Tag: Kamala Harris

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Newsweek Offers Limp Apology For Birther Op-Ed Against Harris

Sen. Kamala Harris suspends her presidential campaign

Sen. Kamala Harris suspends her presidential campaign
Sen. Kamala Harris
Newsweek has offered a weak tea apology after publishing a racist op-ed by John Eastman meant to gin up birtherism against Kamala Harris, who was born in Oakland, California, in 1964 and fully eligible to run for and become vice president or president of the U.S. Instead of removing the op-ed, though, they left it intact with this disclaimer at the top of the webpage:

This op-ed is being used by some as a tool to perpetuate racism and xenophobia. We apologize. The essay, by John Eastman, was intended to explore a minority legal argument about the definition of who is a “natural-born citizen” in the United States. But to many readers, the essay inevitably conveyed the ugly message that Senator Kamala Harris, a woman of color and the child of immigrants, was somehow not truly American.

The op-ed was never intended to spark or to take part in the racist lie of Birtherism, the conspiracy theory aimed at delegitimizing Barack Obama, but we should have recognized the potential, even probability, that that could happen. Readers hold us accountable for all that we publish, as they should; we hold ourselves accountable, too. We entirely failed to anticipate the ways in which the essay would be interpreted, distorted and weaponized.

As we said in our earlier note, this essay was an attempt to examine a legal argument about the difference between “natural born” and “naturalized,” the latter being ineligible to hold the office of president. In the days since the op-ed was published, we saw that it was being shared in forums and social networks notorious for disinformation, conspiracy theories and racist hatred. All of us at Newsweek are horrified that this op-ed gave rise to a wave of vile Birtherism directed at Senator Harris. Many readers have demanded that we retract the essay, but we believe in being transparent and are therefore allowing it to remain online, with this note attached.

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Lindsey Graham Claps Back At Trump Floating Harris ‘Birther’ Theory

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) took a moment this morning to clap back against Donald Trump’s comment yesterday when he floated a birther theory that Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) might not be eligible to run for vice president. Trump told reporters on Thursday, “I heard today that she doesn’t meet the requirements. I have no idea if that’s right. I would have assumed the Democrats would have checked that out before she gets chosen to run for vice president.” Ahem, Harris was born in Oakland, California – on US soil – in 1964. The 14th Amendment makes it very clear she is a natural-born citizen and can run for veep. Graham made note of this on Twitter:

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Biden/Harris Campaign Pulls In $26 Million In One Day

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (via Instagram)
The Biden/Harris campaign scored $26 million in one day following the announcement of Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) joining the ticket as running mate. From Politico:

Joe Biden’s campaign raised $26 million in the 24 hours after he selected Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate — an eye-popping total that shows the campaign’s growing fundraising strength as the election draws nearer.

Biden announced the fundraising total during the ticket’s first virtual grassroots fundraiser on Wednesday evening, immediately following Biden and Harris’ first joint campaign event in Wilmington, Del.

The massive cash haul, which included 150,000 first-time donors, is a signal of Harris’ ability to generate enthusiasm for the campaign and the history-making moment of her selection, as the first woman of color named to a major party presidential ticket.

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Meltdown: Tucker Carlson Can’t Pronounce Kamala Harris’s Name

Fox News Channel’s Tucker Carlson (screen capture)
Fox News Channel’s Tucker Carlson wet his diaper Tuesday night after a guest, political consultant Richard Goodstein, attempted to teach Carlson how to pronounce Sen. Kamala Harris’s first name. Goodstein began his appearance saying to Carlson, “Tucker, can I just say one quick thing because this is something that will serve you and your fellow hosts on FOX. Her name is pronounced ‘Comma’ — like the punctuation mark — ‘la.’ ‘Comma-la,’ okay?” Carlson, whose face is often the picture of confusion, shot back, “So what?” Explaining the obvious, Goodstein shared, “I think out of respect for somebody who is going to be on the national ticket, pronouncing her name right is kind of a bare minimum.” Considering Carlson is probably going to be saying Harris’s name quite a bit over the next several months (if not years), surely he can muster enough respect to pronounce the name of the first Black woman, and first Asian American woman to run for vice president on a major party ticket? Cue the predictable meltdown. “So I’m disrespecting her by pronouncing her name unintentionally?,” bellowed Carlson. “So it begins. So I’m not. You’re not about to criticize (pronouncing it wrong again) ‘Ka-MAL-a’ Harris or ‘CAMEL-a’ Harris or whatever.” “Okay look, I unintentionally mispronounced her name, but I love the idea that she is immune from criticism,” continued Carlson’s indignant rant. “On this show, nobody in power is immune from criticism. Our political leaders must be held to account. That’s our job.” Please note – being corrected on how to pronounce the name of a vice-presidential candidate is NOT the same as saying you can’t criticize them.  

