Kamala Harris was asked her toughest questions on Gaza yet
(www.motherjones.com)
from jeffw@lemmy.world to world@lemmy.world on 18 Sep 2024 01:14
https://lemmy.world/post/19893167
from jeffw@lemmy.world to world@lemmy.world on 18 Sep 2024 01:14
https://lemmy.world/post/19893167
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Sorry how are those hard questions? Or just a sign of how little the press asks about it?
Well it’s obviously hard for Kamala or else she wouldn’t have weaseled around answering the question.
For current news, those were hard questions. I think just not accepting what the candidate says as facts and following up with detailed questions equals “hard questions” now.
Look how the news is treating Trumps mental decline compared to when his opponent was Biden.
“Toughest yet” doesn’t necessarily mean objectively very tough.
I’d like someone to ask them their thoughts on the recent evidence that Israel was selling the weapons we’ve given them to Russia. So in a way, we’re supporting Russia in their invasion of Ukraine at the same time we’re supporting a genocide.
Is Trump getting the same questions?
No point in asking him. He will call them sexy and claim Martians are taking yellow jobs.
Does it matter? His answer would be a ten minute stream of consciousness rant about immigrants, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, and some “very smart people” anyway.
while kamala is getting hit on this issue, it’s important for people to keep in mind (or learn if they didn’t know) that Trump has historically been a fanatic supporter of israel and netanyahu. way beyond any other president, D or R.
The biggest military aid happened during obama.
that’s not true. see the very first charts here and here.
also, Trump didn’t HAVE to send much aid to israel because 2017-2020 just happened to be a relatively peaceful time with israel/palestine, unlike Obama’s and Biden’s terms.
Trump:
This is exactly what i said trump is honest and vocal about his support to israel. Biden and harris talk about ceasefire but always blame hamas for not happening despite proof that israel is the one refusing and refuse to stop arming israel fully to create pressure. Trump moved the embassy to jerusalem but biden didn’t reverse it and harris won’t do it either
That’s generally true, and if I’m going to be stuck with an American government excusing Israels war crimes, it might as well be one that protects abortion, but there is a big stupid “but” to go with that. Trump hates bibi. Not because of any considered foreign policy thing, but because Trump is mad bibi called biden to congratulate him on winning the election. Trump never has forgiven bibi for this, and has been criticizing bibi on the trail because of it. Our politics are fucked, I guess is what I’m trying to say.
the moving of the embassy was pretty much a greenlight for them to openly do genocide.
It ABSOLUTELY matters that Trump is put on the same playing field and under the same scrutiny as Harris!!!
That’s all. It doesn’t matter what their respective positions are. It doesn’t matter that Trump will give a rambling, incoherent answer and support Israel even if they declare babies as food.
It matters that Trump is held to the same scrutiny as Harris, simple as that.
Do you want a 2k words essay without actually answering the question?
Let’s hold ourselves to the same standards As Trump!
Do you people not know what a race to the bottom is? Because you’re in one.
their point was, let’s hold trump to the same standards as everyone else.
We do.
It’s his supporters that don’t and they aren’t here on Lemmy so who do you think they’re talking to there?
Do we? Because I haven’t heard Trump being asked this question.
Trump couldn’t answer a question about his favorite flavor of milkshake.
mirror.co.uk/…/donald-trump-moans-hes-never-22877…
Good luck getting anything out of him about this.
But then isn’t not asking him because you know you won’t get a straight answer holding him to a different standard? Because that’s the whole issue here.
I’m mostly just joining the pile-on that Trump is an idiot.
It would be great if he were held to any kind of standards, but the time for that was 8-10 years ago. I’m not sure how we get there now.
Oh I don’t think he will be, but he should be.
lemmy is not the point. clearly the top comment was asking if trump was getting asked these same questions in general, not comments on lemmy.
Would you seriously want to hear the drivel answers?
Is Trump the sitting vice president of a country facilitating a genocide?
Somewhat bad faith, VP has almost no real power or influence on these masters. With both as potential POTUS’, they should both be held to the same standard by the press.
Words cannot express what a disappointment Kamala has turned out to be.
