More Seriously: The Politics of Inclusion

 

Seriously, though, there is a point her.  My point is that Kamala Harris is working hard at the politics of inclusion and may be pulling it off.

Traditionally, Republicans have openly or subtly conveyed a message of exclusion.  Yes, they take care to include Black and Hispanic speakers to show that all races are welcome, but the constant message of "authenticity" and "real America" cannot help but convey a message that some "technical citizens" are inauthentic and not "really" American.  Who this refers to is somewhat intentionally left vague.  

Democrats, by contrast, present a message of inclusion -- which nonetheless has a tendency to exclude.  To some extent, this is the result of being a less cohesive coalition that the Republican base.  Democrats necessarily have to give assurances to all members of their coalition that all are welcome.  This can have the effect of telling people outside the coalition that they are not welcome.  And, yes, Democrats have made their efforts to overcome this.  Barrack Obama catapulted to national stature with his speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention in which he said:

The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I've got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and have gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported it. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

And when he ran for President, Obama sought to reassure people outside the coalition by choosing Joe Biden, generally agreed to be an Authentic Real American, for Vice President.  Somehow it never convinced skeptics that he was anything but an out of touch elitist -- or worse.

So Kamala Harris is making her own bid.  She has chosen Mr. Super-Whitey from the Midwest for Vice President.  Walz flaunts the persona to assure voters on the fence that if you are Mr. Super-Whitey from the Midwast who coaches football, served 24 years in the National Guard, thinks tacos are made from hamburger and seasoned with black pepper and a hot dish is made with mild green chilies, taco sauce, chili pepper and paprika, you are an authentic real American who is welcome in our party.  And if you are the daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants from California who makes homemade fries seasoned with home grown rosemary and thyme -- well you are just as real American and just as welcome in our party.

In further news today, Trump is ahead in the latest poll.