No. All we knew was that she had served as vice president for four years. That she had an excellent record as a public defender. That she was thoughtful, progressive, articulate, intelligent, and visionary. That she called out the failures, dangers, and criminality of her opponents—and she did it all with dignity, courtesy, and grace.
Oh—and we knew that she was a woman. Of color.
We let fear of the Other win. We rejected an imminently qualified public servant and empowered white men who sneer at DEI as the source of incompetence and
human tragedy. We caved.
Democrats, please wake up. Show some leadership. Don’t abdicate on us now!
The half of the electorate who did vote for Kamala Harris do not fit your description. We worked hard, but didn't quite carry the day, in part because of the ones who stayed home, who could (and probably would) have made the difference. In fairness, we can't blame the ones who "didn't know enough about Kamala", because in many cases, they did not pay any attention to the same information sources we did, and the right-wing ones they did follow had a lot of dis/misinformation about her and Biden. I did actually watch and listen to some of those sites, following my military background introduction to the idea of knowing and understanding what your opposing forces think and why, in order to better counteract what they do. Now we need to do the same with the current administration, and find ways to counteract it and hopefully overcome it at some point (hopefully before it's pulled a "Gaza" on our democracy.)
What WE did not know enough about is the depths of the voter suppression efforts have been. I was turned on to this documentary about it and realize that Kamala could have been Jesus Christ, but the mechanization of a tidal wave of surgical voter suppression really whacked the Dems and by extension democracy. https://youtu.be/P_XdtAQXnGE?si=ZODqLU7ZvNgYJkWv
I've read this and it makes me sicker than ever. Surely there must be some level of recourse for this. Maybe not to throw him out in favor of her- which would be preferable- but at least to prevent this from happening again.
Where is Kamala Harris, now when you need her? To be speaking out about the travesty that is happening. America needs all its leaders Schumer, Jeffries, AND Harris AND every Democrat Governor to be speaking out every day. Sorry if this is a dumb observation from a Canadian ( but we are also affected by what is happening).
So true. And here's what my husband and I are going to do about it, today: We are going to the No Kings Rally at the Federal Building here in Pittsburgh. These rallies are being held nationwide. Your readers could hardly do better, today, than to go to one near them. One. Day. At. A. TIme.
Yep. I blame the people who didn't vote or voted for the Orange Felon because they were so horrified by the idea of a vagina behind the resolute desk. Never mind that it was gifted to the USA by Queen Victoria. But stupidity, shortsightedness, greed, and selfishness are all characteristics of the typical Ammurrikkan and forgetting that for even a moment imperils us all. I am ashamed of my generation, who fought against the war in Vietnam, who supported the civil rights movement, who heralded the Stonewall movement, who populated Act Up and used it to raise awareness by outing self-hating closeted m**herf*ckers who were literally killing queer people. They are now apparently so fearful of their place in the world having to be SHARED, they have completely destroyed all of the progress we made in favor of their own stupid NIMBY whining and pearl clutching. I saw this happening decades ago, especially the canonization of that mindless soulless hank of hair Ronnie Ray-gun, but thought that there were still glimmers of humanity among the dross. Nope: not even a one. To say I am disgusted by them is an understatement. But I will still fight for the right of my neighbors, friends, and family to self-determination, to the Four Freedoms, and to the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
As another in your generation, I share your disappointment with our generation, and have since Ronnie's administration.. We were also the generation that fought for the environment and womens rights, and won both. Somehow a lot of our generation have forgotten all those important goals & values and have let a soulless, ignorant & hateful egomaniac back into WH. Sadly, the whole world will also pay for their shortsightedness.
Exactly but the fact is we do not. As you have pointed out before, we have to not ignore or walk away. So hard to see and hear what this administration is doing in all areas of our lives here and abroad. We are all so tired of the chaos and hatred and complete lack of empathy or understanding of human decency we are in serious trouble.
I sure wish we could turn back the clock to when Biden was in office. If anyone cared more for the well being of America and all Americans, it was him. He hired competent, intelligent experienced people to run the important divisions of our government as opposed to the nuts and low lifes Trump is installing. Despite all his real achievements,his approval rating was always low which I could never understand. People wanted “change” and they sure got it in the form of this deranged, cruel, vicious monster who is intent on destroying our government for the benefit of himself and his rich supporters. All the gullible MAGAs who thought he was in their corner are in for a rude awakening.
