Politics
/
October 17, 2024
Harris, principally, prevails. Trump stays Trump.
Vice President Kamala Harris interviewed on Fox Information by Bret Baier.
(Fox Information)
God bless you, girls who watch daytime TV. Lengthy pigeonholed as stay-at-home housewives, your numbers now embody me, a work-at-home housewife (I’m divorced, but it surely’s my home, and my youngster is an grownup, so I can name myself no matter I would like). I can get pleasure from daytime TV aimed on the primarily suburban housewife demographic, like Donald Trump’s city corridor with ladies voters in Cumming, Georgia, with Fox’s Harris Faulkner moderating, taped Tuesday night however not run then—at a time a housewife might be making dinner or placing down the bebés—however aired at 11 Wednesday morning, once we’ve made all of the beds and deliberate the dinner menu, the children are (finest be) in school, and we are able to have our “me” time. It was extremely considerate of Trump, a person who hardly ever spares us a thought, as a result of he doesn’t appear to have a thought to spare.
The ideas he spares us primarily revolve round concern. We’re apparently afraid, we girls, and we now have tons to be afraid of. Even earlier than Trump turned to the foremost risk we face from immigrants, his signature problem, we heard concerning the threats from transgender athletes in ladies’s sports activities. (Virtually each single girl within the room raised her hand when requested if she feared transgender threats.) Intercourse trafficking of ladies is up underneath Biden-Harris, Trump alleged (it isn’t). In a knotty-pine room weirdly embellished with bales of hay, as if we had been departing on a grim hayride, ladies had been reminded of our unsafety, repeatedly.
In fact, Trump had no strategy to deal with the one or two real questions he acquired. A single mom who mentioned she broke her neck final yr complained that her youngster tax credit score decreased by 80 % in the previous few years. (Because of Republicans within the Senate and departing faux-Democrats like Joe Manchin, who thought she’s spend it on medicine.)
An unsympathetic Trump replied together with his trademark phrase salad: “I gave you the biggest tax cuts within the historical past of our nation. Bigger than the Reagan cuts. Bigger. I perceive precisely what you’re saying. We’re going to readjust issues in order that it’s honest to everyone, as a result of it’s actually not honest to everyone.… We’re going up increased, however we’re additionally going to readjust as a result of it’s a must to make some readjustments It’s unfair to some folks, and we’re not going to have that.”
That made no sense in any respect. It went on like that. Kamala Harris, by the way in which, plans to broaden the credit score, giving $6,000 to oldsters of infants.
Shockingly, or not, there have been Fox Information vegetation within the viewers, in line with The New Republic.
Present Subject
To a different query, Trump referred to as himself, bizarrely, “the daddy of IVF.” However he needed to permit that he discovered what IVF was solely final yr, from Alabama Senator Katie Britt when she defined that her state’s Supreme Courtroom had made it basically unlawful. How he may very well be the daddy of one thing he solely lately heard about… effectively, possibly that describes Tiffany, too? Barron?
There was just one good query, from a girl who lives in Cumming however moved from Danville, California, which was a GOP stronghold however isn’t anymore.
“Ladies are entitled to do what they need to and have to do with their our bodies, together with their unborn,” she mentioned. “That’s on them whatever the circumstance. Some [abortions] are vital to avoid wasting their very own lives,” she added. “Why is the federal government concerned in ladies’s primary rights?”
Like most of his different remarks, Trump’s reply to this made no sense. But it surely was nice that that query slipped in anyway. Trump praised himself for appointing the Supreme Courtroom justices who despatched the problem again to the states (the place roughly 20 states now have abortion bans). He praised himself for giving ladies the liberty the questioner thought they need to have. Harris Faulkner, in fact, didn’t trouble correcting him. Later she mentioned, “Trump mentioned ‘A lady does have the correct to her physique. And for this reason I gave that proper again to the states.’”
What are you speaking about, Harris? Twenty states have taken our rights away.
Trump doubled down on his claims about utilizing the army to crack down on home enemies, as soon as once more singling out Consultant Adam Schiff, head of his first impeachment trial.
“I take advantage of a man like Adam Schiff as a result of they made up the Russia Russia Russia hoax,” Trump mentioned. “It took two years to unravel the issue. Completely nothing was achieved mistaken. [Note: That’s not true.] They’re harmful for our nation.” The Pelosis, he mentioned, are “so sick they usually’re so evil.… They’re those doing the threatening…. It’s referred to as ‘weaponization of presidency.’”