Another cut from the same genocidal cloth.
I disappointment suggests you had hope in the first place. I doubt that
I did actually, I thought she might be better than Biden. I even stopped speaking critically of her for the other shit I’m not a fan of (ex. her law enforcement career).
I can bite my tongue for somethings, but not when it comes to genocide. There’s no middle ground to be met on.
Well I’m blissfully unaware of the stranglehold that the Jewish lobby has in American politics. But it seems that there no chance of getting elected when pissing them off.
I’m in favor of actions instead of words. Trump showed us he’s deep on Bibi’s cock. I hope that securing the election victory maar remove that stranglehold.
Let us not confuse Zionisim with the Jewish religion, please.
I agree, though it’s hard to define s clear dividing line.
Let’s not dismiss the horrors of abrahamic faiths either
I can do one without doing the other. I am an atheist and do not care for religion at all. However, that does not mean I blame Jews for something another group, the Zionists, think and do. Sure there is an overlap and corrolation, but the same is also very much true for the US Christian nut jobs along with others.
If you are going to label people and reject them on the basis of their label, make sure to label them right.
Zoom out, look at the bigger picture beyond your single issue
The single issue is called genocide.
It is not negotiable.
Everyone says that about their single issue.
I agree it’s important but other things also exist.
Oh yeah “shut up about your single issue where people are dying because I don’t like their tax proposal”. Fuck anyone who openly supports genocide like this.
Acknowledging other political issues exist and are at play in this election != supporting genocide and the comparison is fucking stupid.
“in this election” dude this election has been happening since 67’ and even before that. The cognitive disonance simply makes you revert to tribal politics and “my side being the only choice uga buga”. You are supporting genocide by voting for a candidate that will support genocide and won’t do anything about it, or worse will put their hand to it by exporting even more weapons to Israel. That’s their policy - that nothing will change. They will “call for a two state solution” when people in Gaza are being displaced, killed in the thousands, their houses and hospitals being bombed regularly.
This is exactly your doing. You don’t get a pass because “the other tribe is worse uga buga”
I don’t think Harris has a good stance on Gaza. You’re berating the wrong person.
I do think Harris has the best chance to improve the life of myself and my family.
Both of these ideas can exist. Confusing, I know.
Like you realize your particular style of rhetoric here doesn’t help anyone and just makes you look like a prick, right?
Who am I supposed to help? Explain that to me. You are going to vote for someone who enables genocide. I don’t want to help you do that. That’s on your conscience - explain it to yourself however you want if you can’t live with the truth
Guess you’re in the same position as me, you can’t do anything to help.
You’re going to contribute to an outright fascist that wants to turn Gaza into a parking lot.
Live with that however you want 🤷♂️ Only difference is I’m not being a dick to you about it
Lmao you don’t know me or what I do and what I don’t do. Don’t assume shit about people you don’t know
gestures broadly to previous comments
So you support genocide?
I literally told you to not assume shit about people and there you go instantly assuming shit about people.
You don’t see the irony here do you?
There is no irony to be seen. You support a genocide enabler. End of story. I won’t be replying to you anymore since you think you somehow have a moral highground when you are part of the problem.
I don’t think I have any kind of high ground. I do think you’re a bit of an idiot.
I’m still wondering when Americans will finally wake up and realise how absolutely fucked their entire system is. You are being forced to pick between a genocidal bastard or fascist wannabe-dictator for the highest seat of government.
You guys really need to get together and just dismantle the entire thing. It was a good try but it’s fucked. Start again.
Gotta tell you, that wannabe dictator would be even more genocidal. The dude was so fanatically pro-Israel in the debate that he accused Harris of being the cause of its destruction within two years if she is elected. He has not called for any sort of cease-fire. He has not criticized arms shipments to Israel and never called for them to be paused.
Right, but you must realise if I asked you to choose between getting your hand amputated or your arm amputated, for no reason, the correct answer isn’t your hand, it’s to refuse to allow unnecessary amputations to continue.
And how would you propose we do such a thing? Because if “just overthrow the government” was that easy, Donald Trump would be president right now.