Biden did some useful things but not announcing he would stand down at the end of the term like he promised was a huge error. Doing that would have allowed a variety of candidates to step forward and contest primaries.
The Democrats had some good potential candidates. Governor Whitmer comes to mind.
Biden's cosseting of Bibi and the unlimited support to Israel in the form of weapons supplied used to murder Gaza's and level it to the ground was a major error. Kamala and her advisers should have read the room and found some way to distance herself from Biden's war. That would have cost Democrats a lot of support which probably resulted in many potential Democrat voters staying at home. Or voting for Jill Stein
We had a real president in Joe Biden who was the most qualified president ever. The Republicans spent the whole time attacking, smearing and opposing him and Kamala. The corporate media echoed the Republican talking points and criticized Democrats for calling Trump a Fascist. In the end the Republican propaganda machine and voter suppression "won" over common sense and decency. Yet we who believe in kindness, decency and the rule of law are still the majority and will once again have to fight, non-violently, for our country and a livable world. We have allies all over the world and need to find ways to connect with them.
I can't bear to think about what could have been. I just can't. The hideousness we are living is so profoundly unlike what could have been that all I can do is just.... survive.
Today I am wearing black because I am in mourning for our constitution, our democracy and our past presidents. We have had presidents that have been of dubious character but not one of them took a hatchet to the constitution or our democracy.
Thank you, John, for being open and authentic about your feelings. It’s not pleasant to address this wretched elephant in the room. Denial is not a healthy choice in this situation. We/I need to be in reality so I can assess the needs in my neighborhood and begin to plan what I might be able to do to help. Etc, etc.
But, living in reality also means tremendous grief. I’m making a list of practical things I can do right now and a list of self care and spiritual practices to help keep me healthy and halfway sane. But each morning I wake up thinking about where we are and my heart is filled with dread. My brain is instantly too full trying to process everything. My thoughts are scattered.
My lists help me to decide what I will do today. I pick one or two things and try to focus on that. Through out the day I do my best to give my brain and heart a break from the horror of watching what the criminals we handed our country to are doing. And I talk to the God that is Love.
I am heartbroken. I am so full of grief. And one of the biggest reasons is because of “what might have beens”. Sharing how you feel, John, gives me reassurance it is okay to feel this awful. To know that suffering like this doesn’t indicate a lack of faith. It’s like watching a loved one who is very ill with a condition that appears to be killing them. But they are still fighting for their life. I’m in a waiting room agonizing wondering, will they live or die? And one of my few comforts right now is knowing I’m not alone in this place. I’m in good company.
You are correct, we do not have a leader right now. We have 2 men and their minions raping and pillaging the country. That is not a leader but a destroyer. I said this when he won the nomination, that this was a revenge election by DT because he was not allowed his second term as Biden won. He is like a spoilt child getting even at our expense.
Thank you John. What I’m doing today is participating in a “not my president day” rally in my home city. I encourage everyone to look up if one is near you. We have to get in the streets! We have to make noise and even slow our economy. I’ve quit buying oligarch supplied coffee and ordering things from their companies. Shop small and support your neighbors. This is my hill for now.
“We didn’t know enough about Kamala.”
No. All we knew was that she had served as vice president for four years. That she had an excellent record as a public defender. That she was thoughtful, progressive, articulate, intelligent, and visionary. That she called out the failures, dangers, and criminality of her opponents—and she did it all with dignity, courtesy, and grace.
Oh—and we knew that she was a woman. Of color.
We let fear of the Other win. We rejected an imminently qualified public servant and empowered white men who sneer at DEI as the source of incompetence and
human tragedy. We caved.
Democrats, please wake up. Show some leadership. Don’t abdicate on us now!
