"She has that Obamanesque quality, if there's such a thing."

[bigtree]

David Darmofal @david_darmofal 2h2 hours ago
Strikes me as a noteworthy endorsement given criticisms from the left of @KamalaHarris's work as DA & AG. Ben Crump, well-known civil rights attorney & attorney for Trayvon Martin's family, endorses Harris due to her record in CA.

“When you look up some of the stuff that she’s tried to do working from the inside, you know that she understands the challenges of trying to get progress when there are a lot of powers that be that are pushing against the cause for equal justice,” he said.

“Senator Kamala Harris has demonstrated an unbridled commitment to a fair and just criminal justice system from her very first days as district attorney,” Crump said in a statement obtained by POLITICO. “Our work on the outside championing reform relies on people on the inside who will make decisions informed by their cultural experiences and a willingness to listen.”

“(She) grew up in a family steeped in civil rights. But yet she has worked on the inside as a prosecutor,” he said of the California senator. “So she has a unique advantage from being able to know what it’s like to be on both sides in these matters, and I think that’s gonna be very important.”

“See all the things she did when she was the first black attorney general in the state of California because many of the programs that she instituted were unprecedented in America. That was very beneficial for communities of color,” he said. “And when you look at all the other top-tier candidates, she is by far better on the issues than they have been in the history of their careers when you look at their voting records and their rhetoric. A lot of people did a lot of things for political expediency that are now singing a different tune.”

read: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/16/crump-harris-2020-1415888

Nolan D. McCaskill @NolanDMcCaskill 3h3 hours ago
@AttorneyCrump is backing @KamalaHarris. “She has that Obamanesque quality, if there’s such a thing,” he told me. “In many ways, she is more experienced and just as qualified as Barack Obama was when he embarked upon his historic campaign.”

Link to tweet

[riversedge]

1. smart move IMHO--but #RacistTrump will really hit on her now! Anything to do with Obama, and

we know Trump will puke on it.

[left-of-center2012]

2. She has that Obamanesque quality ?

I don't see it.

[onetexan]

3. Ditto

[highplainsdem]

5. I don't see it either.

[maddiemom]

18. Neither do I...at all!

[Thekaspervote]

29. No nope don't see it!

[Cha]

44. Not there, imo. There's no one

like President Obama.

[disndat]

6. Agree

All the top candidates are equally talented and brilliant, but only Biden has the depth of experience in all categories
and at the Great One's side for 8 years.

[DownriverDem]

20. Me neither

I don't think a woman can win this time. VP yes, but not President.

[Butterflylady]

32. Just ask yourself,

Would Obama have done to one of his opponents what Harris did to Biden? No he wouldn't have, so saying She has Obamanesaque quality is so far over the top it's not even funny.

[Kaleva]

41. You may want to watch the highlights of the 6 Obama-Hillary debates of 2008

[Raine]

53. I sure don't see it. nt

[comradebillyboy]

4. She has Obama-like charisma.

[Demsrule86]

17. I don't see it and I adored Pres. Obama.

[DownriverDem]

21. Sorry

I respectfully disagree. In fact, I think it's dumb to push this idea.

[bigtree]

23. it's this well-known and regarded civil rights lawyer's opinion

...no one is 'pushing it.'

Not the same as folks pushing back against this opinion.

[mainstreetonce]

28. I see it

Could she get the Obama numbers?
Possible.

[comradebillyboy]

33. I like her a lot but I don't think she can get Obama's numbers.

[katmondoo]

7. I see it in Warren

[DownriverDem]

22. Well

I truly do not think a woman can win this time. We have never had a woman VP either. That's where we need to start.

[marylandblue]

43. A woman lost by only 80,000 votes in 3 states last time.

Plus there were a lot of factors against her that had nothing to do with gender and don't apply to any woman running this time.

[Demit]

59. The way we started with a black VP? Because we couldn't go right to electing a black president!

[left-of-center2012]

8. what is "Obamanesque quality"?

To me, it is Barack Obama's personality, and eloquence.
The only other person, in my opinion, who has that is Michelle Obama.

