# Why is Kamala Harris seen as unelectable as POTUS? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** kamala-harris\ **Created:** [April 26, 2023, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216 "2023-04-26T16:14:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/101 "2023-04-27T16:55:08Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > After all, Republicans _themselves_ are running POC (e.g., Tim Scott) and women (e.g., Kay Ivey) and POC women (e.g., [Winsome Sears](https://www.npr.org/2022/01/13/1072153233/virginias-first-black-woman-lieutenant-governor-says-we-need-to-move-on-from-sla)) and _winning._ Quite. I’ve often commented on what I saw as a fallacy of demographic determinism, that we will be saved by inevitable generational replacement. There **are** , there **will be** young people, women, POCs and immigrants who will run and vote R. People will vote for the candidate that reaches to THEM. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/102 "2023-04-27T16:55:44Z")
never mind ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/103 "2023-04-27T16:57:12Z")
Please, explain exactly how I’m racist and misogynist? ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/104 "2023-04-27T17:04:38Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > There ya go progressives! Finally a party that you can support! As far as I’m aware, there aren’t Republicans calling for the party to have a policy of ONLY nominating white men (though it certainly wouldn’t surprise me if there were). So even though the number of Democrats calling for such a policy is small, it does seem like the GOP has somehow managed to take the moral high ground on this particular issue. But this line makes me think that you may not be motivated by racism and misogyny so much as by hatred of “progressives” (who just happen, _completely coincidentally,_ to be largely women and POC). Distinction without a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/105 "2023-04-27T17:08:52Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > There ya go progressives! Finally a party that you can support! I don’t understand this comment. Certainly, we D’s (including progressives) run a lot more POC/women candidates than the R’s, but the R’s are not completely shying away from doing so, so we absolutely should not do so ourselves. That would be a self-own and a betrayal of our inclusive principles. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/106 "2023-04-27T17:09:19Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > But this line makes me think that you may not be motivated by racism and misogyny so much as by hatred of “progressives” (who just happen, _completely coincidentally,_ to be largely women and POC). Distinction without a difference. No. My hatred is for the people on ‘’‘’‘my side’‘’‘’ that think the best shape for a firing squad is circular. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/107 "2023-04-27T17:10:24Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > No. My hatred is for the people on ‘’‘’‘my side’‘’‘’ that think the best shape for a firing squad is circular. What actions are you pointing at that create this metaphorical firing squad? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/108 "2023-04-27T17:13:58Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > Certainly, we D’s (including progressives) run a lot more POC/women candidates than the R’s, but the R’s are not completely shying away from doing so, so we absolutely should not do so ourselves. Yes, because the Republican POC/women candidates are totally on the right side of the issues that matter! ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/109 "2023-04-27T17:17:18Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Yes, because the Republican POC/women candidates are totally on the right side of the issues that matter! Again, I don’t understand the intent of the comment. Of course I feel that one shouldn’t vote for any R candidate until some version of sanity returns to the party (i.e., even if a local R candidate seems OK, which is entirely possible, voting for them still supports the mad R brand). Vote Democrat. Methinks you are arguing beside the point here. ---
**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:** [April 27, 2023, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/110 "2023-04-27T17:19:00Z")
Harris is not unelectable. She might not be the first choice of some Democrats, but that is a separate matter. Any person who can win the Democratic nomination is electable, even if they later fail to win the presidency. > [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > My hatred is for the people on ‘’‘’‘my side’‘’‘’ that think the best shape for a firing squad is circular. So when you point at one of us, the problem is someone points back at you? Maybe don’t point at us in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/111 "2023-04-27T17:27:19Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > …of “progressives” (who just happen, _completely coincidentally,_ to be largely women and POC). I’ve never noticed this disparity. Got a cite? ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/112 "2023-04-27T18:05:10Z")
A good and intelligent question that I don’t have time to investigate fully right now. However, it at least seems indisputable that aside from Bernie Sanders, the national political leaders most identified with the far left are almost all women/POC. AOC, Tlaib, Cori Bush, Brandon Johnson, I guess Liz Warren if you want to count her. So I’m not buying that the hatred directed at those people is purely about disagreements on fiscal policy. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/113 "2023-04-27T18:08:18Z")
So why do you come into this thread and start insulting people? The only coherent position you’ve expressed is “we should nominate candidates who can win”, which nobody disagrees with. And yet you certainly seem to be pissed off at SOMEONE. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/114 "2023-04-27T18:09:41Z")
You called me a “racist and misogynist” and I’m the one that’s being insulting??? ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/115 "2023-04-27T18:10:16Z")
Please link to where I said that. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/116 "2023-04-27T18:11:27Z")
Weeeellll your timely edit prevents that. Also, > [@Thing.Fish](#): > > You are ignoring that evidence in favor of pushing your racist and misogynist position. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/117 "2023-04-27T18:15:18Z")
Yes, I wrote that and then deleted it after about ten seconds because I realized it was an unfair and jerkish thing to say. Unconditional apologies. Sorry that you apparently happened to have your eyes on your monitor during those ten seconds, but I’d appreciate it if you’d address the posts I’ve not edited away. Those are the ones I’m prepared to defend. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/118 "2023-04-27T18:17:29Z")
That’s me attacking your position, not you. Though actually I don’t know what your position is, since your Schtick in this thread seems to be to stick up for people who have expressed reprehensible positions, but avoid explicitly agreeing with those positions. And again, the position you seem to be defending is absolutely racist and misogynist in its practical effect. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/119 "2023-04-27T18:22:31Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > And again, the position you seem to be defending is absolutely racist and misogynist in its practical effect. I’m curious exactly how “_Only nominate candidates that can win, whoever they are._” is, in any way, “absolutely racist and misogynist”. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216/120 "2023-04-27T18:31:50Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > I’m curious exactly how “_Only nominate candidates that can win, whoever they are._” is, in any way, “absolutely racist and misogynist”. That’d be the part where you define “candidates who win” to specifically exclude anyone who isn’t a white male, particularly when you ignore the success of non-white, non-male candidates from both the Democratic _and_ the Republican parties to do so. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kamala-harris-seen-as-unelectable-as-potus/983216.md?page=7)