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Barack Obama On Harris For Running Mate: ‘Joe Biden Nailed This Decision’

Former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden (public domain)
From former President Barack Obama: Choosing a vice president is the first important decision a president makes. When you’re in the Oval Office, weighing the toughest issues, and the choice you make will affect the lives and livelihoods of the entire country – you need someone with you who’s got the judgment and the character to make the right call. Someone whose focus goes beyond self-interest to consider the lives and prospects of others. Joe Biden nailed this decision. By choosing Senator Kamala Harris as America’s next vice president, he’s underscored his own judgment and character. Reality shows us that these attributes are not optional in a president. They’re requirements of the job. And now Joe has an ideal partner to help him tackle the very real challenges America faces right now and in the years ahead. I’ve known Senator Harris for a long time. She is more than prepared for the job. She’s spent her career defending our Constitution and fighting for folks who need a fair shake. Her own life story is one that I and so many others can see ourselves in: a story that says that no matter where you come from, what you look like, how you worship, or who you love, there’s a place for you here. It’s a fundamentally American perspective, one that’s led us out of the hardest times before. And it’s a perspective we can all rally behind right now. Michelle and I couldn’t be more thrilled for Kamala, Doug, Cole, and Ella. This is a good day for our country. Now let’s go win this thing.

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Choosing a vice president is the first important decision a president makes. When you’re in the Oval Office, weighing the toughest issues, and the choice you make will affect the lives and livelihoods of the entire country – you need someone with you who’s got the judgment and the character to make the right call. Someone whose focus goes beyond self-interest to consider the lives and prospects of others. @JoeBiden nailed this decision. By choosing Senator @KamalaHarris as America’s next vice president, he’s underscored his own judgment and character. Reality shows us that these attributes are not optional in a president. They’re requirements of the job. And now Joe has an ideal partner to help him tackle the very real challenges America faces right now and in the years ahead. I’ve known Senator Harris for a long time. She is more than prepared for the job. She’s spent her career defending our Constitution and fighting for folks who need a fair shake. Her own life story is one that I and so many others can see ourselves in: a story that says that no matter where you come from, what you look like, how you worship, or who you love, there’s a place for you here. It’s a fundamentally American perspective, one that’s led us out of the hardest times before. And it’s a perspective we can all rally behind right now. Michelle and I couldn’t be more thrilled for Kamala, Doug, Cole, and Ella. This is a good day for our country. Now let’s go win this thing.

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Biden Announces Kamala Harris For Veep Pick

L-R Joe Biden, Kamala Harris
Former Vice President Joe Biden announced today that Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) is his choice for running mate in the 2020 presidential election. From the New York Times:

Joseph R. Biden Jr. selected Senator Kamala Harris of California as his vice-presidential running mate on Tuesday, embracing a former rival who sharply criticized him in the Democratic primaries but emerged after ending her own campaign as a vocal supporter of Mr. Biden and a prominent advocate of racial-justice legislation after the death of George Floyd in late May.

Ms. Harris, 55, is the first Black woman and the first person of Indian descent to be nominated for national office by a major party, and only the fourth woman in history to be chosen for one of their presidential tickets. She brings to the race a far more vigorous campaign style than Mr. Biden’s, including a gift for capturing moments of raw political electricity on the debate stage and elsewhere, and a personal identity and family story that many find inspiring.

Susan Rice, former Ambassador to the UN, viewed by many to be a top contender announced her support for the pick. GLAAD points up Sen. Harris’ record on LGBTQ issues which includes:

  • Establishing San Francisco County’s first LGBTQ hate crimes unit, LGBTQ victim advocacy unit, and LGBTQ sexual assault awareness program, as San Francisco District Attorney

  • Refusing to defend Prop 8, California’s ban on same-sex marriage as the state’s Attorney General, later performing the marriage of the couple who sued to get Prop 8 overturned

  • Creating the first-in-the-nation law to ban gay or trans “panic” defenses used to justify violence against LGBTQ people, and later, as U.S. Senator, introducing a bill to ban its use in federal trials

  • Introducing legislation to prevent the use of religious beliefs to justify LGBTQ discrimination

  • Supporting the Equality Act, which bars discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity nationwide including in education, federal funding, housing, education and public accommodations and the jury system

  • Introducing legislation to ensure LGBTQ Americans are counted in the U.S. Census

 

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Poll: Wide Margin Of Democratic Voters Favor Harris For Running Mate

L-R Sens. Kamala Harris (D-CA, Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
A new Monmouth University poll shows Democrats favor Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) as former Vice President Joe Biden’s running mate by a wide margin. Of the 2,240 Democratic primary voters surveyed: • 28% favor Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) • 13% named Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) • 12% supported Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) who took herself out of the running last night • 10% gave the nod to former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams • 7% favor Florida Congresswoman Val Demings • 2% support former National Security Adviser Susan Rice Among Biden’s primary voters, 33% said they prefer Harris. Among Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) voters, Warren was favored by 22% while Harris is at 18%. Also notable from the poll, 59% say having a woman of color on the ticket improves the chances of winning in November.

