By Grace Vuoto
Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is now in a desperate race against the clock to shore up Black support. Yet, inadvertently she and her surrogates are insulting and demeaning Blacks instead of effectively persuading them to vote for her.
Last week, former President Barack Obama scolded Black men during a visit to a Harris campaign field office in Pittsburgh, accusing them of being misogynistic. Obama complained that the energy level he detected was less than the enthusiasm he witnessed during his election bids.
“Part of it makes me think—and I’m speaking to men directly—part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you’re coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that,” said Obama.
Obama thus failed to acknowledge that President Joe Biden, a white male, had also been losing support with Black voters, and Black men in particular, prior to the ascension of Harris. Why then accuse Black men of turning away from the Democratic Party just because Harris is a woman? Perhaps it would be too painful for Obama to admit that his some of his fellow citizens have come to see Democratic policies as bankrupt.
In an astonishing admonition, a former Democratic Ohio state senator, Nina Turner, declared that she was “shocked” and “infuriated” by Obama’s comments and they made “her blood boil.” An Oct. 11 article published in Newsweek titled “Obama Is Blaming Black Men for the Democratic Party’s Failure,” makes the case that Black men deserve greater respect for their views. The article was so scathing of Democratic policies that it could very well have been written by a Republican.
“The Black men I speak to who are not enthusiastic about Vice President Harris are not enthusiastic with the Democratic Party as a whole,” writes Turner. “They feel left behind and ignored. Black men are concerned with the economy, jobs, the criminal justice system, and wages—issues they do not see the Democratic Party addressing aggressively enough,” she states based on many interviews she conducted.
Turner is appalled that Obama seeks to “blame” Black men “for the Democratic Party’s failures.” She argues Black men should be given “the dignity of voting on their interests” rather than being turned into scapegoats if Harris is not elected. She calls on her party to be introspective and acknowledge its shortcomings, “rather than blaming Black men.”
Blacks were further belittled—and smeared by a vicious stereotype—when during a live audio town hall in Detroit on “The Breakfast Club”, the host took Harris to task for being late.
“I try to be on time. Apparently I’m 40 seconds late,” Harris said.
“Well, you are black,” said the host joking. To which Harris simply laughed in agreement.
Where was Harris’s self-respect in that moment? Why did she not defend Blacks as capable professionals, who even if appearing a little late, should be treated with the same courtesy as countless others who are tardy for interviews on radio programs? Where was the indignant, prosecutorial disapproval she is known for—but in defense of Blacks?
Harris was only 40 seconds late and yet she allowed Blacks to be ridiculed, along the stereotype of the minstrel shows of the nineteenth century that portrayed them as lazy and buffoonish, incapable of being punctual and rational. She continued to perpetuate this stereotype by often dropping her g’s throughout the interview to a predominantly Black audience. Does she think Blacks are incapable of proper punctuation? Are they not worthy of her use of proper English?
If Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump had behaved in this manner, on any show anywhere in America, his candidacy would be over.
To make matters even worse, Harris unveiled an “opportunity agenda for black men,” which includes legalizing marijuana across the nation and providing Black men with more opportunities to participate in the “national cannabis industry.” Again, is she not reinforcing the erroneous notion that Black men are obsessive drug users? She did not previously mention the marijuana industry to other groups of voters. Her timing here is outrageous.
Harris claims to be proud of the years she spent at Howard University, a HBCU, from which she graduated in 1986. I too am proud of my experience there: I was a professor at Howard University for four years, teaching British and European History. During my tenure, students and colleagues never excused tardiness as an inherently Black trait, nor did anyone drop their g’s while talking or writing, nor did anyone ever discuss legalizing marijuana as a priority for Black citizens.
The humiliating and racist tropes by Obama and Harris, on vivid display within the last few days, should go down in American history as among the starkest moments when Democratic Party leaders revealed they do not mean a single word they say in defense of the dignity of Black citizens.
These trendy politicos only turn their attention to Black communities every four years, begging for votes they clearly do not deserve.
-Grace Vuoto, Ph.D. is a political commentator and columnist. She can be heard Wednesday mornings at 9:00 am on The Kuhner Report WRKO-AM 680. She is also Co-host of “The Conversation with Stephen and Grace,” Saturday mornings, 11:00-1:00 pm, on iHeart’s WXTK 95.1 FM.
