# How good would Harris be in the general? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** kamala-harris\ **Created:** [June 28, 2019, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218 "2019-06-28T14:21:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/181 "2019-08-01T17:53:53Z")
Major, but I think fairly accurate, paraphrasing: Gabbard to Harris: You did these bad things as a prosecutor. Harris: I’m proud of my career as a prosecutor (note the lack of refutation of specific Gabbard assertions). [Anderson Cooper to Harris, post-debate](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/08/01/kamala-harris-dismissed-tulsi-gabbard-she-may-have-answer-her-prosecution-record-eventually/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.6015f0c7a0b2): What is your reaction to Gabbard? Harris: Syria. Assad. Who the hell is Gabbard? > [@](#): > > Well, yeah, and especially when people are at zero or 1 percent, or whatever she might be at, and so I did expect I might take hits tonight,” Harris added before hitting Gabbard for her record on Syria. “I can only take what she says and her opinion so seriously,” Harris said after calling Gabbard an “apologist” for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. She’s gonna have to do _way_ better than that when there are fewer candidates and this can be explored further, and especially if Trump gets a chance at her. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/182 "2019-08-01T18:21:34Z")
Actually, “which one was Gabbard?” strikes me as a good response, without the Syria stuff at all. On some level acting Presidential already, or at least like a front-runner. It might need to be semi-humourously done, and I am not sure Harris has the confidence to bring it off, but a candidate needs to learn how to brush off attacks from people trying to drag themselves up by pulling on you. At any rate, Harris is highly unlikely to face off against Gabbard again, so a simple brush-off might minimize the effects of the attack. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/183 "2019-08-01T19:02:26Z")
Now that Harris’ vulnerability on that point is exposed, it won’t matter if it’s Gabbard who keeps pressing it or any other candidate who was paying attention last night. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/184 "2019-08-01T19:02:27Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Actually, “which one was Gabbard?” strikes me as a good response, without the Syria stuff at all. On some level acting Presidential already, or at least like a front-runner. It might need to be semi-humourously done, and I am not sure Harris has the confidence to bring it off, but a candidate needs to learn how to brush off attacks from people trying to drag themselves up by pulling on you. > > At any rate, Harris is highly unlikely to face off against Gabbard again, so a simple brush-off might minimize the effects of the attack. > > Regards, > Shodan Oh, sure, it might be minimized this time. But the point is she needs a real defense, and deflecting won’t do it. This is not about just Gabbard, IOW. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/185 "2019-08-01T19:03:28Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > Oh, sure, it might be minimized this time. But the point is she needs a real defense, and deflecting won’t do it. And she should have thought of one years ago. This isn’t the first campaign she’s been in where it’s come up. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/186 "2019-08-01T19:10:49Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > And she should have thought of one years ago. This isn’t the first campaign she’s been in where it’s come up. Given that she’s gotten this far without one, I guess that is _some_ comfort to Harris supporters. But not much, I’d think. ---
**Author:** ![sps49sd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sps49sd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sps49sd)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/187 "2019-08-01T19:22:09Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > And she should have thought of one years ago. This isn’t the first campaign she’s been in where it’s come up. In California she is associated with the still very influential Willie Brown. She is running nationwide now and the same old crap won’t cut it. Well, it might, but it shouldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/188 "2019-08-02T00:08:17Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Now that Harris’ vulnerability on that point is exposed, it won’t matter if it’s Gabbard who keeps pressing it or any other candidate who was paying attention last night. This is far from being a new line of attack. The Kremlin bots have been pushing ‘Kamala’s a cop’ ever since she declared. > [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > … But the point is she needs a real defense, and deflecting won’t do it. T… It’s entirely possible that she has a full defense–sound bites and all–but recognizes it’s one that will play better in the general than in the primary. In the general, having leaned more ‘law and order’ than ‘social worker’ will play well. In the primary, it’s all about getting past the Kremlin bots and the useful idiots who echo their ‘she doesn’t have the back of the black community’ line. Granted, the specific charges need to be refuted or explained. Some may not actually be true: > [@](#): > > … But the one death penalty controversy Harris has not fully explained, at least until now, is the case of Kevin