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News Round-Up: May 12, 2020

Bremen Minelli (via Instagram)
Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: I love fitness guy Bremen Menelli’s (above) caption for this – “You have to know how to do both.” • US News & World Report: A new study shows lesbian, gay, and bisexual members in the U.S. military are at higher risk for sexual harassment, sexual assault, and stalking. Researchers say that sexual victimization can trigger mental health problems such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use, and suicidal behavior. • The Advocate: An arrest has been made in the case of a gay man killed over 30 years ago. Police in the Australian state of New South Wales have charged a 49-year-old man with the murder of Scott Johnson, an American living in Sydney who was 27 at the time he died on December 8, 1988. • NBC News: An unreleased White House report shows coronavirus infection rates are spiking to new highs in several metropolitan areas and smaller communities across the country. The 10 top areas, recording surges of 72.4 percent or more over a seven-day period, include Nashville, Tennessee; Des Moines, Iowa; Amarillo, Texas; and — with a 650 percent increase — Central City, Kentucky. • Politico: Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) is reportedly emerging as a front-runner to become former Vice President Joe Biden’s running mate in the 2020 presidential election. Major Biden supporters see her as the best fit, although Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is a leading contender, too. • NY Post: More insiders come forward to say Ellen DeGeneres isn’t all that nice.  One former associate producer says one day, when she couldn’t find her eyeglasses and was unable to read a text on her phone, she called Apple CEO Steve Jobs in front of staff to complain iPhones should have “a bigger font.” Because she could. • Talking Points Memo: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman has been hospitalized due to the coronavirus. Russia has reported more than 232,000 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Tuesday. • InstaHunks II: As I close this post, how about a quick peek down in Brazil? Tourism professional Kiko Riaze is pensive pondering quarantine life. Nice view, right? #YouKnowWhatIMean

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Kamala Harris Endorses Joe Biden For President

L-R Joe Biden, Kamala Harris
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) has endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for president. Via press release, the California senator issued this statement:

“When I started my run for president, I said America needs a president who reflects the decency and dignity of the American people; a president who speaks the truth; and a president who fights for those whose voices are too often overlooked or ignored. I still believe that to this day. That is why I am proud to announce I am endorsing my friend, Vice President Joe Biden, for President of the United States.”

Harris also tweeted out a video clip from Alabama where she is preparing to take part in the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. In the video message she says, “I wanted you to know that, with great enthusiasm, I am going to endorse Joe Biden for president of the United States.” She continued: “I believe in Joe. I really believe in him and I have known him for a long time. One of the things that we need right now is we need who really does care about the people and who can, therefore, unify the people. And I believe Joe can do that.” “I am supporting Joe because I believe that he is a man who has lived his life with great dignity. He is a public servant who has always worked for the best of who we are as a nation, and we need that right now.” Biden thanked Harris three minutes later retweeting her endorsement. I’ll go ahead and say this: I think Kamala Harris should be Biden’s running mate, and I think Biden should announce that soon. I believe that is the strongest ticket for Democrats to rally around and support.

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News Round-Up: January 23, 2020

(image via Instagram)
Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: When you look like Brazilian tourism expert Kiko Riaze (above), I’ll FIND something in my house that needs to be painted. Follow Riaze on Instagram here. • HuffPost: L.A. Law star Harry Hamlin said he’s proud of his role in the groundbreaking 1982 gay flick Making Love but believes the film was ahead of its time. “It was like 10 years too early and it completely ended my career. That was the last studio picture I ever did. The door shut with a resounding smash.” • The Advocate: A month after the Hallmark Channel’s dust-up with LGBTQ people over removing an ad for Zola wedding planning that featured a lesbian wedding, the company’s president and CEO, Bill Abbott, has stepped down. • Out Music: The Pet Shop Boys new album Hotspot drops tomorrow, January 24, and in advance of that release we get to step behind the velvet rope for their new single “Monkey Business.“ Set in a sexy nightclub and featuring a wild bunch of characters who eventually end up in a champagne fight, the tribe bust their best moves on a dance floor straight out of Saturday Night Fever.

• New York Times: Despite their fiery history on the debate stage, Sen. Kamala Harris of California is considering endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden for the Democratic nominee for president. Great – then he can pick her for veep duties and they’ll win. • BroadwayWorld: In a tribute to longtime GRAMMY executive producer Ken Ehrlich, and to acknowledge the importance of music education in schools to the Recording Academy, GRAMMY Museum® and Ehrlich, artists associated with Ehrlich’s 40-year career will gather to perform “I Sing The Body Electric” from the film Fame. The performance will feature current nominees Camila Cabello, Gary Clark Jr. and John Legend joined by Debbie Allen, Joshua Bell, Common, Misty Copeland, Lang Lang, Cyndi Lauper, Ben Platt, and The War And Treaty. • People: Did Prince Charles diss Vice President Mike Pence as he made his way down an assembly line of world leaders at the World Holocaust Forum?