[honest.abe]

10. Indeed it was/is a unique quality for which I adore the man.

However Harris has much of it.. smart, quick, witty, charming, confident. She's as close to being "Obamaesque"... probably as close as anyone but Obama can be.

[left-of-center2012]

11. "smart, quick, witty, charming, confident"

I suspect many supporting other candidates disagree.

[honest.abe]

12. Well they would be wrong.

[MarcA]

27. Especially a certain candidate's excuse squad here on DU. n/t

[left-of-center2012]

42. "a certain candidate's excuse squad"

A game played by all.

[RestoreAmerica2020]

40. She's all that. Harris has IT. Obama has IT, HCinton has IT..what is IT?

Last edited Tue Jul 16, 2019, 03:37 PM - Edit history (1)

...IT'S--I.S., Intellectual Sophistication that sets them apart [Corey Booker, Julian Castro, Pete Buttigieg have IS, Elizabeth Warren; as well other democratic leaders have IS; people around us have IS as well; and I suspect given the level of discourse, vast areas of interests, extensive expertise shared , exhibited here on DU shows that we too have..IS (perhaps at vaying degrees) --aspire to be the best of ourselves, more informed, more worldly; seeking development of mind, body and spirit.

The Augustana Learning Outcomes define three aspects of Intellectual Sophistication:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://sites.google.com/a/augustana.edu/somer-druszkowski/intellectual-sophistication&ved=2ahUKEwi6ra_Qj7rjAhWKr54KHdcCBVsQFjARegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw3brmkfes8ndXDJlYZSv4o8

Disciplinary Knowledge Understand: Demonstrate an extended knowledge of at least one specific discipline and its interdisciplinary connections to the liberal arts, reflected in the ability to address issues or challenges and contribute to the field.

Critical Thinking and Information Literacy Analyze: Critique and construct arguments. This requires the ability to raise vital questions, formulate well-defined problems, recognize underlying assumptions, gather evidence in an efficient, ethical and legal manner, suspend judgment while gathering evidence, evaluate the integrity and utility of potential evidence, critique and incorporate other plausible perspectives, and determine a reasonable conclusion based upon the available evidence.

Quantitative Literacy Interpret: Interpret, represent and summarize information in a variety of modes (symbolic, graphical, numerical and verbal) presented in mathematical and statistical models; use mathematical and statistical methods to solve problems, and recognize the limitations of these methods.
Subpages (3): Critical Thinking and Information Literacy Disciplinary Knowledge Quantitative Literacy

[Thekaspervote]

30. Agree! President Obama was a once in a lifetime... not a good comparison

[treestar]

9. There's only one Obama

You don't get many of those in one lifetime and we have to face that we don't have another one.

[honest.abe]

13. I could argue Harris may be exactly what we need right now.

Not an clone of Obama but a candidate with similar qualities but with much more aggressiveness, willing to take on anyone and do most anything in a knock down dragout political fight. Instead of offering a handshake she might give a kick to the groin. If our opponent is Trump that might be exactly what is needed.

[msongs]

14. no nt

[bigtree]

15. no question

...nt.

[Demsrule86]

16. I looked into her time as DA and AG...and all I can say is she shouldn't bring it up.

I would vote for her sure in a general...but not in a primary.

[Thekaspervote]

31. This

[Andy823]

35. And I would vote for Biden

In the general election, but NEVER in the primary!

[mcar]

24. Great endorsement!

[bigtree]

25. Ben's going to be an excellent advocate for Sen. Harris

...

Link to tweet

[Kind of Blue]

49. Thanks! I thought he looked mighty familiar.

[Kaleva]

26. "Smart, quick, witty, charming, confident, prepared" are Obama qualities and Harris has them.

[Andy823]

37. Exactly!

There will only be on Obama, and he was great, but Harris has a lot of his qualities, and I think she too will become one of a kind once she becomes President.

[left-of-center2012]

34. The 'cloak' of Obama

"Look at me: I'm Obamanesque"

Uh, no You're not.

[BeyondGeography]

36. Forget that

I’ll give Harris this much: Obama would have made a crappy prosecutor. That is the best I can say about that comparison.

[Thekaspervote]

45. Indeed!!

[58Sunliner]

38. Obama would never have made some of the choices she made.

Stop using Obama.

