Progressives warn Harris must change her closing message as the election looms

[Dulcinea]

NEW YORK (AP) — Progressive Democrats warn Kamala Harris risks losing the support of a small but significant portion of her political base unless she changes her campaign's closing message — and its messengers — immediately.

Specifically, several progressive leaders believe that the Democratic nominee has been too focused on winning over moderate Republicans in recent days at the expense of her own party's passionate liberals. And they say that Harris' closing message, which is increasingly centered on Republican Donald Trump and the threat he poses to U.S. democracy, ignores the economic struggles of the nation's working class.

Some far-left leaders are also irked that Harris has shared the stage in recent days with former House Republican leader Liz Cheney and billionaire businessman Mark Cuban while progressive icons like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have been relegated to low-profile roles.

“The truth of the matter is that there are a hell of a lot more working-class people who could vote for Kamala Harris than there are conservative Republicans,” Sanders told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/progressives-warn-harris-must-change-040136928.html?.tsrc=daily_mail&segment_id=DY_VTO&ncid=crm_19908-1202929-20241025-0&bt_user_id=oUcp%2BjJFoJldNTctwqUDm6dcBzT9FJdyK8YqHM6yjH2kmt2OqsHrBupEF0vEGCot&bt_ts=1729855525635

[LetMyPeopleVote]

1. Do these progressives want to see TFG re-elected?

The choice is between our democratic form of government or a TFG dictatorship where Project 2025 will be used to give TFG complete control of our government. There will be no guardrails and TFG will be allowed to use the military to shoot or arrest TFG’s enemies from within

[gab13by13]

4. This is a BS Yahoo article

Bernie Sanders and AOC have been campaigning hard for Kamala.

I read the link and it speaks in generalities, no specifics.

IMO this Yahoo article is a right wing smear job meant to divide Democrats.

[Beastly Boy]

10. The article is from AP. Yahoo is just an aggregator that posted it.

Not that AP has never posted bullshit articles before.

[gab13by13]

11. Correction, it is a BS AP article meant to divide Democrats

[Native]

2. I can't believe Kamala is focused on winning. What lunacy is that?

[Lovie777]

3. Far-left..........................

enough said.

[gab13by13]

5. Why in heaven's name did you post that?

Do you want to divide Democrats? Show me in that Yahoo article where Bernie Sanders and AOC are upset with Kamala.

A week and a half before the election and we believe right wing nonsense. Unreal.

[Beastly Boy]

6. Or else what?

Certainly, wasting political capital to win over radical progressives with this attitude at the expense of moderate Republicans is a losing proposition. Democrats have learned that lesson in 2016.

[gab13by13]

12. "radical progressives"? Really?

So you believe the AP article?

President Biden has been pretty progressive in his policies and he beat TSF by 7 million votes.

[Beastly Boy]

18. Do you prefer "passionate liberals", as the bullshit AP article calls them?

Ok, have it your way.

As for me, I don't "believe" anything. I learn from history, I analyze, I draw conclusions. My comment is not based on the AP's bullshit article, it is based on the first Trump presidency and what made it happen. History taught me a cruel lesson in the 2016 elections. The current political crisis threatening our democracy is a direct outcome.

[gab13by13]

19. So I guess we should "bitch slap"

all of the progressives who Taylor Swift is bringing to the polls, as someone else suggested.

President Biden did some pretty wild progressive things, like forgiving student loan debt and lowering drug prices.

I understand what happened in 2016 and there were progressives who wanted the perfect candidate and many voted for Jill Stein. This isn't 2016 and I see zero evidence that what happened in 2016 is happening again and we don't need division at this stage of the contest.

[Beastly Boy]

21. Taylor Swift is not bringing entitled attention seekers to the polls.

She is bringing young people who understand their civic responsibilities and what's at stake to the polls. Those young people don't make demands as a condition for doing the right thing.

And just to remind you: Biden has been called middle of the road establishment neoliberal by the "passionate liberals". So you don't get it both ways. You are talking about two completely different segments of voters: those who vote Democratic because it's the right thing to do, and those who demand special attention as a precondition to voting Democratic, or else.

What you are forgetting about 2016 is that a full 11% of Bernie supporters voted for Trump, in addition to those who voted for Stein and Gabbard in much smaller numbers. And that's not counting those who didn't vote. As a "protest". All because they didn't get their way.

