# How will the Republicans demonize Kamala Harris? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** kamala-harris\ **Created:** [July 23, 2024, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698 "2024-07-23T17:38:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**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:** [July 26, 2024, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/201 "2024-07-26T21:33:42Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > [Kamala Harris’ Conundrum: She’s Doing a Great Job But Her Story’s Not Getting Out](https://www.thedailybeast.com/kamala-harris-conundrum-shes-doing-a-great-job-but-her-storys-not-getting-out) From the preview that shows up in your post: > [@](#): > > If the VP’s record is supported as it should be, the chattering classes will spin it into the idea that the president is a lame duck. If not, it will be spun as a critique of her. Though this was about immigration, it describes quite well EVERY VP’s dilemma. If you accomplish something, your boss may dislike the way people speak of you with approval, and see it as criticism of [up through 2024, at least] HIM. But if you _don’t_ accomplish something, _you’ll_ wind up getting trashed. > [@bobot](#): > > One way that they will is to pretend that they have no idea how to pronounce her name. They will (attempt to) insult her thusly. From now on every Democrat should refer to Trump always and exclusively as “duhNAHLD.”\* When Republicans whine about that being childish, play the clips of them purposely mis-pronouncing Harris’ name. \*or, if they prefer: “Tee-rump.” ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2024, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/202 "2024-07-26T22:56:46Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > From now on every Democrat should refer to Trump always and exclusively as “duhNAHLD.”\* Nope: “Don-OLD”. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2024, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/203 "2024-07-26T23:05:27Z")
I saw a cmmercial hammering Harris about her supposed screw up concerning the border. And teeRump (I like it) calling her a dangerous far right person. It was a barrage of lies, and creatively edited, “quotes.” So, same shit diffent candidate ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2024, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/204 "2024-07-26T23:37:13Z")
They’ll keep calling her a San Fran liberal too, because that’s “scary.” ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2024, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/205 "2024-07-26T23:41:42Z")
Would that we could get more progressive/liberals elected. What is genuinely scary is how far to the right the US has been dragged. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2024, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/206 "2024-07-26T23:58:18Z")
Boy, howdy. You can say that again! ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/207 "2024-07-27T00:02:54Z")
> [@Win\_Place\_Show](#): > > ETA : If there have been 10 million apprehensions and expulsions (turning the logic around on them) then I would argue that that’s a good thing. If a Democrat administration apprehended and turned away 100% of people entering without permission, the Republicans would still accuse them of having open borders and letting millions of “those people” into the country. They’d simply lie and lie and lie and lie. Half the country would repeat the lies. For example, see the economy. Half the country thinks unemployement is at record highs and the country is in a recession. Why? Because they soak up the lies. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/208 "2024-07-27T00:11:25Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > If a Democrat administration apprehended and turned away 100% of people entering without permission, the Republicans would still accuse them of having open borders and letting millions of “those people” into the country. Yep. The GOP created this problem, and they have no intention of solving it. For example trump and his “wall” in 4 years, he managed to get just 52 miles of his special new wall built, and rebuilt or repaired another 400 miles of the old barriers. Of a total border of 2000 miles. > **[How many miles of border wall did Donald Trump build?](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2023/aug/09/donald-trump/how-many-miles-of-border-wall-did-donald-trump-bui/)** > > As he campaigns for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, former President Donald Trump is touting his previous a [https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2022-02-07/how-much-of-president-donald-trumps-border-wall-was-built](https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2022-02-07/how-much-of-president-donald-trumps-border-wall-was-built) and of course cost overruns, and 'etc- _In some places, Trump’s barrier carried a price tag of up to $46 million per mile,_ and the cost came out of the Defence Dept budget- Mexico didnt pay a peso. So you see- it is an invented crisis, made by bigots, and the GOP doesnt even want to solve the “crisis”- they just want to use it as a club vs the Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/209 "2024-07-27T03:15:12Z")
Also, much of the issue is immigration being used as code for racism; the people trying to persecute “illegal immigrants” don’t care if they are _immigrants_ at all. They just care what skin color their targets have and are perfectly happy to persecute American citizens for being “illegals”. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/210 "2024-07-27T06:24:06Z")
As we’re on the subject, the recent episode of _Last Week Tonight_ covers the “Migrant Crime” crisis… which is entirely manufactured. I don’t know if there’s a link outside of HBO, but this article covers some of the main points: > **[John Oliver on Republican ‘migrant crime’ rhetoric: ‘relentless, bad-faith...](https://amp.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/article/2024/jul/22/john-oliver-last-week-tonight-republicans)** > > Last Week Tonight host looks into RNC and false but rhetorically effective ‘migrant crime wave’ messaging However as we’ve repeatedly seen, telling the people who believe those narratives that they’ve been duped just makes them dig in deeper. Harris should have the real numbers at hand and hammer the fact that the Republicans blocked a major border security bill purely for political reasons, just as they did in 2013 under Obama. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/211 "2024-07-27T07:24:24Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Also, much of the issue is immigration being used as code for racism; the people trying to persecute “illegal immigrants” don’t care if they are _immigrants_ at all. Note that no one is talking about “Illegals” from Canada- altho there are quite a few. But they are white people so that’s okay. 🙄 > [@Gyrate](#): > > As we’re on the subject, the recent episode of _Last Week Tonight_ covers the “Migrant Crime” crisis… which is entirely manufactured. Yep- immigrants commit _less_ crimes than people born here. However the whole “migrant crisis” is made up. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/212 "2024-07-27T08:01:39Z")
