree.... a black man was elected, after everyone said that it would never happen. Why not a black woman.

There is also always the possibility, if Biden gets elected, that he does not last out his term due to illness (or worse) — he is quite old. This alone would elevate Harris to the presidency.

Obama was mixed race. Its interesting a mixed race person is usually identified by their 'darker' race. Why cant we then say a white man was elected?

 

[JaDed]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I'm paraphrasing here, but:<br><br>If you don't support Biden between now and November, you have no head.<br><br>If you don't make Biden's life miserable every day after that, you have no heart.<a href="https://t.co/wgdVEU7AXF">https://t.co/wgdVEU7AXF</a></p>— Anand Giridharadas (@AnandWrites) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnandWrites/status/1293196474336063488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I think this is a good way to look at this election from the left's point of view. vote Biden because he is better than Trump but hold him accountable after he has been elected .

Absolutely, liberals need to come out and vote, great read eventhough I don't agree with the Left I respect Chomsky coz he knows its important to get things done.

Interesting bit for Cancel Culture.

It's a simple statement that it's worth being careful to preserve freedom of speech. The main attack on freedom of speech was not discussed there. It's the mainstream establishment, which for years has been engaged in massive cancel culture.

But now segments of the left are picking up part of the same pathology. It's harmful; they shouldn't be doing it; it's wrong in principle. It's suicidal. It's a gift to the far right.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Disagree.... a black man was elected, after everyone said that it would never happen. Why not a black woman.

There is also always the possibility, if Biden gets elected, that he does not last out his term due to illness (or worse) — he is quite old. This alone would elevate Harris to the presidency.

Also an interesting but sad fact of reality today.

It was Obama the so called first black President of the so called Free World(laughable term) who interevened in Libya.

Now in Libya black men are openly sold as slaves.

You sure we need more 'black' Presidents?

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

No thanks after O'Drama it's clear he was no better than Bush. Those blacks who cried when he got elected are only crying harder. Nobody falls this deception anymore, she wont make any difference. Only reason for ticket so the Deomocrats get more black votes, nothing else.

This is true, which makes it a smart move.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Picking a black person is akin to picking a Dalit over here.

How black is she anyway? She's 100% Indian on the mother's side, and only half black on the father's side. So a quarter of a Black American.

Obama pulled the same shtick though. His black father left his white mother, and he was taken care of by his mother and his white grandparents but he was happy to adopt his black father's racial identity for political gain - the same guy who abandoned him when he was little.

Because of his skin color, Obama would always be seen as black. It does not matter that he was raised with White grandparents, to the rest of the country he was black. So even before he was in politics he identified as a Black man.

 

[Giannis]

Picking a black person is akin to picking a Dalit over here.

How black is she anyway? She's 100% Indian on the mother's side, and only half black on the father's side. So a quarter of a Black American.

Obama pulled the same shtick though. His black father left his white mother, and he was taken care of by his mother and his white grandparents but he was happy to adopt his black father's racial identity for political gain - the same guy who abandoned him when he was little.

You don't understand American society and that's fine, I don't expect someone unfamiliar with our culture to know the specifics.

 

[James]

Obama was mixed race. Its interesting a mixed race person is usually identified by their 'darker' race. Why cant we then say a white man was elected?

Isn’t it the case that he identifies as black / African-American ?