Kamala Must Contain Multitudes
On Palestine, policing, and Kamala Harris's path to the White House.
There is a weight we carry, those of us stitched into the fabric of this nation. It is the weight of multitudes, a plurality of selves contorted and compressed within the tendons of our being. Each of us, a symphony of contradictions and dualities, navigating the noise of America’s historical and present institutions. To be American is to be a vessel of multiplicity, a bearer of burdens both ancient and immediate.
Kamala Harris’s presidential candidacy is the epitome of American multitudes. Which is what many of us are struggling with. There is so much good we want to be believe she will do, but so much bad she has actually done.
I am part of what some have coined, the “radical left.” My beliefs, my values, my vision for this country extend beyond the confines of the centrist, incremental approaches that have long dominated the political landscape. I am one who dreams of abolition, who envisions a world without the oppressive mechanisms of the carceral state, who believes in universal healthcare, housing as a human right, an end to the military-industrial-complex, and a Green New Deal that addresses the environmental catastrophe looming over us.
None of which aligns with Vice President Harris’s political record.
Therefore, writing about her presidential candidacy is a daunting endeavor. A task that necessitates an unwavering confrontation with the relentless anti-Blackness and misogynoir she faces, while recognizing the beacon of hope she stands for to millions of Black and Brown women and girls. As well as maintaining an unflinching acknowledgment of the destructive decisions she has made as an elected official, leading to the harm of countless marginalized people.
In other words, I’m attempting to walk a fine line between Kamala Harris’s potential and political legacy. Because if we want to defeat Donald Trump, it will require us to hold space for both—and require Harris to make some major offerings to people who have been harmed by her.
Before I outline what I believe Kamala Harris must do to win in November, we must confront the truth of who she has been.
Kamala Harris's story is a complex blend of aspiration and harm caused. As the District Attorney of San Francisco in 2004, Harris supported policies that led to the disproportionate incarceration of Black and Brown people. Her controversial decisions to defend wrongful convictions and resist calls for police accountability painted a picture of a leader who was often complicit in systems that oppressed her community. In 2010, her opposition to a bill requiring her office to investigate police shootings alienated many progressives and highlighted a troubling alignment with law enforcement over marginalized communities' cries for justice.
Her tenure as California's Attorney General from 2011 to 2017 further complicated her legacy, with her reluctance to support measures like marijuana legalization and her defense of California's death penalty contrasting sharply with the progressive image she sought to cultivate.
Harris's political career is also marked by significant moral and ethical contradictions. In 2011, her office's failure to disclose critical information in over 600 cases led to wrongful convictions that destroyed lives and families. In 2014, during the surge of unaccompanied minors from Central America, she advocated for policies that resulted in the detention and deportation of vulnerable children. And as Vice President, Harris's inherent association with the Israel’s genocide in Palestine has placed her on the wrong side of a sickening moral and ethical failing.
To make matters worse, her attempts to connect with Black voters through cultural signifiers (see: “Not Like Us” moment) have often been perceived as disingenuous and disrespectful, revealing a politician more concerned with pandering than substantive engagement with the issues facing Black America.
All of that said—it is tempting—and at times necessary, to focus solely on Kamala Harris’s flaws and the hurt she has inflicted. Yet, we must consider two truths simultaneously: the truth of who she has been and the truth of who she must become in order to win.
A Kamala Harris victory over Donald Trump requires an honest assessment of electorate realities. Though, most discussions will inevitably focus on Black voters, the truth is more straightforward than the media will suggest. Harris is a Black woman who graduated from an HBCU and is a sister of Alpha Kappa Alpha, the oldest Black sorority in America. Identity politics will largely ensure that Harris garners the necessary Black vote from both women and men. Even if, the media, in its relentless pursuit of narratives, continues to frame Black men as a potential large bloc of Trump supporters, ignoring our consistent pattern as the second most reliable voting demographic for the Democratic Party, surpassed only by Black women.
Kamala Harris will also undoubtedly secure the “Vote Blue No Matter Who” base—the largest faction of the party, united by a resolute commitment to preventing a second Trump presidency. Policies, record, or identity aside, this voter bloc would support Harris, Biden, a house plant, or anyone who gets the nomination.
Since Harris has the majority of the Black vote secured and a steadfast Democratic base, the pressing question becomes: who does she need to appeal to in order to surpass Donald Trump? Despite his defeat in 2020, Trump garnered the second-highest vote count in presidential election history, surpassed only by Joe Biden. Biden's success was built on a coalition that included the groups already mentioned, along with a significant number of disaffected Republican voters.
One might argue that Harris could leverage her background as a prosecutor to attract Republican voters. However, this strategy is fraught with complexities. Unlike Biden, Harris does not benefit from the political privileges of being an older white man. This demographic difference could hinder her appeal to a Republican base traditionally resistant to change and diversity. Moreover, if Harris were to adopt a “tough on crime” stance to court these voters, she risks alienating parts of her existing support base, who may perceive such a move as a betrayal of progressive values.