Yeah. Heck, here in California I’ve had people start off a rant about “illegals” by waving in the direction of the nearest brown people. How do they know those people are “illegal immigrants”? Why, they’re _brown,_ so _of course_ they are “illegals”. The facade that it’s about anything but racism is pretty thin IMHO. So it’s not at all surprising that the same people who hate the idea of a non-white woman for President will use fearmongering about “illegal immigration” to demonize her. Racists gonna racist. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/213 "2024-07-27T09:54:42Z")
An interesting article that covers much of what we’ve discussed here. Harris does have some soft spots and vulnerabilities. On the other hand, she’s also much more experienced now and has a much better team behind her. > **[Three ways Trump will try to end the Harris honeymoon](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crg4p4ndkr0o)** > > Kamala Harris is riding a wave of momentum, but Republicans sense vulnerabilities they can exploit. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/214 "2024-07-27T11:51:36Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Harris does have some soft spots and vulnerabilities. This reeks of “Don’t threaten me with a good time!”: > Over the course of 2019 – in debates and interviews - Ms Harris endorsed scrapping private health insurance for a government-run system. She praised policing reform, including redirecting law-enforcement budgets to other priorities. She endorsed decriminalising undocumented entry into the US and entertained abolishing Ice, the immigration and customs enforcement agency. She backed the sweeping Green New Deal environmental legislation and supported a ban on fracking and off-shore drilling. > Now those positions could come back to haunt her. Most of those are good ideas that are pretty popular outside the radical right bubble. > Tying Harris to Biden’s record As has been noted, Biden’s actual record is really fucking good. She can come out swinging on this issue, and has enough energy to make that work. Flat-out lies will still work on the MAGAts, but everyone else will likely see through that. > Attacking her years as a prosecutor And as discussed above, attacking her on “law and order” is going to be an uphill battle. Trump’s going to ignore his own “Never fight uphill, me boys!” made-up advice. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/215 "2024-07-27T12:13:38Z")
Harris can handle this issue during the campaign. She shouldn’t ignore it. CNN treated the issue gently. Other publications will be harsher. She’s already spoken about it in 2020. It shouldn’t be too difficult to reassure the public. Obviously, Trump is trying hard to portray Harris as a dangerous liberal. But, I think her campaign can easily position her more to the center. > **[Kamala Harris praised ‘defund the police’ movement in June 2020 radio...](https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/26/politics/kfile-kamala-harris-praised-defund-the-police-movement-in-june-2020/index.html)** > > Vice President Kamala Harris voiced support for “defund the police” in a radio interview in June 2020 amidst nationwide protests for police reform, just months before denouncing the movement after she had joined the Biden presidential campaign. > [@](#): > > After Harris was [selected](https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/11/politics/biden-vp-pick/index.html) as Biden’s running mate in August 2020, the Biden campaign tried to make it clear she opposed defunding the police – and said she supported increasing police funding. > > “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris do not support defunding the police, and it is a lie to suggest otherwise,” Sabrina Singh, Harris’ then-press secretary said in October 2020. “Throughout her career, Sen. Harris has supported increasing funding to police departments and boosting funding for community policing.” ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/216 "2024-07-27T12:54:56Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > Most of those are good ideas that are pretty popular outside the radical right bubble. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/217 "2024-07-27T20:13:23Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > Cite? > [@Horatius](#): > > Ms Harris endorsed scrapping private health insurance for a government-run system. Universal Health care is very popular. Many other nations have it- albeit with a few issues. > [@Horatius](#): > > She endorsed decriminalising undocumented entry into the US and entertained abolishing Ice, the immigration and customs enforcement agency. Great idea. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2024, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/218 "2024-07-27T21:41:11Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Nope: “Don-OLD”. Nice! And if Trump is forced into debating Harris (which could happen if the cries of COWARD! get too loud and too widespread), then the first time he calls her “KaMALLa,” she should immediately return the favor with a hearty “Don-OLD!” ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2024, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/219 "2024-07-28T05:47:37Z")
Rules for thee but not for me: - [Elon Musk Shares Manipulated Harris Video, in Seeming Violation of X’s Policies](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/27/us/politics/elon-musk-kamala-harris-deepfake.html) > On Friday night, Mr. Musk, the billionaire owner of the social media platform X, reposted an edited campaign video for Vice President Kamala Harris that appears to have been digitally manipulated to change the spot’s voice-over in a deceptive manner. > > The video mimics Ms. Harris’s voice, but instead of using her words from the original ad, it has the vice president saying that President Biden is senile, that she does not “know the first thing about running the country” and that, as a woman and a person of color, she is the “ultimate diversity hire.” ---
**Author:** ![illoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a3d4f5/32.png) [@illoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/illoe)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2024, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/220 "2024-07-28T06:35:34Z")
How disgusting, and how true to type. Have they done this kind of thing before for other opponents, or is this a new low? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698.md?page=12)