Update on the Harris Campaign
And what you can do TODAY
Many of us are unhappy about the manner in which President Biden was forced to withdraw. Even people who wanted to see him replaced didn’t appreciate the public attacks.
But that was then, and this is now. It appears that Vice President Kamala Harris has a clear shot to the nomination. Yeah, Marianne Williamson says that she’s still in, but she has as much of a chance as my dog Alex, who is afraid of people, places and things. Joe Manchin was making noises, but he’s not even a Democrat and finally gave up the ghost when he realized he’d need 300 signatures, and there aren’t 300 Democrats in the entire United States who would EVER get behind him.
Harris is racking up delegates: as of Monday afternoon, the 541 members of the Tennessee, North and South Carolina, New Hampshire, Florida and Louisiana’s state delegations had pledged to Harris. By Monday evening, Harris had secured pledges from 2,668 delegates. The winner requires 1,976. In addition, she has received endorsements from an ever-growing list of elected Democrats, and Party Elders. This matters because they are Superdelegates1. The scuttlebutt had said that by Wednesday evening, she would have more than enough delegates to win on the first ballot, but the winning number was surpassed in a little over 24 hours after she was endorsed by President Biden.
And let’s talk money. $66.8 million by midnight Sunday. Another $15 million by morning. And as of 3 pm Monday (from Politico)
The Harris campaign announced it raised a record-breaking $81 million in its first 24 hours.
The $81 million collected in one day is the largest 24-hour raise of any presidential candidate in history, the campaign said in a statement.
More than 888,000 grassroots donors made donations in the past 24 hours. For 60 percent of those donors, it was their first contribution of the 2024 cycle. Harris also inherited the tens of millions of dollars that filled President Joe Biden’s campaign coffers.
These are 880,000 small dollar donors, and as I’m always telling you, THAT MEANS VOTES! (If you haven’t donated yet, just go over to your Act Blue account.) In addition, Future Forward, the flagship super PAC blessed by President Joe Biden, received $150 million on Monday afternoon from big money donors who had been holding back the last few weeks.
The money is important not only because there will be a lot needed for infrastructure, but this dwarfs anything MAGA and the Convicted Felon have brought in. Remember, he raised about $54 million from his cave-dwellers the day of his conviction, and Vice President Harris did not need to commit a crime to close to double that. If you think he’s not stewing, you’ve got another thing coming.
The pundits have already started piling on about why Harris will have a tough time. (Screw you Nate Cohn.)
DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM!
Repeat: DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM!
That same group of pundits, pollsters, donors and the rest of the chattering class will tell you that Harris can’t win. That she is weighted down with policies from the Biden-Harris administration. That Trump is destined to win in November. That “the polls…”
THEY ARE WRONG.
Our party has a spectacular opportunity here and now. After the delegate math is in place, there will be a virtual roll call to formally nominate Kamala Harris as the 2024 Democratic Presidential Candidate.
The next step will be for our candidate to select her running mate, and we have a deep bench.
So far, both Gretchen Whitmer and Wes Moore have said they would not accept the nomination. Mark Kelly, JB Pritzker, Josh Shapiro, Roy Cooper, Andy Beshear, Gavin Newsom and Pete Buttigieg have all endorsed, and have not yet said no.
WHAT A BENCH!!! Incredibly accomplished, competent and dedicated people.
Vice President Harris might choose a “balancing” running mate. She may instead select someone who is best aligned with the programs and policies she wants to enact as president. She may announce in the near future or wait until the convention. Let’s be honest, it’s a big decision, and the Vice President has a lot on her plate.
In addition to securing the nomination, making sure all the paperwork is kosher with the FEC, and picking a running mate, there is the infrastructure issue. Will people stay on from the Biden Campaign? Many people have already committed to doing so, but there needs to be a full accounting to ensure that the 1,000 paid field staff are staying put. We need both boots on the ground workers, and campaign leaders so that there is a seamless (or close to seamless) transition of organization, branding, advertising, merchandise, speaking engagements, and let’s be honest — snark on social media. I’ve heard they’re trying to recruit David Plouffe for a high-level role, and Eric Holder is vetting veep candidates.
I know YOUR question is: “What should **I** do?”
Don’t worry, I’ve got your checklist.
Step 1: Learn your response
People will say:
“She’s not up to the job.”
“She’s not ready.”
“A black woman can’t win.”
“A South Asian American woman can’t win.”
“She laughs funny.”
“The coconut thing is a problem.”
“I don’t like how she dresses.”
HERE IS YOUR ANSWER:
“I do not buy into your racist, sexist tropes about our Vice President. I know her to be an effective Prosecutor, a successful Senator, and a great Vice President. I am voting for her. Can I count on your vote?”
Get in front of a mirror and memorize those lines. Say them with compassion. We must nail down our base. Memorizing those lines will also help you when idiot members of the press diss her. Just repeat them like a mantra.
Step 2: Commit to working
This is not the time to be too busy. There is something you can do. If you only have one hour a week, you can write postcards. If you have two hours a week, you can canvass. Go to your local campaign office and volunteer. MAKE THE TIME.
Step 3: Give money
Some people have money, others are struggling. Most people have $5 that they can donate. FIVE DOLLARS (yeah, or more if you can) but FIVE DOLLARS puts another individual contribution on the books and scares the bejesus out of MAGA world. They know that EVERY contribution IS A VOTE. That $45 million Elon is giving monthly to a candidate that would eviscerate Tesla? That’s ONE VOTE.
Step 4: Remember
Remember WHY we are supporting Kamala Harris as our Presidential candidate. Remember we need to save democracy from someone who will destroy us, our children and grandchildren, our way of life, our entire country. Keep that thought uppermost in your mind and talk to people, work for the campaign, and give money.
That’s what I’ve got. If you’re all in, please share this post with 5 people. We need to get the word out. We need to form alliances. And if you want, put your veep choice, with your reasons, in the comments. Let’s see if we can get a conversation going just amoungst ourselves.
IN THE WEEDS FOR POLITICAL JUNKIES: Pledged delegates are elected on primary ballots and vote for the person to whom they were pledged, unless that candidate drops out. Superdelegates are delegates by virtue of their positions: Members of the DNC, Democratic Governors, Senators, House Members, any sitting President and Vice President, and “Party Elders”. Through 2016, Superdelegates made up about 15% of the delegates and could vote on the first ballot. However, in 2018 an agreement was reached that Superdelegates could endorse a candidate, but could not vote on the first ballot, and could only vote in contested floor votes.
Am I being foolish or am I off base? When Biden stepped aside, I believe the deal had already been made on who will be the vice presidental nominee, now the rest is showmanship.