Sen. Kamala Harris suspends her presidential campaign Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) has announced she is suspending her campaign for the Democratic nomination for president. In a statement posted to Medium, the junior senator from California gets down to brass tacks quickly: “My campaign for president simply doesn’t have the financial resources we need to continue. I’m not a billionaire. I can’t fund my own campaign. And as the campaign has gone on, it’s become harder and harder to raise the money we need to compete.” “In good faith, I can’t tell you, my supporters and volunteers, that I have a path forward if I don’t believe I do,” she continues. “So, to you my supporters, it is with deep regret — but also with deep gratitude — that I am suspending my campaign today.”
It has been the honor of my life to be your candidate. We will keep up the fight. pic.twitter.com/RpZhx3PENl
Harris adds, however, that she will keep fighting for “what this campaign has been about. Justice for The People. All the people.” She goes on to list the many issues she made central to her candidacy including inadequate teacher pay, gun violence, unconstitutional state abortion laws, and speaking to the experiences of Black women and people of color. The senator closes her statement expressing gratitude to all of her supporters, friends, husband, and family, before adding: “And I want to be clear: although I am no longer running for President, I will do everything in my power to defeat Donald Trump and fight for the future of our country and the best of who we are.” Harris has been a longtime ally to the LGBTQ community going back to her days as Attorney General of California when she denounced her state’s Proposition 8 prior to its passage. She refused as AG to defend the homophobic law, which led to the Supreme Court ruling in 2013 that anti-LGBTQ groups seeking to defend the measure had no standing to do so. As a result, Proposition 8 was overturned. Harris also urged the California state legislature to ban the use of ‘gay panic’ or ‘trans panic’ legal defenses in crimes against LGBTQ people. As a senator, she supports the Equality Act and for allowing trans people equal access to public accommodations. In 2018, she introduced the Do No Harm Act which would prohibit the federal Religious Freedom From Restoration Act from being used against the LGBTQ community. She also introduced legislation to ensure that LGBTQ Americans were properly counted in the census. Key LGBTQ issues cited on her campaign site include:
Rollback the Trump/Pence hate agenda by reversing Trump’s actions to harm the LGBTQ+ community, including the transgender service ban and guidelines to protect students from discrimination and harassment.
Establish a Chief Advocate for LGBTQ+ affairs in the White House to ensure that LGBTQ+ Americans are represented in hiring and policy priorities across the government.
Fight for full equality for the LGBTQ+ community by passing the Equality Act and other laws to ensure that everyone is safe and supported at work, at school, and throughout their communities.
I like Harris a lot, and see a huge career in front of her. I think she instantly becomes a front-runner for Vice President, or Attorney General in the next (Democratic) administration. (source: Medium)
In this week’s podcast: • Sen. Kamala Harris calls Mayor Pete Buttigieg “naive” for relating his experience as a gay man to other marginalized communities. • A homophobic photographer in Kentucky has filed a lawsuit to block Louisville’s Fairness Ordinance just in case a gay couple were to ask her to shoot their wedding. • Three federal judges have blocked a new rule announced by the Health and Human Services Department that would allow healthcare professionals to deny service to LGBTQs. • The Straight Pride event in Dallas was the biggest fail yet. • Netflix releases teaser video for RuPaul’s upcoming scripted comedy series AJ and The Queen. • Out singer/songwriter Tom Goss’s new album explores new emotional Territories. All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report.
L-R Sen. Kamala Harris, Mayor Pete Buttigieg Mmm, I find this disconcerting. And not very constructive. Speaking at a breakfast event today, Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) said South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg came off “a bit naïve” when he brought up the discrimination experienced by LGBTQ Americans as part of his response to a question about his difficulty attracting support from black voters at Wednesday’s Democratic debate. A recent Quinnipiac University poll showed Mayor Pete currently draws 0% of African Americans in South Carolina. From CBS News:
During a Black Women Power Breakfast hosted by Higher Heights, a national political organization for black women that endorsed Harris earlier this month, Harris said it was wrongheaded for Buttigieg to “compare our struggles.”
