# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/121 "2024-07-24T10:37:54Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > ETA: Oh that movie. FWIW, that movie is based on a true story. [Jamaica really does have a bobsled team](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaica_national_bobsleigh_team). ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/122 "2024-07-24T11:25:59Z")
I ran across a meme that said “Joe Biden waited until after the RNC so they would attack him and not Kamala, spending all their money and research on him only. This is how your protect your VP.” If that’s true, it was a smart move. Similarly, I read something that said, regarding Trump’s campaign scrambling to figure out what to do, this is what happens when your entire campaign is focused on attacking one person instead of telling America why you should be elected. And that goes along with something I’ve been saying/thinking all the way back to high school, I’ve probably even said it here. Tell me why I should vote for you, not why I shouldn’t vote for the other person. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/123 "2024-07-24T11:48:32Z")
I get some t-shirts from Raygun every now and then. They are a progressive little Midwest shop that stays very current, running short designs pulled from the headlines. They have a number of “crazy cat lady” themed political shirts right now. > **[RAYGUN - The Greatest Store In The Universe](https://www.raygunsite.com/)** > > A printing, design & clothing company owned and operated by extremely attractive Midwesterners. ---
**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 24, 2024, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/124 "2024-07-24T12:23:15Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I ran across a meme that said “Joe Biden waited until after the RNC so they would attack him and not Kamala, spending all their money and research on him only. This is how your protect your VP.” > > If that’s true, it was a smart move Aside from the timing, it’s pretty much the plan I’ve advocated for years now. I would have had him drop out just before the primaries, but this works as well. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/125 "2024-07-24T12:48:51Z")
[quote=“Joey\_P, post:122, topic:1004698, full:true”] I ran across a meme that said “Joe Biden waited until after the RNC so they would attack him and not Kamala, spending all their money and research on him only. This is how your protect your VP.” If that’s true, it was a smart move. Similarly, I read something that said, regarding Trump’s campaign scrambling to figure out what to do, this is what happens when your entire campaign is focused on attacking one person instead of telling America why you should be elected. And that goes along with something I’ve been saying/thinking all the way back to high school, I’ve probably even said it here. **Tell me why I should vote for you, not why I shouldn’t vote for the other person.** **[/quote]** Bolding mine. Me too! And I’m way older than you. I wonder if ‘they’ used to teach us that? It always just felt like common sense to me though. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/126 "2024-07-24T13:57:21Z")
I agree it is an important thing to do. AND the issue becomes the real world of human nature: what in reality drives turn out more, and influences actions of those unsure at a late date of what they are going to do? Unfortunately it seems like voting _against_ is a more potent motivator than the positive message of _for_ barring a highly charismatic candidate. I don’t see it, but Trump has that voting FOR following. For an image of this county I strongly disagree with it, but still FOR it. Obama had us voting _for_ “change”. JFK of course had it. I’m hoping Harris can match the strong against Project 2025 values and against Trump’s dishonesty if not his outright criminality, with a contrasting positive vision for our future as a country and world. To aim to be our best selves. That however takes a real talent to do effectively, more than the negative campaign does. And harder yet to do the change angle as part of an incumbent administration. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/127 "2024-07-24T14:05:23Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > > [@Odesio](#): > > > > My MAGA mother has on occasion posted some vile things about Harris over the last few years including that she slept her way to the top. > > Since this has come up a few times in the thread, I’m going to share a tweet here containing some representative examples of the things going around in the right-wing loon-o-sphere. It’s truly disgusting, so I’ll hide it. > > > **hidden link** > > > > [click here to see tweet - last warning about hateful shit](https://x.com/CerberusXt/status/1815300751226220583) > > I think it’s actually worth seeing, though (for those with the stomachs to handle it), because it’s _ **so** _ revolting that I wonder whether it might backfire. I mean, the aggressive misogyny against Hillary Clinton was effective at least in part because the conservative noise machine had been working on her for years and years, and millions of people were predisposed to dislike her _specifically._ Whereas this new line of messaging against Harris, for people not inside the hate bubble, is coming essentially out of the blue, and feels _purely_ misogynistic, rather than being encompassed within a larger attack plan. The cultist morons will cheer as they always do, but the mainstream female voter, perhaps, could be repulsed. > > This is not to say that it’s pleasant to witness. But I have to hope it blows back in their faces and has the opposite effect as intended. I’ve been seeing memes like that for four years. I’m much more surprised that so many here haven’t. It was obvious that every bot and little man child on the internet that thinks they are hilarious will be posting memes like that non-stop. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/128 "2024-07-24T14:08:25Z")
Question: how will JD Vance respond, or will/has he, when ethnic and racial slurs are thrown around about Harris, since his wife has a similar ethnic background? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/129 "2024-07-24T14:48:46Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Question: how will JD Vance respond, or will/has he, when ethnic and racial slurs are thrown around about Harris, since his wife has a similar ethnic background? He won’t respond. Those kinds of attacks come mostly through bots and operatives. The VP candidate isn’t going to respond to memes. Trump will take delight in the misogyny but will leave the race issue alone. He’s calling her dumb and will imply that she got to her position by sleeping around. “Some people are saying…” ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/130 "2024-07-24T14:53:05Z")