And how can you possibly see zero evidence of it happening again, when the "passionate liberals" are telling you what their intentions are to your face? Literally.

[ms liberty]

7. Yahoo wants a viral "dems in disarray" story

Oh noes, this is a disaster. I'm series!1!!!111

[brush]

8. IIRC unemployment is at a 50-year low, and that includes progrssives, or which I am one.

I'm searching for the authenticity of this argument but I'm not finding much. I mean what is the issue of getting endorsements for a win from many republicans against republican trump?

I'm searching but not finding much but mole hills.

[gab13by13]

13. The article posted gives no specifics

Ignore it, it is meant to divide us.

For fucks sake Bernie Sanders and AOC are out campaigning for Kamala.

[brush]

15. Thanks. Will ignore it.

[epreic01]

9. I'm not bothered

She’s not promising anything other than democracy, protecting the constitution, a cabinet position, and an open mind… I kind of need a Democrat to bitch slap some of our base and say hey we can’t all get 💯 of what we want. Getting most of what you want is better than nothing.

[gab13by13]

14. Really?

"bitch slap some of our base" are you serious?

TSF has a ceiling of 47 or 48% tops. All we have to do is turnout our base and you suggest bitch slapping some of them?

Unbelievable.

[MontanaFarmer]

17. I don't see this as a base election.

Trump does, but that's his only play. He narrowly won the last base election, 2016. 2020 was closer to a turnout election and we won it. Where? In the suburbs and rural areas, where Biden attracted enough disaffected moderates to win states Clinton lost. Hard to argue with the Harris strategy even if i would prefer a more hopeful closing argument.

[epreic01]

22. Not literal

But I find it unbelievable that people are willing to throw democracy away bc they aren’t going to get 💯 what they want. For example, I have an uncomfortable amount of students of color wearing MAGA hats bc they’re mad about trans kids in sports. So they’re willing to let democracy due to give a middle finger to the trans community.
And yes his ceiling is 47-48%, but he can win the EC with that amount. Republicans are roughly 50% of this country and for the most part they are white and christian. We are the other 50% and we are 5% this, 10% that, and a bunch of 1-2%. It’s a delicate coalition and to expect a candidate to be everything to everyone is irrational. She’s trying to secure a victory here. And this isn’t against a Romney. This is against a Hitler. I’m completely comfortable with her reaching out to anyone her campaign thinks is gettable. Some if us have even more at stake in this election. Our right to exist. Period. I’m a gay man living in a red state. My mother just died a couple months ago and I’m trying to care for my Dad, but with the laws they’re trying to pass I may not be able to stay here. It’s scary and for people to be so picky when Trump and Project 2025 is a real physical threat to people is mind blowing.

[MontanaFarmer]

16. I think this.

Obviously the campaign's research/data people are finding that A) there are persuedable moderates and repubs out there and B) she doesn't have them yet. They've made the decision that reminding people how awful trump is is better messaging than working the economy angle. I think and hope she can (if you'll permit me) weave together effectively, in her Texas and Ellipse speeches, the danger of Trump and the hope in Harris. She has good ideas, she's relatively young, energetic, and positive, and I do think that all needs to be a part of the close. AOC has been a great surrogate this cycle, both for Biden and now for Harris. She's Obviously not going to love the Liz Cheney stuff but she'll keep playing for the team. I haven't paid attention to what Bernie is up to since his convention speech so I can't speak to that.

[bucolic_frolic]

20. Manufactured drama for headlines

[travelingthrulife]

23. lol. what nonsense.

unidentified "far left leaders"

[lees1975]

24. I have trouble believing that there are more than a handful of progressives who are really this stupid and ignorant.

So a progressive, someone who holds to the ideology of Bernie Sanders or AOC, such as MYSELF!!!! would even think about staying home or getting frumped up and offended because Kamala Harris is trying to broaden her constituency and WIN THE DAMN ELECTION?

Sometimes, when I see stuff like this, it explains fully why a fascist, Hitler, dictator loving, lying scum bucket like Trump is running a close election. A political constituency that values education ought to be able to apply some of it, and provide evidence of critical thinking, instead of this trash. It sure explains why progressives have trouble getting any traction.

Sheesh.