The half of the electorate who did vote for Kamala Harris do not fit your description. We worked hard, but didn't quite carry the day, in part because of the ones who stayed home, who could (and probably would) have made the difference. In fairness, we can't blame the ones who "didn't know enough about Kamala", because in many cases, they did not pay any attention to the same information sources we did, and the right-wing ones they did follow had a lot of dis/misinformation about her and Biden. I did actually watch and listen to some of those sites, following my military background introduction to the idea of knowing and understanding what your opposing forces think and why, in order to better counteract what they do. Now we need to do the same with the current administration, and find ways to counteract it and hopefully overcome it at some point (hopefully before it's pulled a "Gaza" on our democracy.)
Of course those of
us who voted for Kamala do not fit my description!
I’m referring to the oft-repeated claim that she didn’t get voted in because “we didn’t know enough about her.” We knew plenty.
But I agree that our task now is to resist and overcome.
What WE did not know enough about is the depths of the voter suppression efforts have been. I was turned on to this documentary about it and realize that Kamala could have been Jesus Christ, but the mechanization of a tidal wave of surgical voter suppression really whacked the Dems and by extension democracy. https://youtu.be/P_XdtAQXnGE?si=ZODqLU7ZvNgYJkWv
I've read this and it makes me sicker than ever. Surely there must be some level of recourse for this. Maybe not to throw him out in favor of her- which would be preferable- but at least to prevent this from happening again.
YES.
And it is still racism and sexism we will have to fight as we resist.
Totally totally Daphne! Thank you for clearly and articulately stating this fact!
And of course thank John again and again for placing my thoughts on paper. It helps me rest my tired brain.
Writing is good medicine for our tired brains!
But they knew about Trump and voted for the mother anyway.
Where is Kamala Harris, now when you need her? To be speaking out about the travesty that is happening. America needs all its leaders Schumer, Jeffries, AND Harris AND every Democrat Governor to be speaking out every day. Sorry if this is a dumb observation from a Canadian ( but we are also affected by what is happening).
Don't forget that the mainstream news is complicit and does not amplify ANYTHING good that the Dems are doing
You are reflecting what we Americans are feeling. We are making plans to take back our country community by community.
I agree. I'd like to hear from her.
I’ve been wondering the same thing.
So true. And here's what my husband and I are going to do about it, today: We are going to the No Kings Rally at the Federal Building here in Pittsburgh. These rallies are being held nationwide. Your readers could hardly do better, today, than to go to one near them. One. Day. At. A. TIme.
Yep. I blame the people who didn't vote or voted for the Orange Felon because they were so horrified by the idea of a vagina behind the resolute desk. Never mind that it was gifted to the USA by Queen Victoria. But stupidity, shortsightedness, greed, and selfishness are all characteristics of the typical Ammurrikkan and forgetting that for even a moment imperils us all. I am ashamed of my generation, who fought against the war in Vietnam, who supported the civil rights movement, who heralded the Stonewall movement, who populated Act Up and used it to raise awareness by outing self-hating closeted m**herf*ckers who were literally killing queer people. They are now apparently so fearful of their place in the world having to be SHARED, they have completely destroyed all of the progress we made in favor of their own stupid NIMBY whining and pearl clutching. I saw this happening decades ago, especially the canonization of that mindless soulless hank of hair Ronnie Ray-gun, but thought that there were still glimmers of humanity among the dross. Nope: not even a one. To say I am disgusted by them is an understatement. But I will still fight for the right of my neighbors, friends, and family to self-determination, to the Four Freedoms, and to the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Excellent comments especially about the vagina behind the resolute desk. So disgusted by what is happening here in America.
As another in your generation, I share your disappointment with our generation, and have since Ronnie's administration.. We were also the generation that fought for the environment and womens rights, and won both. Somehow a lot of our generation have forgotten all those important goals & values and have let a soulless, ignorant & hateful egomaniac back into WH. Sadly, the whole world will also pay for their shortsightedness.
Right? What the hell has happened to our generation?
Exactly but the fact is we do not. As you have pointed out before, we have to not ignore or walk away. So hard to see and hear what this administration is doing in all areas of our lives here and abroad. We are all so tired of the chaos and hatred and complete lack of empathy or understanding of human decency we are in serious trouble.
