But it’s the Trumpers, especially Vance, attacking Democrats on exactly that issue. “Crazy cat ladies”, “the Dems are all childless people,” “Dems are all anti- family,” etc. So I thing it’s fair game to turn the table. She made it personal.
Michelle Obama famously said, “When they go low, we go high.” Does that really work?
I get not stooping to their level, not giving up your own values. But a hard jab will let them know you’re not a soft target.
I say, “When they go low, their face is easier to kick.”
I started off in the Kelly camp, mostly because he was an astronaut and took up politics after Gabby Giffords was shot. Largely it was name recognition, because I didn’t know any of the others except Buttigieg. But now that I’ve had time to see them in action, I’m all in on Walz. He’s clearly the best orator, the best emotional fit, the best with the branding and crafting of messaging.
And be really plays to the audience that’s somewhat uncomfortable with a Black woman of Asian descent being President. He’s a rural midwestern middle- aged white guy, someone they can take comfort knowing he is their to advise and assist. He’s cost and warm. But he’s someone they can see would be a typical candidate, and someone that isn’t out to get them. Whatever their fears about Harris, they can feel a little more secure knowing that he is so she chose to be her partner.
I’m not talking about the hard MAGA - bigots and outright racists and misogynists. Aggrieved haters and nasty assholes. I’m talking about the centrists who feel abandoned and the folks who have been misled to think Harris is to the left of Lenin. Picking Walz shows that maybe she will listen to their concerns, too.
Kelly is a reluctant politician who came by it by accident. He’s doing a good job in the Senate, but that’s a good place for him.
You are right. I talked about the manly man culture of the Republicans, but I should point out there is a strong element of that premise in our common society. “Be strong, stoic, cool. Don’t show vulnerability.” It’s a cultural aspect of the frontier man, the cowboy, the string leader in control of his emotions so he can focus and respond.
In someone slightly neurodivergent, and really struggled when young to control my emotions. And I, too, was picked on for it.
But being emotional in public should be acceptable. We need to work at that.
