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Harris’s Combative Debate Style Will Get Its Biggest Test Against Trump
The New York Times ^ | Sept. 7, 2024 | Lisa Lerer

Posted on 09/07/2024 11:21:09 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

Kamala Harris’s razor-sharp debate skills have powered her political ascent. Her success next week will turn on how well she adapts to an unpredictable rival.

Few of the people gathered in the San Francisco church knew quite what to expect from Kamala Harris.

It was 2003, and the two men she faced in her first political campaign were well-known brawlers locked in a rematch to become the city’s district attorney — one of whom was her former boss.

Ms. Harris was a little-known government lawyer who had landed in the local gossip pages for dating Willie Brown, one of the state’s most powerful politicians. The attack on her was obvious: political patronage, packaged with a whiff of sexual intrigue.

After an audience member asked about her ties to Mr. Brown, she rose from her seat at the front of the sanctuary as her two opponents, Bill Fazio and Terence Hallinan, looked on.

Ms. Harris walked behind Mr. Fazio, asking if the audience remembered how Mr. Hallinan had attacked him for being caught in a massage parlor in a 1998 raid. She walked behind Mr. Hallinan, asking if the audience remembered how Mr. Fazio had attacked him for being a “deadbeat dad” who failed to pay child support.

As faint gasps echoed across the room, Ms. Harris wrapped her punch in a gauzy pledge. Unlike her opponents, she promised that she would run a campaign based on the issues, not on negative attacks.

The crowd jumped to its feet in a standing ovation, recounted Jim Stearns, a political consultant who had helped Ms. Harris in the race.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Government; Political Humor/Cartoons; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: debate; debbiedatesdallas; deepdate; fictionfabulist; fictionfabulistlerer; fictionfabulistlisa; joyfulendings; kamala; lerersrecurringutis; lisalerer; lisasrecurringutis; loserkamala; lyinkamala; media; newyorkgaslight; presidentdebate; thenewyorkfabulist; thenewyorkgaslight
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

A “combative” attitude will make her seem bitchy (which she is). That will turn off many voters.

Trump has dealt with the likes of ISIS, Kim Il Jung, Putin, XI, Iran, an assassination attempt, endless lawfare, etc.

A little communist witch from Berkeley / Canada isn’t going to scare him.


61 posted on 09/07/2024 1:46:37 PM PDT by july4thfreedomfoundation (Disband and Defund the putrid FBI. America does not need an out of control Gestapo)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
I have read that Kamala has dropped more boxers than Mike Tyson.


62 posted on 09/07/2024 1:46:54 PM PDT by Buffalo Bob
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

“Kamala Harris’s razor-sharp debate skills”

O.K., whoever didn’t spew their drink right there, raise their hand.


63 posted on 09/07/2024 1:48:04 PM PDT by SharpRightTurn (“Giving money & power to government is like giving whiskey & car keys to teenage boys” P.J. O’Rourke)
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To: All

Let’s not forget her real accomplishments:
Kamala climbing the political ladder with her oral sex skills.

Kamala Harris’ sexual relationship history as we know it:
<><>she was a subordinate in the San Francisco DA’s office,
<><>she started dating Willie Brown, the most powerful man in California politics,
<><>Brown was 31 years older than 29 y/o Harris....and married.
<><>Harris failed the bar exam and is not exactly known for her mastery of the law,
<><>the then-DA passed over Harris for promotion
<><>but Willie Brown was instrumental in alienating the existing DA,
<><>Brown appointed her to two well-paying patronage positions in state govt
<><>(netting her about $250,000 per year in 2024 dollars)
<><>Brown was personally involved in raising money for Kamala
<><>Brown was running Harris’ successful campaign to get elected DA
<><>DA Harris let a number of Willie Brown’s friends off as they faced serious charges
<><>one egregious case that skated was a city contractor (a Willie Brown donor)
<><>he used cheaper, recycled concrete to build bridges and other structures.
<><>the scot-free Brown donor defrauded taxpayers and endangered their lives.
This was all reported in detail by local S/Francisco media when it happened. Harris abased herself personally and engaged in political corruption at the behest of a man who advanced her political career.


Circa 2019-—Tulsi Gabbard takes aim at Kamala Harris’ record
as a prosecutor during 2020 Democratic Presidential debate

By Ella Torres, abcnews.com. July 31, 2019, 9:59 PM

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard didn’t hold back when she took aim at Sen. Kamala Harris, saying “there is no excuse” for her record as a prosecutor and she owed those “who suffered under [her] reign as prosecutor” an apology.

Gabbard, D-Hawaii, was speaking about the country’s criminal justice system at Wednesday night’s Democratic debate when she brought Harris’ history into question. Gabbard said that while Harris, D-Calif., is proud of her record, she is “deeply concerned.”

Democratic debates 2019 Live Updates: Biden, Booker bump heads on criminal justice). “There are too many examples to cite, but she put over 1,500 people in jail for marijuana violations and then laughed about it when she was asked if she ever smoked marijuana. She blocked evidence, she blocked evidence that would have freed an innocent man from death row until the courts forced her to do so,” Gabbard said.

”She kept people in prison beyond their sentences to use them as cheap labor for the state of California, and she fought to keep cash bail system in place that impacts poor people in the worst kind of way,” Gabbard said.