“Those of us who’ve been involved in Civil Rights for a long time we know that it is important that we not compare our struggles. It is not productive, it is not smart and strategically it works against what we need to do which is build a coalition,” Harris said Thursday. “We know that in our ongoing fight for civil rights if any one of us starts to differentiate ourselves in a certain way and in particular what he did on the stage, it’s just not productive. And I think it’s a bit naïve.”
Backstage after the debate, Harris told CNN, “I’m never going to engage or allow anyone to engage in comparing struggles. I think that is just misdirected.” “So we’re going to now say that my pain is worse than your pain?,” she continued. “We had 400 years of slavery in this country. We had years of lynching, which involved black men, in particular, being dragged from their homes and hung on a tree, often castrated.” During the fifth Democratic debate on Wednesday night, Mayor Pete agreed with Harris that the Democratic Party has sometimes ignored black women voters until elections roll around. He added that he looked forward to “connecting with black voters.” “While I do not have the experience of ever having been discriminated against because of the color of my skin, I do have the experience of sometimes feeling like a stranger in my own country, turning on the news and seeing my own rights come up for debate,” Buttigieg shared in his response. He added, “Wearing this wedding ring in a way that couldn’t have happened two elections ago lets me know just how deep my obligation is to help those whose rights are on the line every day, even if they are nothing like me in their experience.” Watching the debate live, I didn’t see the exchange as “comparing” struggles as much as he seemed to be relating to them via his own experience to what marginalized communities feel. CBS News asked Buttigieg about Harris’ accusation Thursday, and the South Bend mayor pushed back saying, “there’s no equating those two experiences.” “What I do think is important is for each of us to reveal who we are and what motivates us and it’s important for voters to understand what makes me tick, what moves me and my sources of motivation and ensuring that I stand up for others,” Buttigieg told CBS News. “Last night I shared that some of my sources of motivation included my personal experience, my governing experience, and my personal faith.”
Tyler Valenzia (via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Mixing it up today with fitness guy Tyler Valenzia (above). I realized I practically never feature clean-shaven blond guys. Tyler’s ready for a lazy weekend, and I def don’t hate that. #ProblemSolved • Advocate: On a technicality, the Kentucky Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit brought against a shop that refused to print T-shirts for Lexington’s 2012 Pride Festival. The court didn’t rule on LGBTQ rights or not, but dismissed the case because the party that brought the claim, the Gay and Lesbian Services Organization, lacked standing because it was not the party denied service by the business. • KIT212: Kenneth has the latest on what’s making news in this week’s gay magazine. • BBC: An Indonesian man who worked for an organization that helped draft strict laws making adultery & gay sex punishable by public whipping has been caned after being caught having an affair with a married woman. #karma • Playbill: Tony and Emmy winner Billy Porter (Kinky Boots, Pose) and Tony winner Idina Menzel (Wicked) will perform during the 2019 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Also joining the festivities (9 AM ET on NBC on Thanksgiving Day) is Broadway alum and Glee star Lea Michele. • Politico: Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) has begun closing campaign offices in New Hampshire due to a shortage of funds. The campaign announced the decision was made to go ‘all-in’ in Iowa for the first-in-the-country contest. • New Music: Gryffin & Slander dropped their EDM single, “All You Need To Know” featuring the vocals of Swedish singer/songwriter Calle Lehmann, back in March. The track comes from Gryffin’s full-length debut album, Gravity. I liked it back then, but today they share this acoustic take on the track which reveals a much deeper emotional core to the song. Regular readers of The Randy Report know how I love artists reinventing, and thereby discovering more of, their own art. I like this.
L-R Sen. Kamala Harris, Donald Trump Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) withdrew from a speaking appearance today at the 2019 Second Step Presidential Justice Forum at Benedict College, a historically black college, after the school honored Donald Trump on Friday. “As the only candidate who attended an [historically black college or university], I know the importance that these spaces hold for young Black Americans,” Harris said in a statement Friday per The Hill. “Today, when it became clear Donald Trump would receive an award after decades of celebrating mass incarceration, pushing the death penalty for innocent Black Americans, rolling back police accountability measures and racist behavior that puts people’s lives at risk … I cannot in good faith be complicit in papering over his record.” Instead, Harris announced she would host a criminal justice roundtable for students from around Columbia, South Carolina. Trump trolled Harris on Saturday called her a “badly failing presidential candidate” and took credit for “producing” and signing into law “major Criminal Justice Reform legislation.” He followed those tweets with a third containing just an ellipsis. #Ok Harris clapped back touting her long career in law and justice adding, “The only part of criminal justice you can claim credit for is the ‘criminal’ part.” Suh-nap!
