Presidential Election of 2008

Kamala Harris Being Judged Differently Due To Race And Gender

This entry is being revised from the original entry, which accidentally was deleted by the author, for which I apologize. I will be brief in summarizing my ideas on this entry with the same title, and anyone who had commented on the original entry, I would ask to submit a similar comment, and again, my apologies for the blunder, which has never happened before today, and will not happen again!

John F. Kennedy (Catholic); Barack Obama (African American); and Hillary Clinton (female), all faced discrimination and bias due to their uniqueness as Presidential candidates in 1960, 2008, and 2016, respectively.

In the first two cases, the issue of Catholicism and of race were overcome, while Clinton, although winning the popular vote by 2.85 million, was unable to win the Electoral College.

Now, Kamala Harris who is the second woman to seek the Presidency and has Asian Indian and African-Jamaican heritage, is facing critics who are claiming she is unqualified on intelligence and on abilities and knowledge, to occupy the Oval Office.

Harris has had more government experience than most Presidents, more than all Presidents since 1900, except for Lyndon B. Johnson, Gerald Ford, and Joe Biden.

Harris is also much more intelligent than some Presidents, including Warren G. Harding, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump since 1900; and also more qualified to be President than some Vice Presidents who succeeded to the Oval Office, including Andrew Johnson and Calvin Coolidge.

So the negativism around Harris in some circles should be seen as not worthy of being considered, and hopefully, she will break the barrier as the first woman President in American history!

Kamala Harris Has Moved Into Lead In Polls, Two Months After Entrance Into Presidential Campaign

Two months after Democrat Kamala Harris entered the Presidential race, and two weeks after the ABC Harris-Trump debate that Harris clearly won, finally she has moved into the lead in multiple polls.

Particularly among women, Harris has a commanding lead, creating what is for now at least a clear gender gap, as with men, Trump is slightly ahead or there is a even balance, depending on the poll.

Harris is also ahead among college educated voters and voters over the age of 50, while Trump is ahead among non college educated voters and voters under 50.

However, younger and first time voters (those under 30) have been inspired by Harris’s candidacy, in a way that they were not feeling toward Joe Biden.

Also, it is clear that Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz is inspirational, and helping Harris greatly in gaining public support.

And now we are nine days away from the CBS Vice Presidential debate on Tuesday October 1 between Walz and Republican Vice Presidential nominee JD Vance, who is polling horribly, regarded as the worst VP nominee in modern times, even worse than Sarah Palin in 2008, which is quite a statement!

Reality: If Trump Wins, JD Vance Likely Will Be President During The Term!

It is time for all Americans to understand that voting for Donald Trump insures that Vice Presidential nominee, Senator JD Vance, is likely to become President during the term.

It is clear that Donald Trump is in rapid decline mentally; that he looks very aged and stressed in recent rallies; that his views are constantly changing and are totally inconsistent; and that he is constantly rambling and losing his audiences as a result.

JD Vance has NOT promoted a sense of stability and decency, and instead, comes across as having a lower rating in public opinion polls than Sarah Palin, the Vice Presidential running mate of John McCain in the Presidential Election of 2008!

Vance adds NOTHING to Trump’s candidacy, and has alienated women in particular by his outrageous statements and assertions in the six weeks since he was chosen as Trump’s Vice Presidential running mate.

His own history of being a chameleon, calling Trump as like Hitler eight years ago, and now praising him, is clearly just self serving, as he is readying himself to be President.

His constantly changing religious views mark him as unstable, and for him to promote his religion for his children over his wife’s Hinduism, is odd, as usually, the mother’s religion is the one that children follow in most marriages of mixed religious views.

Also, Vance has close ties to the following right wing figures:

Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri
Senator Mike Lee of Utah
Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas
Senator Marco Rubio of Florida
President of the Heritage Foundation Kevin Roberts
Media Personality Tucker Carlson
Former Trump Strategist Steve Bannon
Donald Trump Jr.

So anyone who thinks Vance is not significant, and would not play a major role in the future of Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans is living in delusion!