Step one is admitting there’s a problem.
Lots of people admit there’s a problem. That doesn’t answer my question.
If you don’t admit that there’s a problem, then answering your question would be a waste of time, because you would, most likely, just be looking for something to argue with me about, rather than considering my points in good faith.
If you’re happy to start the conversation from a place where you admit that, yes, the US political system is so rigged that it is impossible to meaningfully reform, then I’m happy to answer your question.
Sure, there’s a problem. Now please answer my question.
The next thing you have to do is get people talking about it and admitting that there is a problem, build connections with them, and help protect and inoculate people against far-right radicalisation. This is best done in your local community, it doesn’t really work very well online, unfortunately. Build a people-centred movement based on solidarity, mutual aid/support, and collaboration. Work on building alternative structures such as co-operatives, fully mutual groups/societies, and helping people to organise their workplaces and form or join unions.
It’s all about building solidarity, connections, helping people break free of the mind prison they were born into, and making sure that they don’t get radicalised by the far-right in the process, because their messaging is designed to appeal to people who realise how fucked our system is and promises easy “solutions”, rather than the hard work it takes to actually solve the problem.
Once enough people are actively aware of the problem and working to build that solidarity, we can start actually something about it. By that point, you should really be working together to solve the problems which affect your community directly.
Hope this helps, though I’m sure none of it really comes as a surprise!
That’s a long-winded way of saying you don’t actually have an answer for how to, as you put it, “refuse to allow unnecessary amputations to continue.” You could have saved yourself a lot of time.
Wow, my prediction came true. Truly, I am a fortune teller.
Immediately after you told that so-called fortune:
<img alt="" src="https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/4388daf5-862b-4e94-90fd-0efeb79197be.png">
So why are you now lying and claiming I didn’t admit there’s a problem? It’s a pretty silly lie.
Truly, I’m sorry for letting you down, I really hope you come around eventually. Remember, solidarity is the key. Together we can change the world.
You didn’t let me down, because I knew you didn’t actually have an answer about how to actually achieve anything.
If “solidarity” and “awareness” were all it took to solve problems, climate change wouldn’t be getting worse.
You know what awareness and solidarity already resulted in? January 6th. You know what was a failure? January 6th.
I let you down by failing to convince you, though I’m sure you don’t see it that way.
Solidarity, awareness and collaboration are the prerequisite conditions for building a working class movement capable of achieving widespread change. That isn’t where the process ends, obviously, action needs to be taken once that movement exists.
I’m not sure what your point is about January 6th.
You failed to convince me by not telling me what the next step would be.
Lots of large-scale solidarity movements in history have been built and failed. Sometimes disastrously so. You do not have the step after that, which is essential.
My point about January 6th is that it was a large-scale solidarity movement that tried to effect major change in terms of how presidents become presidents and failed. You seem to think everyone getting together and singing kumbaya would achieve for the left what they were unable to do when they actively tried.
I have a proposal for what I would suggest our next step should be once we get to that position, and I’d be happy to share it with someone who is genuinely interested. But you have to realise and accept that it goes against my ideology for me to act as if I have all of the answers. My entire belief system is that we can work together to find a solution, collectively, for what we should do next. If I assume I know everything and that we should all just do what I say, I would be no better than those I oppose.
I’m not going to defend Jan 6 for obvious reasons. There are plenty of left-wing solidarity movements we could talk about instead - Black Lives Matter, Occupy Wall Street, Defund the Police, the CHAZ. I would agree that none of those projects really achieved their ultimate goals, but they did somewhat progress them.
Things fail until they succeed. I’m sure you wouldn’t have scolded the Wright brothers for continuing to try to build a flying machine despite prior failures.
What a bullshit cop-out. I have asked you multiple times what the next step is and you’re now claiming I’m not interested?
That’s two lies you’ve told about me now. That is coming close to trolling.
This you?
That’s going to take years, if not decades. Your amputation is in less than two months.