Instead, Harris could take a page from Trump's playbook by targeting the margins of the left-wing, much like Trump has done with the right-wing. Trump’s success lay in his ability to galvanize the fringes, the disenchanted, and those who felt ignored by mainstream politics. The white working and poverty class that felt unseen and unheard. Which is largely why he chose J.D. Vance as his running mate. Because of the appeal he has with that demographic, as smoke and mirrors as it is.
Harris could similarly engage with those on the left who yearn for more progressive change but feel disenfranchised by centrist policies. A coalition of people who have felt unseen and unheard by the Democratic Party.
Imagine Harris addressing the needs of those who advocate for universal healthcare, climate justice, an end to the carceral state, and the U.S. support of Israel’s genocide. By authentically engaging with these issues, she could harness the energy of voters who lean further left. Most importantly, the support of voters who remained uncommitted in key swing states, whose stance was a large part of the reason Joe Biden was forced to drop out of the race.
I’m sure many will argue that her identity, and the history that would come with electing a Black and South Asian woman, or the sheer dread of another Trump presidency should suffice. But how do you convey the urgency of this election to someone such as my friend Dima, who has lost seven family members in Gaza? How do you ask a young first-time voter not to be disillusioned after spending months seeing thousands of Palestinian lives obliterated by bombs supplied or funded by the Biden administration? How do you explain to the mother working two jobs who needs to take off from one of them in order to vote that this President will truly make the difference in her daily life?
Again, I understand that there is excitement around Kamala Harris, and that excitement will lead to millions of votes and donations. This support is a solid foundation upon which her campaign can build. However, relying solely on the given base will not be enough to secure a win. The electoral math demands more. Roughly 75 million votes to be exact, which would beat the 74 million that Trump amassed in 2020. Meaning Harris will likely need the second most votes in history to become President.
Kamala Harris must win over those who currently stand outside the fold—the disillusioned, the skeptical, the betrayed. She must address their concerns with a level of candor and commitment that goes beyond the conventional political playbook. This involves more than just apologizing for past missteps; it requires a clear and actionable plan to rectify the harm caused and to align her policies with ideals that these communities hold dear.
To win over these critical blocs, she must perform a delicate and genuine separation from not only her past—but Joe Biden as well.
Though she is Vice President, Kamala Harris must distance herself from the Biden administration's actions that have contributed to the ongoing violence and suffering in Palestine. The blood on the administration’s hands cannot be ignored, and Harris must take a clear and principled stand against these atrocities. This means not only condemning the actions of Israel but working to divest U.S. dollars from their apartheid state.
This is not just a matter of moral responsibility; it is also a crucial political strategy. The bloc of voters who are passionate about Palestinian rights is significant, especially in many swing states. These voters are deeply invested in seeing a U.S. foreign policy that prioritizes human rights and justice over imperial interests. By aligning herself with their cause, Harris can mobilize a critical segment of the electorate.
Kamala Harris should also confront her record with humility and transparency. She must acknowledge the pain and destruction her past policies have caused. Engaging in deep, empathetic dialogues with communities that have faced the brunt of her decisions. It is only through this confrontation with her past that she can begin to rebuild trust, while offering a vision of transformation, aligning with more progressive policies.
Moreover, her campaign must cultivate a grassroots movement that genuinely includes and listens to the voices of those on the peripheries of her base. She needs to build coalitions with progressive activists, labor unions, and community organizers who have long championed the causes of justice and equality. This grassroots engagement must go beyond mere optics; it should influence her policies and priorities, ensuring that her campaign is driven by the needs and aspirations of the people.
To be honest, I am certain that many will find my assessment unpalatable, but I cannot envision a path to victory that does not involve Kamala Harris making substantial offerings to the communities that have yet to rally behind her. My hope is that those offerings are not to Republicans. This election, at its core, is not merely about consolidating the support of a centrist or moderate base. She already possesses that advantage in her pocket. The real challenge lies in expanding her appeal beyond the familiar confines of her existing supporters.
To secure a win, Kamala Harris must transcend the limitations of her past by demonstrating that she contains multitudes. Which is a formidable task, but not insurmountable.
Kamala Harris’s campaign must recognize that the key to her victory lies not in appeasing those who already stand with her, but in reaching out to those who do not. She must offer them a vision of an America that is more just, more equitable, and more free—a vision that does more than uphold a crumbling empire built on white supremacy and capitalism.
All of this right here. Thank you!
Great reminders and advice. I can't shake off the feeling that us, far left, are right about things, but are masters in losing elections. What I personally am missing here is:
1) Positive things about Kamala that you want far left to know,
2) Acknowledgment that her job, after nomination is to be president for both, people that love this thoughtful article AND people who write thoughtful articles who disagree with you in significant way, and
3) That most of these problematic things she has done are not planned, intentional, or grounded in her convictions but rather happen to people who get things done in the world that is complex, contradictory, and more messy than any human being can bear.
We, the far left, in general, do not know how to win elections (hopelessly perpetual amateurs) but love to tell progressives, liberal, and centrists who actually win elections what they need to believe, be, and do. There is a streak to us that feels like being a 15 years old who thinks the world should be certain way just because they can think of it.