Biden / Harris Focused Discussion

[Paranoid Android]

Bash asked Harris if she would consider withholding weapon shipments in an effort to influence Israel as it wages a retaliatory war against Hamas in Gaza that has killed 40,000 people, according to Palestinian health officials.

“Let me be very clear. I am unequivocal and unwavering in my commitment to Israel’s defense and its ability to defend itself, and that’s not going to change,” Harris said.

At the same time, Harris took issue with the number of civilian Palestinians that have been killed in Israel’s military operation in Gaza.

“Israel has a right to defend itself, and we would. But how it does so matters,” Harris said.

As for whether she would change U.S. policy if elected president, Harris kept focus on the need for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

“We have got to get a deal done. This war must end,” she said, adding that she ultimately supports a two-state solution.

This hurts me so much. To give weapons and military aid to a government committing genocide is so horrible.

She is definitely doing the wish, wash of "cease fire" but I support Israel no questions. I can't go with she is going to change or force Israel's hand when in office. This is her statement and I have to take it for now.

Once more politically she has calculated that they can win by just sitting on the fence. This is probably so, right now. I believe she could have easily stated that saying "no weapons for genocide" would have been a better statement.

So yes in the end just playing politics in their safe, perhaps scared way will keep costing lives lost on the Palestinian side.

[ati87]

Bash asked Harris if she would consider withholding weapon shipments in an effort to influence Israel as it wages a retaliatory war against Hamas in Gaza that has killed 40,000 people, according to Palestinian health officials.

“Let me be very clear. I am unequivocal and unwavering in my commitment to Israel’s defense and its ability to defend itself, and that’s not going to change,” Harris said.

At the same time, Harris took issue with the number of civilian Palestinians that have been killed in Israel’s military operation in Gaza.

“Israel has a right to defend itself, and we would. But how it does so matters,” Harris said.

As for whether she would change U.S. policy if elected president, Harris kept focus on the need for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

“We have got to get a deal done. This war must end,” she said, adding that she ultimately supports a two-state solution.

This hurts me so much. To give weapons and military aid to a government committing genocide is so horrible.

She is definitely doing the wish, wash of "cease fire" but I support Israel no questions. I can't go with she is going to change or force Israel's hand when in office. This is her statement and I have to take it for now.

Once more politically she has calculated that they can win by just sitting on the fence. This is probably so, right now. I believe she could have easily stated that saying "no weapons for genocide" would have been a better statement.

So yes in the end just playing politics in their safe, perhaps scared way will keep costing lives lost on the Palestinian side.

The bar has been set so low that a couple of years ago politicians and media would have said "no Palestinians civilians have been killed by Israel".

If, any American president came out and said "Israel has never defended themselves and has been the aggressors" (Gaza's almost entire population are originally refugees) the public perception of this conflict would shift overnight. You saw this with gay marriage, Biden came out in support which forced Obama to back Biden and that changed the overall public perception in the US.

But they won’t do this ever. Bide was willing to sacrifice his political career for Israel, even though Netanyahu has been spitting on Biden's face for a long, long time.

[Muzjhath]

The bar has been set so low that a couple of years ago politicians and media would have said "no Palestinians civilians have been killed by Israel".

If, any American president came out and said "Israel has never defended themselves and has been the aggressors" (Gaza's almost entire population are originally refugees) the public perception of this conflict would shift overnight. You saw this with gay marriage, Biden came out in support which forced Obama to back Biden and that changed the overall public perception in the US.

But they won’t do this ever. Bide was willing to sacrifice his political career for Israel, even though Netanyahu has been spitting on Biden's face for a long, long time.

You have gay marriage the other way around.
Obama refused to budge/say anything until grassroots pressure was so big among voters he couldn't not.
Which happened because prop8 in California making it so the queer community in that state got fed up with straight allies and called them bad people. /gross simplification.

Does Harris have a shit stance? Yes. But so does a majority of US citizens.

[Kaleredar]

You have gay marriage the other way around.
Obama refused to budge/say anything until grassroots pressure was so big among voters he couldn't not.
Which happened because prop8 in California making it so the queer community in that state got fed up with straight allies and called them bad people. /gross simplification.

