Black Lives Matter Denounces Democrats for 'Anointing' Kamala Harris - Newsweek
By: Khaleda Rahman (Newsweek)
Trouble in paradise?
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
CLOSE X By Khaleda Rahman National CorrespondentFOLLOW
Black Lives Matter has criticized the Democratic Party for "anointing" Vice President Kamala Harris as the expected Democrat presidential nominee without a public vote.
President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he was leaving the presidential race and endorsed Harris to replace him at the top of the Democratic ticket to face Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, in November. Biden had faced pressure to step aside after a disastrous debate performance last month magnified concerns about the 81-year-old's age and ability to beat Trump and serve a second term.
By Monday evening, Harris had secured the support of enough Democratic delegates to become her party's nominee, The Associated Press reported.
Responding to the development, Black Lives Matter criticized Democrats for not giving voters a say—and called on the Democratic National Committee to host a virtual snap primary ahead of the party's convention in August. Newsweek has contacted Black Lives Matter, the Harris campaign and the DNC for comment via email.
Timeline of Events
Sunday
•Joe Biden drops out.
•Kamala Harris announces campaign with Biden endorsement.
•Kamala Harris says she is going to work hard to earn the nomination.
•Kamala Harris makes calls to party delegates.
Monday
•Kamala Harris continues making calls to... pic.twitter.com/ZxzyxegZin
— Black Lives Matter (@Blklivesmatter) July 23, 2024
"Democratic Party elites and billionaire donors are attempting to manipulate Black voters by anointing Kamala Harris and an unknown vice president as the new Democratic ticket without a primary vote by the public," Black Lives Matter said in a statement.
"This blatant disregard for democratic principles is unacceptable. While the potential outcome of a Harris presidency may be historic, the process to achieve it must align with true democratic values."
The organization added: "We do not live in a dictatorship. Delegates are not oligarchs. Any attempt to evade or override the will of voters in our primary system—no matter how historic the candidate—must be condemned. We demand an informal, virtual snap primary now that the incumbent president is no longer in the running."
Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign event in Wisconsin on Tuesday. The vice president has secured the support of enough Democratic delegates to become her party's presidential nominee.Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign event in Wisconsin on Tuesday. The vice president has secured the support of enough Democratic delegates to become her party's presidential nominee.Kayla Wolf/AP
Harris is the first woman, Black person and person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president. If she becomes the Democratic nominee and defeats Trump in November, she would be the first woman to serve as president.
Black Lives Matter said any process that does not include voters could undermine Harris, or another Democrat, if they win the White House in November.
"Let us be clear: This is about the Democratic Party following a process that protects the legitimacy of any future Democratic president following this unprecedented moment," the statement said.
"Installing Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee and an unknown vice president without any public voting process would make the modern Democratic Party a party of hypocrites. It would undermine their credibility on issues related to democracy.
"Imagine our first Black woman president not having won some sort of public nomination process. The pundits would immediately label it as affirmative action or a DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] move, and any progress made by a President Harris would be on shaky foundations. If Kamala Harris is to be the nominee, it must be through a process that upholds democratic principles and public participation."
Some Republicans have already sought to cast Harris as a DEI hire.
"The incompetency level is at an all-time high in Washington. The media propped up this president, lied to the American people for three years, and then dumped him for our DEI vice president," Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.
Update 7/24/24, 5:45 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional comment.
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Further disenfranchisement? No voter input. Not a good look.
The democrat's new motto, Democracy? we don't need no stinking democracy, we will tell you who you have to vote for. Democrats appear to have learned how to hold elections from their buddy Vlad.
They hate Putin for going against their queen in 2016.
Xi is who they are trying to model themselves after. Complete with reeducation camps.
Did BLM poll its membership or is this just some blather from on high? I expect the latter.
When organization positions are articulated, it's usually blather from on high, they rarely poll its membership. WRT BLM, what does membership mean, people who have made donations, people who support the decentralized movement?
Fuck BLM. I'm surprised that NT members who are supportive of Israel agree with an organization that supports the Palestinians in their 76 year hatred of and conflict with Israel.
BLM is still a thing???
I thought the right put no credence in Black Lives Matter.
A broken clock is right twice a day.
Dems were losing much of the black vote and to piss on them like this, is only going to make it worse. That alone is the point.
I thought the left put much credence in BLM.
I thought the left was all about preserving democracy.
Poor Kamala. After all the work she did for BLM terrorists in 2020 and they don’t have her back.
Once her poll numbers start to drop it will be a free for all during the convention! I can't wait to see the mayhem and riots in the streets.
To be filed under the enemy of my enemy is my friend inanity and tossed aside as sour gripes.
Same category as Liz Cheney and the Lincoln Project then.
Well, duh. The primaries are when the various factions and special interests bargain for promises. After all, Harris hasn't met with Al Sharpton to bend her knee and get his approval.
Kamala Harris will need to publicly commit to keeping Joe Biden's promises. Why does everyone think the Democrat heavy hitters have rallied around the Vice President? The election is still going to be between Trump and Biden. If Harris breaks away from the Biden agenda then Joe will be sniping from the Oval Office. Biden may be a lame duck but Biden is still the President. Biden won't allow Democrats to just ignore him after he made such a huge sacrifice for the party.
It's always worked in the past, why change now?
Are you referring to only the Democratic primaries, only the Republican primaries-- or both?
Everyone?
By Monday evening, Harris had secured the support of enough Democratic delegates to become her party's nominee,
Well, I suppose there's more than one definition of "anointed", eh?
Since Harris joined the race, trump's numbers are going down faster than Lauren Boebert in a truck stop parking lot.
Which polls are you reviewing? These look fairly flat to me;
Its really too early too tell much from the polls.
Most of them are all over the map anyways. They can be manipulated in so many ways. Only a few have a reliable reputation.