Harris responded that she significantly reformed the criminal justice system in California and she was proud of her work.

“And I am proud of making a decision to not just give fancy speeches or be in a legislative body and give speeches on the floor but doing the work of being in the position to use the power that I had to reform a system that is badly in need of reform,” she said.

But Gabbard wasn’t done. “The bottom line is Senator Harris when you were in a position to make a difference and an impact in these people’s lives, you did not and worse yet in the case of those who are on death row, innocent people, you actually blocked evidence from being revealed that would have freed them until you were forced to do so,” she said. “There is no excuse for that and the people who suffered under your reign as prosecutor, you owe them an apology,” Gabbard added. Harris served as the attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017.


64 posted on 09/07/2024 1:49:07 PM PDT by Liz (Faith is believing what you cannot see; its reward is to see what you believe. St Augustine)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Lisa, I think most of us remember Kamala for the pictures we saw of her trying on knee pads rather than her debating skills.


65 posted on 09/07/2024 1:50:34 PM PDT by Cen-Tejas
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To: jerod

Yep, she’ll be worse than Hillary and Hillary failed to stop the Donald.


66 posted on 09/07/2024 2:16:06 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Harris is hoping Trump will call her a nasty woman during the debate. Trump needs to be disciplined and realize it will be better if everyone sees it for themselves instead.


67 posted on 09/07/2024 2:23:00 PM PDT by willk (Local news media. Just as big an enemy to this country as national media)
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To: Steely Tom

Joy is her nick name for her who ha


68 posted on 09/07/2024 2:32:40 PM PDT by al baby (I know sarcasm )
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Hey Lisa! You’re supposed to be LOWERING expectations, not RAISING them! Get with the program.


69 posted on 09/07/2024 2:36:54 PM PDT by Larry Lucido (Donate! Don't just post clickbait!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
"Ms. Harris wrapped her punch in a gauzy pledge. Unlike her opponents, she promised that she would run a campaign based on the issues, not on negative attacks."


70 posted on 09/07/2024 2:42:33 PM PDT by clearcarbon (Fraudulent elections have consequences.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

So razor-sharp means dodging the question by stabbing her opponents with nasty personal attacks, while saying she was sticking to the issues, not personal attacks. Sounds like a duplicitous witch empowered by the media.

But yes, the article is a gaslighting masterpiece.


71 posted on 09/07/2024 2:44:12 PM PDT by Chewbarkah
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

She proposes to fund all her stuff by taxing the rich. At least that’s what she’d like you to believe.

Divided about 350 million ways, 25% of my wealth would get about $1.25 for each American resident, 100% of my wealth would get about $5 for each American resident.

My $5 per American wealth even for a family of four won’t cover a $25,000 down payment, a $6,000 baby handout, or $10,000 in child care.

What about Buffett’s billions and Gates’ billions? They’re destined for Africans in Africa I’ve read.

Truth is, being a billionaire is being a member of a very small club.

Who do you think is actually going to pay for Kamala’s vote buying?

If you are middle class or working class, you only need to look in a mirror to find out who’s going to pay dearly for Kamala’s vote buying.

If you work hard, you’ll eventually pay in some way for any $25,000 down payment handout with your own money in coming years, and for the $25,000 handout to the people that will trash a house inside and out very close to yours.


72 posted on 09/07/2024 3:00:04 PM PDT by Brian Griffin ("Why didn’t she do it three and a half years ago?”)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

I stopped reading at “razor-sharp”


73 posted on 09/07/2024 3:01:15 PM PDT by eclectic (Liberalism is a mental disorder)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
I heard last night that David Muir and Lindsey Davis will be moderating the debate. Not Georgie Steph.

Was this a recent change? Does anyone know?

74 posted on 09/07/2024 3:03:25 PM PDT by mikhailovich
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Ascent? She rose from her knees.


75 posted on 09/07/2024 3:11:02 PM PDT by bleach (If I agreed with you, we would both be wrong.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

As long as she keeps her mic on mute she’ll be okay. The media will blame Trump and say when they read her lips she was brilliant and Churchillian!


76 posted on 09/07/2024 3:21:41 PM PDT by jmaroneps37 (Freedom is never free. It must be won rewon and jealously guarded.)
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To: Fido969

Kommie kackle, Kommie kackle, Kommie kackle......


77 posted on 09/07/2024 3:25:45 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

>> Kamala Harris’s razor-sharp debate skills have powered her political ascent. <<

Hell, Biden even rope-a-doped that dope Paul Ryan from Wisconsin. But Harris is actually famous for her *bad* debate performances in the DNC primaries. SNL even mocked her harshly. “Funt.”


78 posted on 09/07/2024 3:26:19 PM PDT by dangus
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

she can pack a wallop - as she did with Kavanaugh and also Joe calling him a racist. but whether she can sustain an attack for 1 1/2 hours without descending into jabberwocky is the question. but i expect she has rehearsed a couple of whammies.


79 posted on 09/07/2024 3:37:39 PM PDT by avital2
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
she would run a campaign based on the issues, not on negative attacks

Now that's funny right there, I don't care who you are.

80 posted on 09/07/2024 4:40:10 PM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
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