Harris reveals she almost picked Buttigieg as VP, feared America wasn't ready for duo

[durangodawood]

The bottom line was she didn't pick him because he was gay.

She didnt pick him because America is still too scared of a gay VP.

So yes, you are correct. And I think she was too, unfortunately.

 

[Chrystal-J]

She didnt pick him because America is still too scared of a gay VP.

So yes, you are correct. And I think she was too, unfortunately.

Just because someone doesn't want something doesn't mean they're scared. Maybe they just don't want it.

 

[durangodawood]

Just because someone doesn't want something doesn't mean they're scared. Maybe they just don't want it.

Theres no evidence to suggest she was prejudiced against gay people in that way.

And there is loads of evidence that a gay VP candidate is a big political risk.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Harris reveals she almost picked Buttigieg as VP, feared America wasn't ready for duo

Buttigieg, who previously served as President Joe Biden's Transportation Secretary, was among Harris's top eight picks for Vice President.

keprtv.com

The bottom line was she didn't pick him because he was gay.

Sadly, she knows people aren't ready for a gay vice president. But being gay, trans or women, doesn't matter to me. Their brains matter more. I like people, that set a good example. And works for all the people.

 

[Valletta]

Sadly, she knows people aren't ready for a gay vice president. But being gay, trans or women, doesn't matter to me. Their brains matter more. I like people, that set a good example. And works for all the people.

I would think that the base that voted for Joe Biden would mostly accept a gay man for vice president. It was a big decision by Kamala to block his access to the vice presidency.

 

[PloverWing]

I would think that the base that voted for Joe Biden would mostly accept a gay man for vice president. It was a big decision by Kamala to block his access to the vice presidency.

Sure, the base who voted for Harris would likely have been fine with Buttigieg. The calculation is about independent and centrist voters. In a democracy, you try to stand up for what you believe is right, but you also have to guess about what's going to be popular/unpopular, and that's part of the game. I don't envy the people who have to do these calculations, and I have no hard feelings about Harris' decision. I like Buttigieg, but I liked Walz too.

Buttigieg is young. He can run for president again in a future year. He'll likely get the support of the base; he's personable and articulate, and he has some good ideas. The independents? I've given up guessing what the American electorate is going to do.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Theres no evidence to suggest she was prejudiced against gay people in that way.

And there is loads of evidence that a gay VP candidate is a big political risk.

Buttigieg would honestly have been a less bad candidate and even less bad VP than Walz IMHO.

 

[iluvatar5150]

Tim Walz did not gain her any votes.

He probably could have, if her campaign consultants hadn't shackled him into whatever box they wanted to put him in. And, ya know, if he'd had more than 3 months to do something.

 

[seeking.IAM]

None of this makes any sense to me when half the country appears to be okay with the apparent moral fiber of our felon POTUS.

 

[comana]

It’s probably for the best that Buttigieg was kept out of the Biden drop out debacle. Now he can run on his own without the baggage.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

He probably could have, if her campaign consultants hadn't shackled him into whatever box they wanted to put him in. And, ya know, if he'd had more than 3 months to do something.

It seems like there was some initial excitement around her campaign.

But I've described her "rock and hard place" situation before.

Some of the progressive base took offense that she was even trying to court moderates, and a good chunk of the independent and conservative base took offense to the way she tried to court moderates.


I like the way Ezra Klein described it, and I'll see if I can find the clip and post it...because I'll probably butcher some of the phrasing.

(Paraphrased) "A serious problem my tribe has is a toxic purification process, they'll kick someone out for a single point of disagreement, while the republicans will gladly welcome pretty much anyone, even if they have very little ideological overlap and disagree with them on everything else. Take Joe Rogan for instance, a Bernie bro evolutionist who supports gay marriage, enjoys drugs, and believes in climate change. Conventional wisdom dictates that the republicans should've wanted nothing to do with him. Despite him agreeing with us on most of the issues, we kicked him out because he opposed one particular vaccine, they rolled out the red carpet for him because he aligned with them on trans sports issues, and not much else".

 

[iluvatar5150]

It seems like there was some initial excitement around her campaign.

But I've described her "rock and hard place" situation before.

Some of the progressive base took offense that she was even trying to court moderates, and a good chunk of the independent and conservative base took offense to the way she tried to court moderates.


I like the way Ezra Klein described it, and I'll see if I can find the clip and post it...because I'll probably butcher some of the phrasing.

(Paraphrased) "A serious problem my tribe has is a toxic purification process, they'll kick someone out for a single point of disagreement, while the republicans will gladly welcome pretty much anyone, even if they have very little ideological overlap and disagree with them on everything else. Take Joe Rogan for instance, a Bernie bro evolutionist who supports gay marriage, enjoys drugs, and believes in climate change. Conventional wisdom dictates that the republicans should've wanted nothing to do with him. Despite him agreeing with us on most of the issues, we kicked him out because he opposed one particular vaccine, they rolled out the red carpet for him because he aligned with them on trans sports issues, and not much else".

No need to dig up the EK quote. I’ve been a regular listener since the Vox days. I’m familiar with the argument.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

No need to dig up the EK quote. I’ve been a regular listener since the Vox days. I’m familiar with the argument.

What do you think of his argument on that?


I think his argument is pretty valid...While I don't always agree with Ezra on everything, he seems to be a pretty intelligent guy and I can't say I've ever heard him give a less-than-thoughtful response.

If you have two parties, and one party has a bunch of people who are looking for any reason they can to kick you out or tell you that you don't meet their standards, and other is looking for any reason they can to bring you in... the latter will win just on perceptions alone.

 

[chevyontheriver]

What do you think of his argument on that?


I think his argument is pretty valid...While I don't always agree with Ezra on everything, he seems to be a pretty intelligent guy and I can't say I've ever heard him give a less-than-thoughtful response.

If you have two parties, and one party has a bunch of people who are looking for any reason they can to kick you out or tell you that you don't meet their standards, and other is looking for any reason they can to bring you in... the latter will win just on perceptions alone.

Being a former Democrat and also now a former Republican I can say the Republicans were far more tolerant of diversity. The Democrats shut me out of city and district conventions over one issue. The Republicans let me go to the state convention and briefly be on the sate central committee even though I held some 'distinctive' ideas. What finally got me out of the Republican Party was not them pushing me out but me not wanting to be in the same party as Donald Trump.

 

[iluvatar5150]

What do you think of his argument on that?


I think his argument is pretty valid...While I don't always agree with Ezra on everything, he seems to be a pretty intelligent guy and I can't say I've ever heard him give a less-than-thoughtful response.

If you have two parties, and one party has a bunch of people who are looking for any reason they can to kick you out or tell you that you don't meet their standards, and other is looking for any reason they can to bring you in... the latter will win just on perceptions alone.

I agree and disagree, and I think this is another case where he’s a little too generous to Republicans. Both parties have had purity tests - after all, the term “RINO” didn’t come from Dems, and that same phenomenon has ramped up in the Trump era. The difference is that Dems, as a whole, are focused primarily on policy agenda while the Republicans these days are mainly focused on amassing power, which means fealty to Trump. So Dems have a big tent with respect to individual loyalties, but will kick you out if you buck party orthodoxy, whereas Republicans have a big ideological tent, but will kick you out if you express disloyalty to Trump.

He’s not wrong that Dems have to pivot, but I don’t think Republicans are really an example to follow.

 

[durangodawood]

Buttigieg would honestly have been a less bad candidate and even less bad VP than Walz IMHO

Probably a better VP. Hes hard working, knowledgeable, and his values are in the right place. Candidate? Im not so sure America is ready to advance a gay guy.