Badly failing presidential candidate @KamalaHarris will not go to a very wonderful largely African American event today because yesterday I recieved a major award, at the same event, for being able to produce & sign into law major Criminal Justice Reform legislation, which will..
….greatly help the African American community (and all other communities), and which was unable to get done in past administrations despite a tremendous desire for it. This and best unemployment numbers EVER is more than Kamala will EVER be able to do for African Americans!
My whole life I’ve fought for justice and for the people — something you’d know nothing about. The only part of criminal justice you can claim credit for is the “criminal” part. https://t.co/ykIoNI3Y0D
In regards to all that Trump has “done” for the African-American community, let’s take a look, shall we? • He called for the death penalty for Central Park 5 and never apologized • He won’t endorse, or even say, Black Lives Matter • He defended white supremacists as “fine people” • He demonized black NFL players for taking a knee to bring attention to injustice
Sen. Kamala Harris releases her plan for LGBTQ+ equality Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) mixed and mingled with supporters at the West Hollywood gay bar The Abbey on Wednesday night prior to the LGBTQ Town Hall co-sponsored by HRC & CNN on Thursday night. At one point during the event, the California senator also got a lesson from RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Shangela on how to properly clack a fan. Certainly a skill the first woman president would need, yes? Shangela shared the moment on Instagram with 1.2 million followers:
Today, Harris released her proposal for LGBTQ Equality titled, “Kamala’s LGBTQ+ Plan to Provide Equality and Dignity for All.” Harris announced the plan on Twitter writing, “Today, I introduced a plan to ensure everyone in the LGBTQ+ community is able to live proudly and openly, without fear of discrimination. We can restore equality and dignity in the White House.”
Today, I introduced a plan to ensure everyone in the LGBTQ+ community is able to live proudly and openly, without fear of discrimination. We can restore equality and dignity in the White House. https://t.co/tS2YM46az7
In the plan, Harris says she will repeal the Trump/Pence Hate Agenda: • Reverse Trump’s ban on transgender service members • Ensure that questions about the LGBTQ+ community are included in the census • Enforce federal civil rights laws that protect LGBTQ+ people • Ensure religion cannot be used to discriminate against LGBTQ+ individuals Additionally, Harris promises to establish a Chief Advocate for LGBTQ+ Affairs in the White House, sign the Equality Act into law, sign the Student Non-Discrimination Act into law, and require homeless shelters that receive federal funds cannot discriminate again LGBTQ+ youth.
Regarding HIV, the California senator proposes requiring all insurance plans to cover PrEP as well as bring the cost of the medication down using the government’s authority. Also in the medical arena, Harris wants to ensure health care coverage of gender confirmation surgery and other gender transition health services as well as guarantee coverage for reproductive services for all LGBTQ+ people including trans and gender non-binary people through her Medicare For All plan. In terms of crime and the justice system, Harris proposes improving the tracking and reporting of hate crimes, end profiling of LGBTQ+ people by law enforcement, and reform the criminal justice system addressing the disproportionate hard the system has on LGBTQ+ people. There’s much more on Harris’s campaign website here. Earlier today, fellow Democratic White House hopefuls Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, released their plans for LGBTQ Americans. Don’t forget to watch the LGBTQ Town Hall tonight on CNN beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) becomes the first woman to ‘slow jam the news’ on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (above). Via StereoGum:
Jimmy Fallon’s longest-running comedy bit is Slow Jam The News, the thing where he and the Roots bust out Barry White impressions and attempt to make jokes out of topical subjects. Brian Williams used to do the sketch all the time, and Barack Obama did it a couple of times as president — including, most recently, in the summer of 2016. And now Harris, one of several Democratic primary hopefuls attempting to bring back that old Obama magic, took part in it.