Kamala Harris Utilizing Barack Obama Team In Her Presidential Campaign

Kamala Harris is utilizing the people who helped Barack Obama in his election campaign in 2008, and helped him in his Presidency.

This includes David Plouffe, Stephanie Cutter, Mitch Stewart, and David Binder, and with Jennifer Palmieri becoming an adviser to Harris’s husband, Douglas Emhoff, who would become “First Gentleman”, if his wife is elected President.

Additionally, some staff who worked in the Hillary Clinton Presidential campaign in 2016 will join the team in an effort to bolster the Harris Presidential effort.

These are promising steps forward in the Harris Presidential campaign!

JD Vance Joins Controversial List Of Republican Vice Presidential Candidates!

The Republican Party is infamous for selecting controversial Vice Presidential candidates, and some of them end up elected and become true disasters.

This history goes back to Richard Nixon being selected by Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952, as Nixon was a promoter of the “Red Scare” even before the nation heard of Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy. While Nixon ended up having some positive aspects to his later Presidency, he was involved in the Watergate Scandal, leading to his resignation in 1974, but thank goodness with Gerald Ford as his successor.

Richard Nixon selected Spiro Agnew as his Vice President in 1968, and Agnew became extremely controversial in that office over nearly five years, coming to be known as “Nixon’s Nixon”, until he was forced out in 1973 for corruption charges, resigning and saving the nation from his potential Presidency.

George H. W. Bush selected Dan Quayle as his Vice President in 1988, and the nation had to pray for Bush’s good health, as Quayle came across as not very bright, amid concern that despite his ignorance and stupidity, that he might become President.

John McCain selected Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential nominee in 2008, but the nation was saved from this ignorant, not very bright, and divisive woman being a heartbeat away when Barack Obama won the Presidency over McCain.

And now, we have JD Vance in 2024, who is a “chameleon”, who has changed his views on Donald Trump, and now can be seen as a threat, based on his lies and deception, if Trump becomes President, and cannot finish his term. Vance’s right wing leanings connect him to the evils of the John Birch Society.

Vance is a backer of Project 2025, and wrote the preface for this 922 page document, and must be seen as “a clear and present danger” to American democracy and the rule of law!

JD Vance: Another Horrendous Republican Vice Presidential Nominee!

The Republican Party, historically, has often selected horrendous Vice Presidential nominees, and unfortunately, some of them end up as Vice President, making one concerned even more than normally, about the health and safety of the Republican President.

JD Vance of Ohio adds to a list of such nominees, including:

William E. Miller, running mate of Barry Goldwater in 1964
Spiro Agnew, running mate of Richard Nixon in 1968 and 1972
Dan Quayle, running mate of George H. W. Bush in 1988 and 1992
Sarah Palin, running mate of John McCain in 2008

Also, others, such as Jack Kemp, running mate of Bob Dole in 1996; Dick Cheney, running mate of George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004; Paul Ryan, running mate of Mitt Romney in 2012; and Mike Pence, running mate of Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, while all “qualified” and experienced, had many negative aspects to their candidacies.

The only exceptions one could claim were fully qualified and acceptable were Nelson Rockefeller as Vice President to Gerald Ford, and George H. W. Bush as Vice President to Ronald Reagan, and also Bob Dole as running mate of Gerald Ford in 1976.

And now we have JD Vance, who has only served 18 months as a Senator from Ohio, and who has completely changed his views on Donald Trump from what they were in 2016. And Vance comes across as a MAGA extremist who is unwilling to support Ukraine in its war with Russia; wants no exceptions for rape or incest with a total ban on abortion; and is clearly perceived as a “mini Trump”, who could carry on the Trump views in the future Republican Party.

And realize Vance called Trump a potential Adolf Hitler eight years ago, and now embraces him! If that is not a danger sign to voters, then such voters have no principles or conscience!

Joe Biden, The Experienced Debater: Much Underestimated!

With the Presidential debate only about 36 hours away, it is clear that many observers do not understand that Joe Biden is an experienced debater, much underestimated by Donald Trump and many others.