Cooper, a man on death row who has proclaimed his innocence for the past 35 years but who was denied essential DNA testing while Harris was the state’s attorney general. > > … In 2016, Harris’s office refused to allow the DNA testing Cooper’s attorneys asked for; then-Gov. Jerry Brown (D) also did nothing, Kristof reported. Despite Gabbard’s claims, a court never forced Harris to do the tests. Instead, Newsom took office and allowed the DNA testing to move forward in February. > > …A campaign spokesman for Harris told The Washington Post on Thursday morning that Harris was not directly involved in the decision to deny Cooper’s petition in 2016. > > “Senator Harris ran an office of 5,000 people and takes responsibility for all the actions of the [California] Department of Justice during her tenure,” the statement said. “Most of the legal activity around this case occurred before her terms in office, but this specific request was made to and decided by lower level attorneys. When the case was brought to her attention, she publicly called for further DNA testing. … [https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/08/01/you-owe-them-an-apology-gabbards-attack-highlights-harriss-complex-death-penalty-record/?utm\_term=.a35a3ab20023](https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/08/01/you-owe-them-an-apology-gabbards-attack-highlights-harriss-complex-death-penalty-record/?utm_term=.a35a3ab20023) I’m not seeing specifics on the ‘prisoners used for labor’ or ‘targeting minorities on low-level drug charges’ accusations. But one would expect that Harris’ campaign will address these. As for Harris herself speaking out: again, I’m guessing that she’ll do so more forcefully if she makes it to the general. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/189 "2019-08-02T00:46:43Z")
I think Kamala Harris should be pushing law and order in the primaries, if not now quite yet. Tell us how she is the best for prosecuting corrupt politicians and criminal corporations, without naming names of course. Tell us how she’s going to prevent foreign and corrupt domestic influence on our elections. Tell us how she’s going to vigorously go after violations of civil rights and voting rights. Tell us her plan for going after tax cheats. Promise that the Justice department and IRS will get the resources and authorizations they need to do all this. And for the cherry on top, promise that she will change the policy that a president in office cannot be indicted. America needs the Democratic party to make law and order a priority. And Kamala Harris is in the prime position to do that. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/190 "2019-08-02T00:53:56Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > This is far from being a new line of attack. The Kremlin bots have been pushing ‘Kamala’s a cop’ ever since she declared. > > … > > In the general, having leaned more ‘law and order’ than ‘social worker’ will play well. In the primary, it’s all about getting past the Kremlin bots and the useful idiots who echo their ‘she doesn’t have the back of the black community’ line… So far, I have only seen Kremlin hits on Biden. Do you have cite about these? Note, i have no doubt they are ready to pounce on whoever is the front runner or whoever they are scared of. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/191 "2019-08-02T01:12:32Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > So far, I have only seen Kremlin hits on Biden. > > Do you have cite about these? > > Note, i have no doubt they are ready to pounce on whoever is the front runner or whoever they are scared of. Seth Abramson has been documenting Kremlin support for Tulsi Gabbard, which presumably would be for the purpose of helping her tear down all the Dem candidates (not just Harris): > [@](#): > > Seth Abramson > ‏Verified account > @SethAbramson > 5h5 hours ago > I criticized Tulsi Gabbard today… _indirectly_. > Troll attacks on my feed _instantly_ went up _1000%_. > Not sure what make of it. > Oh—you’re wondering what I said about Tulsi? > I mentioned media reports confirming that far-right and Russian trolls are artificially boosting her. > and > Harris has talked about Russian bots working against her campaign: > [@](#): > > … Harris’ claims come as “Russian bots” have become a catchall description, for some, of any disinformation spread online. Democrats could even potentially view the perception that they have been targeted by Russian trolls as politically advantageous – another way to contrast themselves to President Donald Trump, who has publicly sowed doubt about the veracity and implications of Russian cyber meddling, despite warnings from intelligence officials. > A Twitter spokesperson told CNN that the company had no evidence that Harris was the target of state-backed bots. Facebook would not say if it had found any Russian activity relating to Harris or other Democratic candidates. > > Both Twitter and Facebook infamously failed to detect expansive disinformation campaigns run from Russia in 2016. > > … The Harris campaign provided links to a number of news articles when CNN asked what evidence it had that Russia was involved in the attacks. > Some of the stories cited respected researchers who say some of the influence campaigns they see playing out on social media bear the hallmarks of state-backed disinformation campaigns. [https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/16/politics/kamala-harris-twitter-bots/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/16/politics/kamala-harris-twitter-bots/index.html) The CNN writer expresses a lot of skepticism, but concedes that in recent years, bot activity has occurred without being detected. eta: my own remark about bots pushing the “Kamala is a cop” meme is based on a story I saw on one of the cable news channels. I don’t recall which one or which day I saw it, so am not succeeding in finding a link. However, I do think it would be unwise to bet against the likelihood that the Kremlin would prefer Trump to Harris, and is active on the internet in pursuit of that preference. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/192 "2019-08-02T01:48:43Z")