Does Harris have a shit stance? Yes. But so does a majority of US citizens.

Obama was also president at the time.

I’d also point out that, optically, the republicans weren’t going to be able to run on the antithetical stance of “repeal gay marriage.” (At least not out loud) in the next election cycle. But if Harris comes out seemingly “against Israel” the republicans can run on the far more palatable “support Israel and the Jewish people.”

Harris taking a middle road forces the republicans to set their narrative to the right of her, which is a demonstrable “we’re going to destroy Palestine.” Which, if you think about it, is the far worse stance. Certainly worse for Palestine.

[Elegiac]

Obama was also president at the time.

I’d also point out that, optically, the republicans weren’t going to be able to run on the antithetical stance of “repeal gay marriage.” (At least not out loud) in the next election cycle. But if Harris comes out seemingly “against Israel” the republicans can run on the far more palatable “support Israel and the Jewish people.”

Harris taking a middle road forces the republicans to set their narrative to the right of her, which is a demonstrable “we’re going to destroy Palestine.” Which, if you think about it, is the far worse stance. Certainly worse for Palestine.

People, by which I mean the folks in this thread making Palestine this election's Medicare for All, are also underestimating the degree to which Zionism is normalized among the Democratic party's most reliable voters: reliable being the operative word. Jewish communities which are blue but would stay home if Harris started taking a more vocal anti-Zionist stance vote much more reliably than terminally online progressives claiming to represent Muslim Americans in Michigan, and that's the calculus at play here.

Genocide is bad, but are progressives willing to do the legwork of helping to detach Jewish identity from the way it was co-opted by Zionists after the Holocaust? Survey says...

No, as that would involve getting off Twitter.

[Benggaul]

This shit again? Harris' stance--which is also where Biden was heading--is already more critical of Israel than most politicians have been since the war. The vast majority of Americans still unequivocally support Israel and even among Democrats it's walking a tightrope saying even this much.

Whine about what Harris said as much as you want, it's still more growth on the subject of Israel than American politics has had in ages and she can't full-throatedly support Palestine over Israel without alienating a pretty sizeable chunk of voters.

[CastletonSnob]

Harris isn't investing in Texas.

I'm going to remember this when Republicans win the Senate in November and Harris can't get anything done.

[Shadowferal]

Harris isn't investing in Texas. I'm going to remember this when Republicans win the Senate in November and Harris can't get anything done.

When was the last time a Democrat won TX?

[CastletonSnob]

When was the last time a Democrat won TX?

Cruz is only ahead by 2 points. That race is absolutely winnable.

[Shadowferal]

Cruz is only ahead by 2 points. That race is absolutely winnable.

And it didn't need her to get there.

[CastletonSnob]

And it didn't need her to get there.

She could visit swing districts and generate turnout in those races, helping the state legislature be slightly less red.

[Milchshake]

Harris isn't investing in Texas.

I'm going to remember this when Republicans win the Senate in November and Harris can't get anything done.

Dunno, your memory looks shit, sweatie. Aww geez Harris held a huge rally in Houston like the first week of her being the candidate.

Funny how you would memroy hole that. Dunno how of this stupidity is just part of your act. Like you expect the DNC to personally drive you to the voting booth and hold your hand while you vote?

[Shadowferal]

Allred has largely run his Senate race keeping his distance from Harris. On Thursday, before a national audience, he said he is proud to support her.

Allred, who is challenging U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, this year in one of the Senate Democrats’ top flip targets this year, has so far run his race largely independently of Democrats outside the state, focusing on Texas issues rather than yoking his candidacy to the presidential ticket. During an address to the Texas delegation on Thursday morning, Allred leaned heavily into attacking Cruz without mentioning Harris.

Allred’s remarks Thursday night were brief relative to other convention speakers, and his endorsement remained relatively muted. He focused most of his 3-minute address on beating Cruz and former President Donald Trump, whom he derided as “me-guys.”

“You know, the type to talk a big game, only care about themselves, but you don’t want to get stuck with them at a barbecue,” Allred said. “We’ve got a message for the me-guys. ‘We’ is more powerful than ‘me’.”

