I was absolutely, 100% dead set against her two months ago. I believed her to fully be a snake in the grass, a Leftist wearing sheep’s clothing.
Then, against my will, I watched her interview with Tucker Carlson, and I forced myself to watch. I was away from home, staying at a friend’s house. I was going to just surf the Internet while he watched, and then I thought “Why won’t I watch? What am I afraid of? Changing my mind? Having been wrong?”
So I took it as an exercise to see if I could go against my nature on people like her, which is to shut my ears because I have heard it a million times before. And I watched, and listened.
I believe she has had a transformation similar to what Ronald Reagan went through, and what David Horowitz went through (and HE was a RADICAL Leftist, the worst of the worst). I believe she is a liberal who has been mugged.
That said, I have come to two conclusions: First, people have to make their own choices, and Second, some people will never ever change their minds, and that is that.
As a result, I won’t argue with people about it, since many have their minds made up and aren’t going to change it. That is their choice, not mine. But I will say, if she were selected, I would still vote for Trump after watching the interview, and I would feel quite differently about it than I would have two months ago.
We won't know if she has actually changed politically for at least another five years, hard pass until then.
If you watch her for a while, you will see that for the most part the interviews with her concentrate on the things she has in common with conservatives. People like Tucker have generally stayed in that lane. PBD concentrated on those things as well, but the few times he wandered out of those areas she smiled and distinctly avoided answering - sometimes plainly when PBD pursued follow-ups. She still holds quite a few views which are on the left - though she has broken with leftists.
When the Democrats held their 2020 Presidential debates, it was clear that Tulsi and Marianne Williamson were distinctly different from the others and not crazy leftist ideologues, but while she might make a good neighbor or advisor, she really still is not the one you want in charge except as a ‘lesser of two evils’ situation.
Thanks for your thoughts. I, too, believe Gabbard has had an honest about-face migration, or nearly so. Ala Reagan....and for that matter, as did Trump, imo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqInWHwgw4I
Above is a youtube of Tulsi speaking at the Nixon Library just now (5/29/24). I would need to look at her record, but she gave a great speech. She speaks at about the 33 minute mark and goes for an hour with some Q&A at the end.
While she didn’t mention Reagan, I had the same thought when she spoke about how the Democrat Party is not what they used to be, and is not even what they still say they are.
One of the lines was something to the effect of “The Democrats say they are for women and the most vulnerable among us. But if a school doesn’t allow boys to participate in girl’s sports - they will take away the funds for school lunches for the poor.”
She told the story of how as a freshman Democrat she was invited at the start of the session to read a portion of The Constitution into the Record. She went, and was surprised that it was mostly Republicans. When she went back to her office she asked around - did you guys not get the invitation?
“Oh Tulsi - you’re a freshman so you didn’t know. But that reading of the Constitution is just some Right-Wing stunt they do every year.”
She said that is who we are fighting against. Leaders that don’t believe in the Constitution. Leaders that don’t believe that their power is derived from the People. Leaders that don’t believe in free speech, or the rule of law.
Hard not to agree after actually listening to her. Too many here don't listen and have knee jerk reactions. There are several others who may be chosen. Like her, good and decent choices.
Trump will decide, and if he goes this direction, it should work out fine.