Unpacking Harris’ choice to demur on race and gender; dismiss Trump’s ‘turn Black’ insult during CNN interview
In her first sit-down interview since becoming the Democratic Party presidential nominee, Kamala Harris notably did not lean too much into the conversation about her race and gender.
When asked about the historic nature of her candidacy by CNN’s Dana Bash, who noted Harris did not “explicitly” mention her identity as a Black and South Asian woman during her DNC speech, the vice president said, “I am running because I believe that I am the best person to do this job at this moment for all Americans, regardless of race and gender.”
A viral photograph of Harris’ grand-niece watching her deliver the DNC acceptance speech sparked euphoria among women and communities of color who see Harris’ historic candidacy for president as a pivotal turning point in American political history.
Harris said she was “deeply touched” by the sentimental photograph, adding, “It’s very humbling in many ways.”
Harris filmed the CNN interview during her visit to Savannah, Georgia, for a rally. It marked the first time since the 1980s that a presidential candidate visited the diverse coastal city in the Peach State.
Tolulope Kevin Olasanoye, executive director of the Georgia Democratic Party, notes that Harris does not need to focus much attention on her racial and gender identity, telling theGrio, “very clearly she is a Black woman.”
“We can see that. You see her. Despite whatever Donald Trump says,” said Olasanoye, referencing her Republican opponent’s suggestion that Harris, the daughter of an Indian mother and Jamaican father, decided to “turn Black” for political expediency.
When asked about the Trump insult, which he said in response to a question about Harris being called a “DEI hire” at the National Association of Black Journalists convention, the vice president was short and to the point: “Same old, tired playbook. Next question, please.”
Political analyst Anthony Coley said Harris’ response reminded him of former first lady Michelle Obama’s famous phrase, “When they go low, we go high.”
“She’s bigger than Trump and his politics of personal destruction. She’s rightly focused on policies to improve people’s lives. And that’s what people want: someone who’s focused on them,” Coley told theGrio.
Focusing less on her identity as a Black woman – and the attacks that come along with it – and more on her ability to do the job is something Democrats believe is the best message to voters.
During her DNC speech last week, Michelle Obama dismissed Trump’s “narrow view of the world,” evidenced by his attacks on the racial identity of her husband, former President Barack Obama, and most recently, Harris. Mrs. Obama said Trump was “threatened by the existence of two hard-working, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black.” In what is now a viral line, Obama added, “Who’s going to tell him that the job he is currently seeking might just be one of those Black jobs?”
“Michelle Obama [was] right,” said Olasanoye. “I would hope that we have gotten to a place in our body politic where there’s no such thing as a Black job and that a Black job, quote, unquote, could be any job, up to and including the presidency of the United States.”
He said Harris not leaning into her identity is “less about not wanting to acknowledge the whole historic nature of it and more about normalizing it.”
Olasanoye said that the more the country spends time talking about Trump’s “old, recycled” attacks, the less time there is for discussing the “future of this country” and where Harris and her vice presidential running mate Tim Walz want to take it.
During her prime-time interview, Harris disparaged Trump for instigating a decade-long era of what is “contrary to where the spirit of our country really lies” and blamed issues related to the economy and high costs on the “mismanagement” of Trump during the COVID-19 pandemic.
And while she acknowledged that Biden-Harris administration economic policies have led to America recovering faster than “any wealthy nation around the world,” Harris acknowledged that prices for essential goods are still too high and that her policy agenda will further bring down costs.
“She’s right to acknowledge that some people are still hurting and feel the very real impacts of inflation,” said Coley, a former official in the Biden-Harris Department of Justice. “It’s also important to remind voters of how bad the economy was that she and Biden inherited and that even though it’s not what we want it to be, it’s improved vastly because of their stewardship.”
“Donald Trump is the only president in almost 100 years who has walked out of the Oval Office having created less jobs than he had in the economy when he showed up,” said Olasanoye, who noted that one million Americans died during the pandemic when Trump “was telling us to drink bleach … to make COVID go away.”
Olasanoye said Harris was “effective” when discussing the economy. He noted that as the Federal Reserve prepares to cut interest rates, which will relieve millions of Americans, Democrats must continue to “attack this cost thing in a real way.”
He added, “She’s got a plan to do that … she’s got to go out and sell that plan.”