Easier said than done:
I think many people don’t realize they focus too much on short-term issues, which are actually symptoms of deeper systemic problems. For instance, the two-party system in the US stems from election campaigns not being publicly funded and also the “winner-takes-all” electoral system instead of proportional representation. I would bet you already know about these issues but still I don’t see them being discussed in media and that’s where every big change must begin. And that’s also what I think should answer your question. Instead of spreading awareness of the current problems at hand, you should focus on the deep issues and instead spread awareness of them. That’s my opinion at least.
Nothing I do will have any effect on what the corporate-run media reports on and it’s naive to think any of us who aren’t corporate executives or their political cronies have that power.
“no reason”? if the alternative to a hand or arm amputation is death, yeah, i’m gonna choose a hand amputation.
that’s what our alternative is in your analogy. remember the US is highly polarized right now, so one (sane) group taking over the US govt is likely impossible, and even if successful would end up in a massive civil war. that would not only destroy life in the US for the foreseeable future, but the entire global economy and geopolitical equilibrium.
Stop shifting the blame, currently trump is not in power. So the people in power has all the blame they should get right now. Trump is just more honest but in reality both will do their best to defend israel
Harris is not in power either. She does not set or implement policy. You do know what the powers of the Vice President are, yes?
Are you telling me thst a vice president which one of it’s function is to be advisor to the president shouldn’t have part of the responsability?
Not unless you know what she’s advised him of, no. Or are you under the impression that he has to do what people who advise him say?
If the government support a genocidal terrorist state then anybody in the government has the responsibility to resign
Okay, well that’s not going to happen. So the choice is going to be Trump or Harris and to suggest that we can’t know where Trump stands on Israel compared to Harris is either dishonest or highly ignorant.
The fact is that both of them are on the wrong side of this genocide, so they have to be chosen by other criteria. “Just don’t vote for either of them” is not an answer. That’s also not going to happen for most voters.
Actions don’t reflect what biden and his administration says they just more hypocritical about palestine. I don’t believe in the two lesser of evil when it comes to palestine. Major changes don’t happen overnight, and things don’t change when people say it’s futile and will never happen. With a similar mentality of we shouldn’t vote for a third option, countries like india wouldn’t get rid of british after 200 years and 100 millions dead indian
How about when it comes to literally every other thing in this election? Like persecution of queer people or deportation of migrants or just whether or not someone is going to be a dictator?
Literally none of that matters? Fuck it? Let the queer people and Latinos get marched into camps because there’s no difference between them on Israel?
I specifically talked about gaza, you guys always like to deviate
And I’m specifically saying their positions on Gaza are not really relevant to the election since they’re both on Israel’s side. You don’t seem to agree, so explain to me which one has the position I should favor on the matter.
The party with people best interest which i think it’s neither democrats or republicans and again the thread was about gaza so i don’t understand how it’s relevent to the topic and i don’t understand why most try to just deviate from harris critisism.
The thread was about Gaza in relation to the election. See the “Kamala Harris” part.
And the fact is that the winner in November will either be a Democrat or a Republican. Voting for anyone else is absolutely useless. You might as well not vote.
I plan to vote, and not for the guy who has a good chance of putting my queer daughter in a concentration camp.
That’s not one of the functions of the vice president actually.
blame is irrelevant. what is relevant is choosing who you think will handle it best (or less bad) in the next 4 years. if you think that’s trump, you’re delusional. if you think trump would have handled the last 11 months better, you’re delusional.
…seriously?
…we do understand. But solving it isn’t exactly easy. Why don’t we just dismantle a world superpower with the biggest military in the world and a massive landmass and a spread out populace? Oh, why didn’t we think of that.
If people actually accepted the reality of the situation, truly, in their hearts, they wouldn’t find all of these excuses for it. Look at the replies, literally the first one is just “well, trump is worse, so we have to support Kamala”. You, as an individual, understand it when you think logically, but as a collective, the American people aren’t ready to admit that their elections are completely rigged.
Hold up - you don’t have a solution, but you’ll criticise people for doing what they can to keep the fascists out of power?
I agree with what you’re saying broadly, but if you’re going to wax ideological while you let the fascists win, you can fuck all the way off.
I haven’t really criticised anyone for voting for Harris, I absolutely agree that given the situation that you’re in, it’s the right thing to do, no doubt.