“We will restore reproductive freedom. We will secure the border. We will protect Medicare and Social Security,” Allred continued. “And we will turn the page and write a new chapter for this country and elect Kamala Harris to be the next president and beat Ted Cruz.”

Allred garnered sustained chants of “Beat Ted Cruz,” a senator who himself says he is the most reviled Republican among Democrats behind Trump.

Harris’s campaign has proven to be something of a double-edged sword for Allred. On the one hand, her historic candidacy appears to be boosting Democratic enthusiasm that could help down-ballot candidates like him. But he’s also been reluctant to show too much enthusiasm for the Democrat, as he tries to court independent voters in a red state.

As a result, he’s kept her at an arm’s length. He did not join her for any of her half dozen appearances in Texas in July. And his initial endorsement of her was murky. He has not officially posted a campaign statement endorsing her, but his campaign has told reporters that he is backing the vice president.

Says enough...

[CastletonSnob]

Dunno, your memory looks shit, sweatie. Aww geez Harris held a huge rally in Houston like the first week of her being the candidate.

Funny how you would memroy hole that. Dunno how of this stupidity is just part of your act. Like you expect the DNC to personally drive you to the voting booth and hold your hand while you vote?

Oh wow, ONE rally in a city that was already going to vote for her! Give her a gold star sticker!

If she wants to flip Texas, she needs to visit the DFW area, specifically Tarrant County, Collin County, and Denton County.

[Shadowferal]

Oh wow, ONE rally in a city that was already going to vote for her! Give her a gold star sticker! If she wants to flip Texas, she needs to visit the DFW area, specifically Tarrant County, Collin County, and Denton County.

You're new at this...and ignorant. TX doesn't want her.

[Paranoid Android]

She is definitely doing the wish, wash of "cease fire" but I support Israel no questions. I can't go with she is going to change or force Israel's hand when in office. This is her statement and I have to take it for now.

Once more politically she has calculated that they can win by just sitting on the fence. This is probably so, right now. I believe she could have easily stated that saying "no weapons for genocide" would have been a better statement.

So yes in the end just playing politics in their safe, perhaps scared way will keep costing lives lost on the Palestinian side.

Some people have been on vacation too long to read comments.

As my quote says I understand the politics and clearly stated Harris and Dems have calculated on supporting Israel.

The US can clearly cut military aid to Israel to force negotiations and my opinion, wouldn't affect Americans in any way. Well, obviously the Republicans would bitch. The object is to force Bibi to the table cause he does not want too. Can we say the same about Palestine, sure. No way does Palestine, have the military power, economic and international support of what is happening.

It's surprising but I can't find no current polling on Israel really, except all for when Biden was President and back in March. Maybe some can give a more current and when Harris is now candidate.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/642695/...tion-gaza.aspx

So on Gallup most want cease fire of course and at 60% Independents and 75% disapprove of Israel military action. So moving to actually trying to get a cease fire done is a political win.

Obviously to get into scenarios we can't say what will happen. I can see how if we took away Military Aid, would Israel find weapons and aid somewhere else. Of course. At least we don't have to be complicit.

[Kaleredar]

Oh wow, ONE rally in a city that was already going to vote for her! Give her a gold star sticker!

If she wants to flip Texas, she needs to visit the DFW area, specifically Tarrant County, Collin County, and Denton County.

In what reality is Harris flipping Texas even a remote possibility?

There are about half-dozen other states actually up for grabs that she should be focusing her efforts on.

[Benggaul]

Some people "Buh dah DEMS" so hard they don't deserve the attention.

[En Sabah Nur]

Some people "Buh dah DEMS" so hard they don't deserve the attention.

I at least applaud the commitment to it. Hilariously sad as it is.

[CastletonSnob]

Harris should be campaigning in Texas or Florida. If she wins one of them, that would be the end of Trumpism.

It's not enough to win the swing states. Harris needs to win in a 2008-level blowout, so Trump won't try to contest the results. To use a boxing analogy, Democrats are settling for a decision win, when they should be going for the knockout.