NM ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/193 "2019-08-02T03:10:31Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Seth Abramson has been documenting Kremlin support for Tulsi Gabbard, which presumably would be for the purpose of helping her tear down all the Dem candidates (not just Harris): > > … > Harris has talked about Russian bots working against her campaign: > > … > > The CNN writer expresses a lot of skepticism, but concedes that in recent years, bot activity has occurred without being detected. > … Ok, I see that, I am slightly dubious but…:dubious: And the only cite for Harris is herself- i am more than slightly dubious. :dubious: Look, they will attack the frontrunner and Harris is far from that. Not that they wont, mind you, i have no doubt of that. Let Harris become the favorite and they will be all over her. But she aint a target- \*yet. - ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/194 "2019-08-02T03:47:32Z")
If Russian bots are helping Gabbard’s campaign, they really need better bots because she’s been fairly active in national politics for the past few years and in this campaign, and she’s barely pulling 1% of the vote. Being a bottom-tier candidate, Gabbard did what other bottom-tier candidates do (and did last night): she made a top-tier candidate her target in what could be her last debate appearance. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/195 "2019-08-02T05:41:51Z")
I wish a couple of those skeletons were not in her closet, but she still looks like the strongest of the top tier. She has a unique combination of charisma, likability, competence, and toughness. ---
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/196 "2019-08-02T06:12:55Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > I’m not seeing specifics on the ‘prisoners used for labor’ or ‘targeting minorities on low-level drug charges’ accusations. But one would expect that Harris’ campaign will address these. Here’s some info/fact-checking on those: [Debate fact check: Kamala Harris' criminal justice record](https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/08/01/democratic-debate-kamala-harris-tulsi-gabbard-joe-biden-fact-check/) ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/197 "2019-08-02T07:00:05Z")
That is reassuring. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/198 "2019-08-02T11:54:34Z")
I may have said it before but I don’t think Harris’ record as a prosecutor is going to be a liability at all. Her being criticized by the left as a get-tough-on-crime prosecutor will probably actually reassure some white moderates that she’s not some pinko pansy, and I doubt that people of color will view her as a racist. She probably years ago made the calculation that the AG spot was a statewide office that would give her a profile that might make her appealing to a broader audience. As I’ve said previously, Harris is calculating and slippery, and she’s a very dangerous opponent for that reason. And she will probably get more dangerous for her opposition as the race narrows because a smaller field with more specific targets will give her time to attack her opposition like a courtroom prosecutor, one on one. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/199 "2019-08-02T12:54:50Z")
The Russian bot claims are backed up by no evidence. Pure hysteria. Once again the case for Russian interference is largely resting upon the fact that RT exists. Search YouTube for Gabbard and the first thing that comes up is a disgusting McCarthy-style smear of Gabbard on the View. Yes, the corporate press has found its candidate. Unsurprisingly, it is the warmonger dirty cop. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218/200 "2019-08-02T13:36:08Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > I think Kamala Harris should be pushing law and order in the primaries, if not now quite yet. Tell us how she is the best for prosecuting corrupt politicians and criminal corporations, without naming names of course. Tell us how she’s going to prevent foreign and corrupt domestic influence on our elections. Tell us how she’s going to vigorously go after violations of civil rights and voting rights. Tell us her plan for going after tax cheats. Promise that the Justice department and IRS will get the resources and authorizations they need to do all this. And for the cherry on top, promise that she will change the policy that a president in office cannot be indicted. > > America needs the Democratic party to make law and order a priority. And Kamala Harris is in the prime position to do that. All of this makes sense, but my perception is that being the law and order candidate is a liability in the Democratic primaries even if it would be a positive in the general election. Regards, Shodan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-would-harris-be-in-the-general/836218.md?page=11)