My point is that there are so many people who don’t accept that Kamala Harris is a fucking terrible person and in a real democracy she wouldn’t have a chance of getting elected.
You’re in this horrible position where in order to do the right thing you’re forced into supporting a genocide. You have to accept that is what you’re doing, do it anyways, and then do everything you can to bring the system down to stop it from ever happening again.
you’re completely ignoring that a large portion of our populace are racist rednecks who fanatically support a guy like trump. it’s not just a systemic issue, we are a highly polarized nation and overthrowing the government won’t change that, it’ll only make it worse.
“Trump is worse” sounds like a false dichotomy, but it isn’t. First past the post voting mathematically forces a two party system given enough election cycles.
This video shows how: youtu.be/s7tWHJfhiyo
So until Americans can have a vote that’s a list instead of a checkmark, the choices really are genocide and super genocide. It’s horrific and so much of it stems from something so innocent.
There are certainly criticisms to be made but “dismantling the entire thing” is not the way.
Consensus candidate gives consensus answer on question that can only hurt her with the election weeks away.
That’s all there is to it. This is just not something we’re going to see her real thoughts on until after the election.
You have to wonder if these folks have their own thoughts about it. Or if their thoughts are entirely about what our thoughts are, and how our thoughts about them will be affected by their thoughts about what our thoughts are.
If your talking about politicians then they certainly do. But their actions on something are generally colored by more than their own thoughts. Every successful politician masters the art of not giving answers that can only hurt them. One of the ways you can tell something has shifted is when they suddenly become very specific. Like when Biden was trying to drum up support after his debate. We suddenly got some really specific policy proposals.
The US is currently aiding and abetting Israel’s genocide. If the Democrats switch course, like many Democratic voters want, it would significantly improve Harris’ support nationally, especially in swing states. The majority of voters, and a vast majority of Democratic voters, want a change in policy on Israel. Harris pivoting from Biden on this issue would significantly help her, not hurt her, when it comes to voters and voter turnout
Amnesty
> In a new research briefing submitted to the U.S. government today as part of the National Security Memorandum on Safeguards and Accountability with Respect to Transferred Defense Articles and Defense Services (NSM-20) process, Amnesty International USA details civilian deaths and injuries with U.S.-made weapons, as well as other cases that highlight an overall pattern of unlawful attacks by Israeli forces. The briefing also details practices by Israeli forces inconsistent with best practices for mitigating civilian harm and provides clear examples of the misuse of defense articles, the commission of torture, and the use of unlawful lethal force. Lastly, the briefing also details the denial of humanitarian assistance to the civilian population of Gaza. > “It’s shocking that the Biden administration continues to hold that the government of Israel is not violating international humanitarian law with U.S.-provided weapons when our research shows otherwise and international law experts disagree,” said Amanda Klasing, National Director for Government Relations with Amnesty International USA. “The International Court of Justice found the risk of genocide in Gaza is plausible and ordered provisional measures. President Biden must end U.S. complicity with the government of Israel’s grave violations of international law and immediately suspend the transfer of weapons to the government of Israel.” > “The evidence is clear and overwhelming: the government of Israel is using U.S.-made weapons in violation of international humanitarian and human rights law, and in a manner that is inconsistent with U.S. law and policy, said Klasing. “In order to follow U.S. laws and policies, the United States must immediately suspend any transfer of arms to the government of Israel.”
Polls:
New Poll Suggests Gaza Ceasefire and Arms Embargo Would Help Dems with Swing State Voters (Full YouGov Report)
American Attitudes: Shifting Realities After the Unfolding Genocide in Gaza
Data For Progress Poll
I haven’t checked the veracity of reports like this, but I’ve heard this and it makes me think her vagueness has got to do with $$$, not votes.
Unfortunately, I think you’re right. As wrong as that is. Nothing makes my skin crawl like profiting off a genocide
This took like 2 days to blow up. Wow. At any rate here’s some points.
