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| Sen. Kamala Harris urges the Democratic Party to embrace its greatest strength - diversity. |
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY is embroiled in a debate over what direction to go: try to woo the white moderate Trump voters or double down and increase the get-out-the-vote efforts for minority voters who overwhelmingly vote for Democrats.
Traditional Democrats say going after the minority vote would alienate white voters, most of whom voted for Donald Trump in 2016.
“I have a problem, guys, with that phrase, ‘identity politics,’” Sen. Kamala Harris told the progressive gathering Netroots Nation over the weekend. “Because let’s be clear, when people say that, it’s a pejorative. That phrase is used to divide, and it is used to distract. Its purpose is to minimize and marginalize issues that impact all of us. It is used to try and shut us up.”
“These issues that they’re trying to diminish and demean,” she added, “are the very issues that will define our identity as Americans.”
While the Democrats debate among themselves, the Republicans have already used "identity politics" to their advantage. The GOP has successfully rallied white voters by xenophobic messages against people of color and immigrants
Critics — including from some within the Democratic Party — say that a full-out embrace of racial, ethnic and gender issues could distract from a broader Democratic platform that includes the economy, environment and health care.
Harris, who might be a Presidential candidate in 2020, pointed to civil rights, women's reproductive rights, criminal justice and immigrant rights, saying "we won't be silent" about those issues.
"These are the very things that will define our identity as Americans," Harris said. "This is about American identity."
The first-term senator from California has surged into a tie with Sen. Bernie Sanders(I-Vt.) as the betting favorite among potential Democratic candidates to win the 2020 presidential election.
Betting site Oddshark lists Donald Trump as the runaway favorite to win in 2020, with betting odds of +140. However, Harris and Sanders each hold the second-best odds at +1,200, as of Aug. 7.
Oddschecker, a site that averages odds across different betting platforms, gives Harris the best odds to win the Democratic nomination, followed by Biden, who has emerged as the favored candidate among Democrats in a number of recent polls.
Critics — including from some within the Democratic Party — say that a full-out embrace of racial, ethnic and gender issues could distract from a broader Democratic platform that includes the economy, environment and health care.
Harris, who might be a Presidential candidate in 2020, pointed to civil rights, women's reproductive rights, criminal justice and immigrant rights, saying "we won't be silent" about those issues.
"These are the very things that will define our identity as Americans," Harris said. "This is about American identity."
The first-term senator from California has surged into a tie with Sen. Bernie Sanders(I-Vt.) as the betting favorite among potential Democratic candidates to win the 2020 presidential election.
Betting site Oddshark lists Donald Trump as the runaway favorite to win in 2020, with betting odds of +140. However, Harris and Sanders each hold the second-best odds at +1,200, as of Aug. 7.
Oddschecker, a site that averages odds across different betting platforms, gives Harris the best odds to win the Democratic nomination, followed by Biden, who has emerged as the favored candidate among Democrats in a number of recent polls.
"The Russians know that racism and other forms of hate have always been Americans' Achilles' heel, and we need to deal with that weakness," said Harris, the daughter of immigrants and whose mother was from India and father from Jamaica.
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Also speaking at the gathering of progressive activists included Massachusetts' Sen. Elizabeth Warren and New Jersey's Sen. Cory Booker, and rising progressive stars like New York gubernatorial hopeful Cynthia Nixon spoke at a conference attended by hundreds of Democratic activists. But it was Harris' speech that had the audience buzzing about her presidential aspirations.
Netroots Nation is an important stop for Democratic presidential aspirants who are courting the party's progressive base, made up by those who want the party to move further to the left. They are bolstered by the growing anti-Trump Resistance, including Black Lives Matter activists, organizers of the Women's March and gun-control advocates.
Despite the progressive credentials of Netroots, the meeting itself was the protested by people of color. At one point, they took over the stage. They wanted more meaningful and decision-making roles. They felt they were spending too much time educating their white allies how to be comfortable with their more radical tactics and ideas.
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Despite the progressive credentials of Netroots, the meeting itself was the protested by people of color. At one point, they took over the stage. They wanted more meaningful and decision-making roles. They felt they were spending too much time educating their white allies how to be comfortable with their more radical tactics and ideas.
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