[bigtree]

39. yeah, sure

...

Link to tweet

[Thekaspervote]

46. That is not a good analogy...

[58Sunliner]

62. Yes he endorsed her for the Senate. Doesn't change her record or the disparity to his.

[Cha]

54. Thank You, 58Sunliner.

[treestar]

61. [phone]

[TexasTowelie]

47. I see Harris as a prosecutor and senator, but not much more than that.

She will check the boxes saying that she supports various programs in the Democratic platform, but I don't see her as a leader. Her lack of experience and knowledge in foreign policy and economics means that she will face a steep learning curve if she is elected so she will rely heavily on advisers which is reminiscent of one of our previous presidents which didn't turn out well.

I also don't see where she would flip any states that voted for Trump in the prior presidential election. The focus of a matchup between Harris and Trump will be on racial issues which will bring out the Trump voters in droves. Unfortunately, there are too many Americans that are either fine with racism or that will pay lip service to the ideals of racial equality, but won't vote for that candidate at the ballot box. I'll vote for her in the general election, but I don't see myself getting enthusiastic about her prospects.

[bigtree]

48. sounds like Barack Obama

...whose foreign policy experience comprised little more than a short stint on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with Dick Lugar (R) as his celebrated mentor.


I remember the same arguments being used against the Obama candidacy. What actually occurred was an historic mobilization of the black vote which greatly helped propel him to the WH.

Kamala Harris has the added dimension of being a woman in a Democratic primary which saw record numbers of black women voting this last election to help enable Dems to take over the House. In fact, women are the most dependable voters, overall. If Sen. Harris can energize those elements of the electorate, she could see an even larger victory than Obama, a candidate who came into the race with great doubts about his chances, and ended up with a record number of votes.

[TexasTowelie]

51. Anything is possible.

However, one of the factors that contributed to President Obama's victory in 2008 was McCain's own admission that he knew nothing about economics during the height of a systemic failure of the economy. No disrespect to President Obama is intended with that statement.

While Harris may be able to get black women turn out in record numbers, from my perspective in redneckville I also see Harris' candidacy resulting in a record turnout of white males and white females who will oppose her simply because of her race.

My perspective is subject to change if there is some sort of economic calamity, but as long as the stock market is doing well and unemployment is low all of our candidates will have trouble in the general election. I don't recall any election in my lifetime when economic issues didn't take precedence over race relations.

[bigtree]

56. I can't remember a candidate more vulnerable than Trump

...in almost every measure.

He's not going to hold the WH by just holding his base. He's shown no evidence that he can hold independents and others who rounded out his base of deplorables.

And there's more than enough time to weaken him and elevate our nominee through our convention. You may well be able to point to the stock market, but Trump's a huge pile of malfeasance blocking Americans from the sweet smell of some economic success that investors and others are enjoying with Trump at the till.

Just today, he argued for a new round of tariffs on China, a gun pointed to the head of America's farmers and manufacturers; and ultimately, consumers and retailers. Redneckville won't save his this time around.

[Skya Rhen]

57. +1,000,000

[Thekaspervote]

50. agree. Seems CA may be leaning that way. State poll out today shows she isn't 1st in her own state

[MFM008]

52. Elizabeth Warren

Has an F.D.R. quality.
Fix..fix..plans..plan.. a plan for everything.

[Skittles]

55. women have to be twice as good to be considered half as good

Obama got heavy recognition as the first black president but he was a male president in a long line of them - Kamala has to battle both racism AND sexism

[DesertRat]

58. +1

[JI7]

60. she does have an appeal but i doubt see it as being like Obama's

[Indygram]

63. Obama's message of Hope is what won the election

And for that reason, Beto O'Rourke is the one most like Obama. In fact, he's the only one running on the message of Hope. Everyone else is more negatively focused on attacking Trump and I don't think that's how to win. You win by giving people something to believe in and aspire to. I don't get that from any of the other candidates if I'm being perfectly honest.

[Skya Rhen]

64. I love Obama and absolutely adore Hillary. Obama, Harris is not - but some have said

that she has a magnetic personality and compare her to Hillary.

Personally, I believe that each of them is his/her own individual.