A. Harris isn’t the one sending weapons. The VP in the US is largely powerless unless the President gives them something to do. Interestingly there’s a possibility her remarks earlier this year were meant to put pressure on Biden. (the ones where she seemed almost to take the Palestinians side) But it could also have been stuff she was sent to say to try and calm tensions.
B. The polling data supports her messaging strategy. At this point she is clearly courting conservatives who don’t like Trump. So her messaging strategy of, need a ceasefire/Israel has a right, is meant to not rock the boat.
This is why I call her a consensus candidate. I know that term gets used a lot to tar the democratic nominee the primary selects, but she is literally a consensus candidate. Blue dogs and moderates agreed to back her without a primary. She and her campaign team obviously believe she will lose more votes than she gains if she breaks that messaging line. The polling you supplied supports that younger and more left democrats want to see movement. But it doesn’t support that swing state voters won’t vote for her. The part that’s worst is that in Pennsylvania the line dips precipitously on exactly what they feel they need. This is why the White House has weekly messaging on having a cease fire and why they always blame Hamas for it failing. That’s the big thing people want.
For what it’s worth I want to see that movement too. I just don’t expect anything until after the election unless something big changes again. You’d think an American citizen being killed by a called shot while unarmed would do it but apparently not.
Edit to add, I forgot to add the reason PA is so important is up until a couple weeks ago it was the only state that mattered. Trump was seen as having sewn up enough other states that he only needed PA to win. So that has highly influenced the race. In a nutshell it doesn’t matter what the uncommitted movement in the Rust Belt says because without PA they don’t even get counted. Now of course the race has opened up but there’s no telling if that’s because of her strategy or if it was always going to open up.
Harris has not deviated her position compared to Biden’s current policy and I absolutely disagree with how you interpreted those polls. I think it’s much more about the sentiment of the donors than the voters that are influencing Harris’s position on this. I also stand on the notion that trying to court Republican voters by running away from the progressive base of the Democratic voters, is a bad idea politically and morally. That said, I do respect your opinion, Maggoty
I’ll edit this with info from the polls if I have time later
Oh the donors are certainly part of it. I don’t want to discount that. It’s just hard for me to write long form and get everything in. Her messaging trajectory though has been interesting. She did actually diverge this past spring, very softly. But over the summer as calls for Biden to step down intensified she started toeing the line.
Oh, I think we know what those thoughts are going to be.
I don’t care to go back and find all the transcripts but the way she’s talked about it does make me think she’s better than Biden. I don’t think she’s going to abandon Israel as an ally or anything but I do think she’ll force the proper distribution of aid and put a stop to settlers in the West Bank and Gaza. Biden is on track to watch as the Israelis run over all of Palestine in the next few years.
Call me insensitive, but shouldn’t we be more worried about the terrorists on our home soil before fighting foreign lands. As in, every idiot who thought Jan 6 was a good idea. Because I can already picture the unhappy voters reaction whether Dems or MAGA wins.
2 have been fired at Trump, and they’re investigating for Kamala.
And the worst part is: I STILL don’t know who the bad guy is. Israel? Palestine? How should I know, I can barely process the legislation and corruption that was alllowed to pass on our home soil.
Anyway I hope to become more informed on this issue now, seeing as our leader HAS to know a solution. Even though one candidate shouldn’t even be able to walk freely. And I hope everyone else does as well
We can do both
Israel, Israel is the bad guy… Any country/person/company supporting Israel is the bad guy.
So raiding and taking civilians hostage is ok…even good. Holding the hostages for months is ok. Hiding them throughout your population is good. Exposing that population to attack and risk is good.
Israel is 100% wrong in the West Bank but responsibility in Gaza is a moot point.
You’re misunderstanding the situation.
We’re not asking Kamala to get involved in a foreign war. We’re asking Kamala to end the US’s involvement in a foreign war.
I know it’s confusing, because Biden and Harris keep talking as if they’re doing all they can to stop the fighting. But the truth is, Biden and Harris are the ones providing the weapons.
Probably, which is why Harris should stop giving weapons and billions of dollars of war funding to Israel.
Again, I understand your confusion, because Biden and Harris keep talking about the need to protect Israel. But Israel is the one carrying out a genocide of innocent civilians (with US support).