He tried to reassure a Vietnamese immigrant, “We would like as many individuals as potential to return in legally [Note: I don’t think Stephen Miller or Project 2025 agrees]. However we don’t need murderers, we don’t need drug traffickers.” And he implied that almost all immigrants fall into these classes, and boasted of his assist from the Border Patrol Union and the Fraternal Order of the Police. However he did acknowledge that the economic system wants “good” immigrants, which he didn’t outline, whereas he continued to deride most immigrant teams who come right here.
Six hours later, a beady-eyed Bret Baier confronted Vice President Kamala Harris in a Fox Information interview as if she had been the hapless spouse who didn’t have dinner on the desk when he acquired house at 6 pm. He regarded hangry, and he interrupted her endlessly.
However she did superb. Operating for president? “It’s not alleged to be straightforward,” she allowed.
Baier tried to steer her into “basket of deplorables” territory, asking about Trump’s supporters. “Are they silly?” he requested her.
“Oh God no,” Harris exclaimed. “He’s the one who talks about an enemy inside. He suggests he would flip the army in opposition to the American folks.”
Common
“swipe left beneath to view extra authors”Swipe →
Baier needled Harris on immigration, sharing a clip of a mom who misplaced a daughter to an alleged homicide by an immigrant. Apologetic within the second, Harris introduced the immigration standoff again to Trump’s blocking a tricky bipartisan border invoice. “Let’s discuss what is occurring proper now with a person who doesn’t need to take part in options,” she mentioned.
When Baier shared Trump’s reply to a query requested by Faulkner on the earlier city corridor about his hideous assaults on Democrats that soft-pedaled Trump’s remarks, Harris bristled. “Bret, with all due respect, that’s not what you simply confirmed. He has repeated it many instances. You and I each know he has talked about going after the American folks. This can be a democracy. In a democracy, the president of america ought to have the ability to deal with criticism with out saying he’d lock folks up for doing it.”
And she or he finally stood as much as Baier for his incessant interruptions. “It’s a must to let me end, please,” she mentioned at one level. “I’m in the course of responding to the purpose you’re elevating, and I’d like to complete.” By my rely, she requested him to cease interrupting her at the least 4 instances.
Former Republicans applauded her efficiency. “There will likely be loyal Fox-Information-viewing ladies who will stroll away from Harris’ interview considering: I don’t agree w/her a lot, however she’s not dumb like Trump instructed me, & she’s powerful, regardless of what he’s mentioned,” Alyssa Farah Griffin tweeted. “It issues across the edges in a good race.”
Even Fox’s Brit Hume gave Harris credit score: “She was combative and energetic, and she or he actually landed some blows on Donald Trump.”
I personally want she hadn’t needed to do it, however I’m proud as hell she did effectively.
Can we rely on you?
Within the coming election, the destiny of our democracy and elementary civil rights are on the poll. The conservative architects of Challenge 2025 are scheming to institutionalize Donald Trump’s authoritarian imaginative and prescient throughout all ranges of presidency if he ought to win.
We’ve already seen occasions that fill us with each dread and cautious optimism—all through all of it, The Nation has been a bulwark in opposition to misinformation and an advocate for daring, principled views. Our devoted writers have sat down with Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders for interviews, unpacked the shallow right-wing populist appeals of J.D. Vance, and debated the pathway for a Democratic victory in November.
Tales like these and the one you simply learn are very important at this crucial juncture in our nation’s historical past. Now greater than ever, we want clear-eyed and deeply reported impartial journalism to make sense of the headlines and type truth from fiction. Donate at present and be a part of our 160-year legacy of talking reality to energy and uplifting the voices of grassroots advocates.
All through 2024 and what’s doubtless the defining election of our lifetimes, we want your assist to proceed publishing the insightful journalism you depend on.
Thanks,
The Editors of The Nation
Extra from The Nation
Democrats want to acknowledge that Colin Allred is doing all the pieces proper in a Texas race that would give their get together management of the Senate.
John Nichols
Why is the media speaking a lot concerning the fraction of Black males who would possibly go MAGA when greater than 60 % of white males will vote for Trump?
Elie Mystal
At a city corridor occasion in Oaks, Pennsylvania, Donald Trump appeared to surrender on politics and spent 39 minutes nodding alongside to his favourite songs.
Chris Lehmann
Harris has been nearly silent on trans rights, and her insurance policies would disproportionately profit well-off trans folks.
Charlie Markbreiter
The previous president’s threats could appear outlandish. However his agenda is genuinely harmful.
Chris Lehmann