Eight of the top Democratic presidential candidates appear in a new video underscoring the need for gun safety. The gun control organization named after former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot at point blank range by a maniac, launched the video on Monday. The candidates featured in the video include former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke; California Sen. Kamala Harris; former Vice President Joe Biden; South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg; Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar; New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker; Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. In the video, the candidates focus on stronger gun laws to prevent school shootings and protect children. From the Giffords campaign for gun safety:
We deserve a president who listens to the American people, not the NRA.
We deserve a president who takes bold action to make us safer, not one who tweets thoughts and prayers then does nothing.
We deserve a president who fights for stronger gun laws, not gun lobby profits.
2020 Democratic candidates are vying to be that leader.
We sat down with Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren to discuss their plans to make us safer from gun violence.
• InstaHunks: Broadway hottie Jim Newman (above) finds he has his Fire Island pool all to himself with no one to play with his beach ball. I’m sure he’d have no problem finding company… 🙂
• NewNowNext: A man has been arrested in connection with the murder of Russian LGBTQ activist Elena Grigoryeva. Officials do not intend to pursue hate crime charges, claiming the murder was not motivated by her activist work, nor her bisexual identity.
• Instinct: In its series finale, Andi Mack served up Disney’s first gay couple.
• Gr8erDays: If you love entertainment/pop culture info from days gone by, follow this Instagram account for daily infograms about celebrity birthdays and more from TV, movies and more.
A post shared by Gr8erDays (@gr8erdays) on Jul 28, 2019 at 7:27pm PDT
• Politico: Kamala Harris on Monday unveiled a plan to achieve universal health care coverage by growing Medicare with the help of private insurers, an effort that splits the difference with her chief Democratic presidential rivals and equips the California senator with her own signature health care proposal ahead of this week’s debates.
• Roanoke Times: A small number of Republicans tried to have Rep. Denver Riggleman censured for having the nerve to officiate a same-sex wedding for two of his supporters. p.s. The attempt failed…
• Out Music: Kelechi drops his latest bop, “Forever Tonight,” with an upbeat 1980s vibe complete with fat beats and pop/soul roots. I’m hearing a little Human League groove in there perhaps…?
“I make romance pop music,” Kelechi recently told Out.com. “I want people to fall in love with the feeling they get when they listen.”
I have to say I like the simple approach to the video. Lately, I find overly-complicated music videos can get in the way of listening/enjoying the music.
• InstaHunks: Spanish model Fran Dullon (above) celebrated his birthday yesterday! And – be afraid – he’s going to be on the same Atlantis Mediterranean cruise I’m doing in August. So, Ima gonna have to meet him, don’t you know? 🙂
• Gr8terDays: Rutger Hauer, the intense, blond actor who throughout his 50-year career was at his best playing the worst people, died last week following “a very short illness.” He was 75.
• The Independent: Four teenage boys have been charged with an aggravated hate crime over a homophobic attack against two women on a London night bus, the Metropolitan Police has said. Melania Geymonat, 28, and her girlfriend Chris were hospitalised with facial injuries and left covered with blood after the assault on 30 May.
• CNN: House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff says Americans should be ‘realistic’ about the fact that the only way Trump will be leaving office is by voting him out. Since Senate Republicans would NEVER find a guilty verdict in an impeachment proceeding, he’s right.
House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff: “Should we put the country through an impeachment? I haven’t been convinced yet that we should. Going through that kind of momentous and disruptive experience for the country I think is not something we go into lightly” pic.twitter.com/1wDSUCW7jH
• NPR: For the first time ever, wind has surpassed coal as an energy source in Texas. Data released this month by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas shows wind created 22 percent of the electricity used in the first half of the year, edging out coal by 1%.
• CNN: Former Vice President Joe Biden claps back at Sens. Kamala Harris and Cory Booker ahead of next week’s Democratic debate where they will stand side-by-side onstage.
• Out Music: Tegan & Sara drop the lyric video for their latest single, “I’ll Be Back Someday,” from the duo’s upcoming album Hey, I’m Just Like You, due out September 27.
The new collection is comprised of songs that the twins discovered on old cassette tapes that they wrote at the beginning of their career. The duo listened with fresh ears, rewrote and re-recorded the songs into today.
