Kamala Harris says picking a gay man for VP was too big of a risk

[durangodawood]

Hey! If he (or she) shared my values and did a good job, I wouldn't. Who cares who someone is attracted to? Not my monkey, not my circus.

I agree. But I also get that candidates have to make judgements about what things are acceptable to the electorate and what arent.

I mean, right here we have people making fun of Walz because he "looks gay". So that tells us what shes up against here. Personally I wanted Kelly as VP choice. Good values person and he ticks the cultural boxes that contemporary America demands.

 

[durangodawood]

It didn't matter to the Biden Administration which picked many LGBT folks for a variety of positions. But it somehow mattered to Kamala Harris. Because votes.

Good grief he was already elected at that point. We're talking about people who have to stand for election.

Plus at that point he was still on his "one term" promise that he stupidly broke. None of those cabinet and other people should have been cultural baggage in an election.

 

[RileyG]

I agree. But I also get that candidates have to make judgements about what things are acceptable to the electorate and what arent.

I mean, right here we have people making fun of Walz because he "looks gay". So that tells us what shes up against here. Personally I wanted Kelly as VP choice. Good values person and he ticks the cultural boxes that contemporary America demands.

Who's Kelly?

 

[RileyG]

It didn't matter to the Biden Administration which picked many LGBT folks for a variety of positions. But it somehow mattered to Kamala Harris. Because votes.

She also didn't have much time to prepare for her campaign. She had to think fast, and she knew what she was doing.

 

[chevyontheriver]

She's not wrong. She's not saying that she thinks he's incapable or not a good person or something is wrong with his lifestyle. She's saying that being elected is as much a game of odds and appealing to as wide a swath of people as possible. Having a gay man as a vice president nominee would lose her more people than she gained as there are plenty of people who wouldn't elect a gay man AND a minority woman.

I'd like to think we will reach a point where we won't have to worry about such stupid things, but listening to a family member tell me across the July 4th table that they would never, ever vote for a woman for president... It's a factor that has to be accounted for. A minority female and gay ticket won't chip away at the Trump base.

The Democrats blew it bad by supporting Biden well into his dotage, and then not having an open convention to pick a replacement for Biden instead of having Biden in his dotage pick his electoral successor. So they got the candidates they deserved. I think mayor Pete was more electable than governor Walz any day of the week though.

 

[BPPLEE]

She's not wrong. She's not saying that she thinks he's incapable or not a good person or something is wrong with his lifestyle. She's saying that being elected is as much a game of odds and appealing to as wide a swath of people as possible. Having a gay man as a vice president nominee would lose her more people than she gained as there are plenty of people who wouldn't elect a gay man AND a minority woman.

I'd like to think we will reach a point where we won't have to worry about such stupid things, but listening to a family member tell me across the July 4th table that they would never, ever vote for a woman for president... It's a factor that has to be accounted for. A minority female and gay ticket won't chip away at the Trump base.

You could say the same thing about a business. It has to appeal to as wide a swath of people as possible.

 

[durangodawood]

Who's Kelly?

Who is Sen. Mark Kelly, a possible Harris VP pick?

This guy^. He would have given the campaign a veneer of moderate-ness, even though Harris actually was moderate on most big issues. She needed the veneer, image wise.

 

[wing2000]

Hey, she's just being honest right?
Let's take it to its logical conclusion, "We can't hire the gay man because it might be bad for business."

...the "business" in this case, is the American electorate.

Every candidate takes "electibility" into account when choosing their VP. Sadly, there are still too many homophobes in our society.....and a party that would certainly exploit their fears for political gain.

 

[chevyontheriver]

She also didn't have much time to prepare for her campaign. She had to think fast, and she knew what she was doing.

Her not having time was the fault of the Democratic Party, which should have eased Joe Biden into retirement long ago. Then Harris would have been a sitting president and would likely have won. The whole thing was a train wreck. And as it happened a bigger train wreck than the Republicans were able to muster. Which is why they lost to a convicted felon. I have no sympathy for them.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

Kamala Harris says picking a gay man for VP was too big of a risk.

So she went with this guy:

View attachment 370572

Richard Simmons made over

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=819376457013003

And this right here is what she was talking about when she said what she said. A certain demographic who enjoys lambasting men for being not masculine enough would never get past their biases in order to see the policies or the candidates. Y'all went there with a guy who's been married to a woman for 31 years, she can't expect people would behave better with a gay candidate.

 

[chevyontheriver]

...the "business" in this case, is the American electorate.

Every candidate takes "electibility" into account when choosing their VP. Sadly, there are still too many homophobes in our society.....and a party that would certainly exploit their fears for political gain.

Did Biden take that into account when picking Harris?

 

[Tropical Wilds]

Is she telling us she is homophobic?

No, she's telling us a large chunk of the voting public is homophobic.

 

[RileyG]

Her not having time was the fault of the Democratic Party, which should have eased Joe Biden into retirement long ago. Then Harris would have been a sitting president and would likely have won. The whole thing was a train wreck. And as it happened a bigger train wreck than the Republicans were able to muster. Which is why they lost to a convicted felon. I have no sympathy for them.

Well? We got what we (collectively) voted for. Our nation will heal in time, nonetheless. It always has.

 

[chevyontheriver]

No, she's telling us a large chunk of the voting public is homophobic.

So she picked Walz instead and probably lost more votes that way.

 

[caffeinated hermit]

Pete would have been a better pick. He was brighter, better-spoken, and easier to take seriously. Yes, he's gay, but then so is Scott Bessent, and he's a Republican, so... She should have gone with Pete. If you really want to brand yourself as progressive, open, and inclusive, go all the way. You're black, Asian, and a woman, why not pick a gay guy as your veep? You should get a shot, but he shouldn't? That's kind of odd

I'm glad Rachel called her out.

 

[RileyG]

No, she's telling us a large chunk of the voting public is homophobic.

Reminds me when some people attacked Michelle Bachman’s husband for looking and sounding gay.

Wonder if anyone remembers her or not. Also from Minnesota.

 

[durangodawood]

Her not having time was the fault of the Democratic Party, which should have eased Joe Biden into retirement long ago. Then Harris would have been a sitting president and would likely have won. The whole thing was a train wreck. And as it happened a bigger train wreck than the Republicans were able to muster. Which is why they lost to a convicted felon. I have no sympathy for them.

Biden should have ran out his term. One term - as promised. The debate debacle would never have happened and the competence issue would have been forgotten minor chatter in the big picture. It was sheer hubris on his part, and stupid from the Ds generally.

Plus a proper primary.

 

[wing2000]

Did Biden take that into account when picking Harris?

All candidates do.

 

[durangodawood]

Pete would have been a better pick. He was brighter, better-spoken, and easier to take seriously. Yes, he's gay, but then so is Scott Bessent, and he's a Republican, so... She should have gone with Pete. If you really want to brand yourself as progressive, open, and inclusive, go all the way. You're black, Asian, and a woman, why not pick a gay guy as your veep? You should get a shot, but he shouldn't? That's kind of odd

I'm glad Rachel called her out.

Nobody saw Bessant on the ballot. Not comparable.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Well? We got what we (collectively) voted for. Our nation will heal in time, nonetheless. It always has.

Or maybe it's time for another civil war or a massive succession of states. Not that I'm promoting either. But the rumblings are already audible. California is talking exit, and not just there. And look at Canada, where Alberta has already called the question of leaving Canada, with Sask and BC and Manitoba not far behind. Healing is not guaranteed.