Biden has had more debate experience than just about any Presidential contender, as he was engaged in debates in 1987 before he withdrew from the race; as Vice Presidential nominee in 2008 against Sarah Palin; as Vice President in 2012 against Paul Ryan; and against Donald Trump in the Presidential Election of 2020.

And certainly, against Palin, Ryan, and Trump, it is clear Joe Biden “WON” those debates, and with Palin and Ryan decades younger than he was!

What it comes down to is this: Joe Biden has ALWAYS been underestimated in so many ways, but he ALWAYS comes through!

And Donald Trump is running scared, knowing that history of Joe Biden the Debater!

Senator Joseph Lieberman Passing Reminds Us Of His Significant Role In American History

Former Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman passed away yesterday at the age of 82, tragically as the result of complications from a fall.

This sad news reminds us of his significant role in American history and politics.

A comparatively conservative Senator for a Democrat, specifically on foreign policy, while quite liberal on most matters of domestic policy, Lieberman became the first Jewish candidate on a national Presidential ticket as the Vice Presidential nominee for Al Gore in the Presidential Election of 2000.

Coming to the Senate after defeating liberal Republican Senator Lowell Weicker in 1988, and backed by conservative advocate William F. Buckley, Jr, who called Lieberman his “favorite Democrat”, he lost the Democratic nomination for his seat in 2006, but ran as an Independent and defeated his Democratic and Republican opponents, serving his fourth and last term until 2012, when he retired.

Lieberman was closely associated with Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham as “hawks” on the Iraq War, and McCain considered him for the Vice Presidency in 2008, before choosing the disastrous Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Lieberman was always highly controversial, but also remembered as very principled and a major factor in American politics for more than a generation.

For a person such as this author who sees himself as “progressive”, Lieberman often irritated with his overly hawkish views on foreign policy, and he did not show adequate support for either Barack Obama or Joe Biden, including engaging in the NO LABELS movement, which seems, fortunately, to be going nowhere in the upcoming presidential election.

Hooray! :) 14 Year Anniversary Of The Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare)!

Celebrations are in order for the 14 year Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare), President Barack Obama’s greatest achievement, despite constant attempts of Republicans to destroy it over these years since 2010!

The Affordable Care Act now gives health coverage to 21 million Americans, and is a further extension of health care coverage beyond Medicare and Medicaid, all brought about due to Democratic Presidents, as well as Social Security!

It is not a perfect law, as nothing is, but far better than if these laws had never been passed.

And it is ironic that in 2017, it was a critic of the Affordable Care Act, Arizona Senator John McCain, who was the opponent of Barack Obama in the Presidential Election of 2008, who saved the legislation, and this just a year before his passing.

This anniversary is being celebrated by both President Obama and President Joe Biden, and everyone well knows that President Donald Trump tried so hard to destroy this legislation and coverage, and pledges to do so if he is returned to the Oval Office, along with threats against Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid being targeted yet once again by Republicans!

“Battleground” States Should Be Expanded By Democrats!

With an expected very close race for the Presidency between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, and with three independent or third party challengers being an additional threat to take away votes from the major party candidates, it is urgent that the list of “battleground” states be expanded by Democrats!

The usual belief is that the following states are the “battlegrounds”:

Pennsylvania (19)
Michigan (15)
Wisconsin (10)
Georgia (16)
Arizona (11)
Nevada (6)

Total 77 Electoral Votes

But in addition, the following states need to be considered potentials for extra attention financially and through campaign appearances by Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and numerous Democratic supporters in public office:

New Hampshire (4)
Virginia (13)
North Carolina (16)
Florida (30)
Minnesota (10)
New Mexico (5)

Total 78 Electoral Votes

Additionally, the Second District of Maine which has gone Republican in the past (2016 and 2020) should be focused on, as well as retaining the Second District of Nebraska, which has gone Democratic two times in the past (2008 and 2020), with both states allowing divided electoral votes for President.

So a total of 12 states and one Congressional District in Nebraska and Maine should be focused on to insure a Democratic victory in November!

So out of 538 Electoral Votes total, 157 are in play!