Republicans could just refine the “not really Black” argument down to “she’s not descended from slaves like most African Americans (and neither was Obama!)”, but then they would have to actually admit slavery is a part of American history. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/131 "2024-07-24T14:59:25Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > I mean, the aggressive misogyny against Hillary Clinton was effective at least in part because the conservative noise machine had been working on her for years and years, and millions of people were predisposed to dislike her _specifically._ Whereas this new line of messaging against Harris, for people not inside the hate bubble, is coming essentially out of the blue, and feels _purely_ misogynistic, rather than being encompassed within a larger attack plan. I’ve always felt this was a perverse sort of advantage for Hillary Clinton. Her years of being targeted for attacks when she was first lady meant that the Republicans had used up most of their top material when she ran for President. It’s essentially the same advantage Biden has; the Republicans can’t say anything about him in 2024 that they haven’t already been saying for four years. Harris, unfortunately, is a fresh target for a Republican hate campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/132 "2024-07-24T15:42:46Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > > [@Cervaise](#): > > > > I mean, the aggressive misogyny against Hillary Clinton was effective at least in part because the conservative noise machine had been working on her for years and years, and millions of people were predisposed to dislike her _specifically._ Whereas this new line of messaging against Harris, for people not inside the hate bubble, is coming essentially out of the blue, and feels _purely_ misogynistic, rather than being encompassed within a larger attack plan. > > I’ve always felt this was a perverse sort of advantage for Hillary Clinton. Her years of being targeted for attacks when she was first lady meant that the Republicans had used up most of their top material when she ran for President. It’s essentially the same advantage Biden has; the Republicans can’t say anything about him in 2024 that they haven’t already been saying for four years. > > Harris, unfortunately, is a fresh target for a Republican hate campaign. This talk of a “new” or “fresh” target makes me realize that a lot of the audience here doesn’t look at social media. Unless you consider the SDMB social media. I’m sorry if I’m harping on it but I’m just surprised so many haven’t heard these things for years. It’s been very prevalent all over Twitter and facebook at the very least since before she was VP. ---
**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 24, 2024, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/133 "2024-07-24T15:47:25Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Unless you consider the SDMB social media. I’m sorry if I’m harping on it but I’m just surprised so many haven’t heard these things for years. Maybe the hopeful thing is that people aren’t paying as much attention to social media as they have in the past and thus aren’t as vulnerable to these stupid memes. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/134 "2024-07-24T16:07:03Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I’m sorry if I’m harping on it but I’m just surprised so many haven’t heard these things for years. I don’t know if I should be depressed about the joy these troglodytes feel about attacking every woman in radar range, or happy that my friend group doesn’t suck as much as yours apparently does. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/135 "2024-07-24T16:09:52Z")
Yeah. “Heels Up Harris” goes _way_ back. But maybe only among the Worst of the Worst. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/136 "2024-07-24T16:57:14Z")
I caught a brief snippet of a story on MSNBC this morning about how somebody in Trump’s sphere was attacking Harris for being anti-police on account of something she did back in the day. I did not catch the details but as far as attacks go, I have a feeling that this dog shall not hunt. I would remind Republicans that if Harris’ anti-police actions were before Jan 6, 2021 it pales in comparison to the current holders of the anti-police title. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/137 "2024-07-24T17:15:38Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’ve always felt this was a perverse sort of advantage for Hillary Clinton. Her years of being targeted for attacks when she was first lady meant that the Republicans had used up most of their top material when she ran for President. I wish it had worked like this, but my experience was very different, more in line with @Cervaise 's post. In 2016 I was driving my mother-in-law to the airport. She was talking about her distaste for Donald Trump and how she wasn’t going to vote for anyone for President that year. I asked her what her reason was for not voting for Clinton, and she said “it’s because of what they did to that poor Vince Foster.” In other words, a Republican attack trope from over two decades prior was influencing her impression of and vote regarding Clinton in the (then-)present day. So in at least one example I know personally, right-wing attacks did not become “tired topics” but instead continued to affect people’s views fully a score of years after they were initially promulgated. I suspect it works in part by establishing a preconception on the part of the listeners, which (along with the “lotta people are saying” effect) evades the analytical mindset and contributes to a bias against the target that lasts for years. (M-i-L has opened her eyes over the last eight years, though, and would walk on hot coals to keep Trump away from the levers of government now, though. So there’s that.) ---
**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 24, 2024, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/138 "2024-07-24T18:03:46Z")
> [@SunUp](#): > > I suspect it works in part by establishing a preconception on the part of the listeners, which (along with the “lotta people are saying” effect) evades the analytical mindset and contributes to a bias against the target that lasts for years. Exactly. Even though nothing ever came from them, years of “investigations” and accusations planted the idea that “There has to be something wrong here” in the minds of millions of people. And it takes years to build that. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/139 "2024-07-24T20:04:48Z")
Harris’ relatively low profile as VP may actually help. It gives them less to criticize. As far as Vance’s wife goes, I am already seeing the attacks from the right. > **[MAGA Enters Racist Meltdown Mode Over J.D. Vance’s Wife](https://newrepublic.com/post/183975/maga-racist-meltdown-jd-vance-wife-usha)** > > The far right is absolutely losing it over Usha Vance. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698/140 "2024-07-24T20:10:12Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Those kinds of attacks come mostly through bots and operatives. The VP candidate isn’t going to respond to memes. Right, the kremlin, etc. > [@DWMarch](#): > > Trump’s sphere was attacking Harris for being anti-police on account of something she did back in the day. She was a pretty hard core Attorney general. I found this on social media, and i will paraphrase-\*“kamala harris, all the corrupts they allowed… children in hands of sexual predators ,sexual child trafficking”…That was a comment in a ad for a republican congressman. It actually got worse than that. So yep, in the minds of the MAGAs, they think that the pizza parlor with the secret basement, etc is a real thing. It is hard to fight this sort of hard core mind controlling propaganda. Oh and that was a woman. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-republicans-demonize-kamala-harris/1004698.md?page=8)