I sure wish we could turn back the clock to when Biden was in office. If anyone cared more for the well being of America and all Americans, it was him. He hired competent, intelligent experienced people to run the important divisions of our government as opposed to the nuts and low lifes Trump is installing. Despite all his real achievements,his approval rating was always low which I could never understand. People wanted “change” and they sure got it in the form of this deranged, cruel, vicious monster who is intent on destroying our government for the benefit of himself and his rich supporters. All the gullible MAGAs who thought he was in their corner are in for a rude awakening.
Biden did some useful things but not announcing he would stand down at the end of the term like he promised was a huge error. Doing that would have allowed a variety of candidates to step forward and contest primaries.
The Democrats had some good potential candidates. Governor Whitmer comes to mind.
Biden's cosseting of Bibi and the unlimited support to Israel in the form of weapons supplied used to murder Gaza's and level it to the ground was a major error. Kamala and her advisers should have read the room and found some way to distance herself from Biden's war. That would have cost Democrats a lot of support which probably resulted in many potential Democrat voters staying at home. Or voting for Jill Stein
This is where we are right now. If we do NOTHING, everything will remain the same. DO SOMETHING and be part of the change.
Step up. Step OUT! Shout in their ears!! Stop the insanity!
I'm going to run for local office. That, and writing, are the two things I can do. At least if a lot of us make little ripples it will coalesce.
That is fabulous.
I feel the same way, John .I have cried every day since November 5 2024. You so eloquently written what I feel.
We had a real president in Joe Biden who was the most qualified president ever. The Republicans spent the whole time attacking, smearing and opposing him and Kamala. The corporate media echoed the Republican talking points and criticized Democrats for calling Trump a Fascist. In the end the Republican propaganda machine and voter suppression "won" over common sense and decency. Yet we who believe in kindness, decency and the rule of law are still the majority and will once again have to fight, non-violently, for our country and a livable world. We have allies all over the world and need to find ways to connect with them.
I can't bear to think about what could have been. I just can't. The hideousness we are living is so profoundly unlike what could have been that all I can do is just.... survive.
Today I am wearing black because I am in mourning for our constitution, our democracy and our past presidents. We have had presidents that have been of dubious character but not one of them took a hatchet to the constitution or our democracy.
I think this same thing multiple times a day.
Thank you, John, for being open and authentic about your feelings. It’s not pleasant to address this wretched elephant in the room. Denial is not a healthy choice in this situation. We/I need to be in reality so I can assess the needs in my neighborhood and begin to plan what I might be able to do to help. Etc, etc.
But, living in reality also means tremendous grief. I’m making a list of practical things I can do right now and a list of self care and spiritual practices to help keep me healthy and halfway sane. But each morning I wake up thinking about where we are and my heart is filled with dread. My brain is instantly too full trying to process everything. My thoughts are scattered.
My lists help me to decide what I will do today. I pick one or two things and try to focus on that. Through out the day I do my best to give my brain and heart a break from the horror of watching what the criminals we handed our country to are doing. And I talk to the God that is Love.
I am heartbroken. I am so full of grief. And one of the biggest reasons is because of “what might have beens”. Sharing how you feel, John, gives me reassurance it is okay to feel this awful. To know that suffering like this doesn’t indicate a lack of faith. It’s like watching a loved one who is very ill with a condition that appears to be killing them. But they are still fighting for their life. I’m in a waiting room agonizing wondering, will they live or die? And one of my few comforts right now is knowing I’m not alone in this place. I’m in good company.
The tragedy in a very eloquent nutshell.
You are correct, we do not have a leader right now. We have 2 men and their minions raping and pillaging the country. That is not a leader but a destroyer. I said this when he won the nomination, that this was a revenge election by DT because he was not allowed his second term as Biden won. He is like a spoilt child getting even at our expense.
Such a sad truth! Thank you for stating it in such an impactful way. My heart breaks every morning when I wake up to this nightmare!
Thank you John. What I’m doing today is participating in a “not my president day” rally in my home city. I encourage everyone to look up if one is near you. We have to get in the streets! We have to make noise and even slow our economy. I’ve quit buying oligarch supplied coffee and ordering things from their companies. Shop small and support your neighbors. This is my hill for now.