Know Your Enemy

Kamala's Convention [Teaser]

Aug 23, 2024

Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States and a pivotal figure at the recent Democratic National Convention, reflects on her reintroduction to America. She discusses the energy surrounding the Harris-Walz ticket and the significance of the Democratic platform. The conversation critiques the lack of attention to uncommitted delegates and Palestinian rights, highlighting the challenges they face within the party. The guest also touches on the implications of featuring police and ex-CIA members, offering a nuanced view of contemporary political narratives.

06:19

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Episode guests

Kamala Harris

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Quick takeaways

The omission of the uncommitted delegates from the Democratic National Convention underscores the party's struggle to integrate humanitarian concerns into its platform.

Kamala Harris's attempts at redefining her candidacy were overshadowed by the party's endorsement of controversial figures and policies that alienate marginalized communities.

Deep dives

Understanding the Uncommitted Delegation Movement

The uncommitted delegation movement consists of committed Democrats who aim to influence the political process while expressing concerns about the situation in Gaza. These delegates were elected to represent their constituents at the Democratic National Convention and sought to advocate for Palestinian rights without compromising their party loyalty. Despite their serious intentions and structured proposals, the Harris campaign denied them a speaking opportunity, undermining their efforts and message. Their position highlights a broader struggle to balance party loyalty with humanitarian concerns, revealing the complexities faced by activists looking to impact change within established political frameworks.

The Uncommitted Delegation and Their Struggle for Representation

4min

Critique of Political Narratives Surrounding Palestinian Rights

2min

Four days in Chicago, dozens of speeches by Democratic luminaries and backbenchers, and a spotlight on Kamala Harris, who reintroduced herself to America — your favorite podcast co-hosts endured watching the Democratic National Convention and are here to report on what they saw.

It was, in many ways, a highly successful convention: massive crowds, palpable energy for the Harris-Walz ticket, and orations met with pundits' plaudits. But the Democrats' refusal to feature a speaker from the Uncommitted delegates, and the general lack of evident concern for Palestinian suffering, was profoundly disappointing — and morally grotesque. As were the choices to feature cops and ex-CIA agents on the convention stage, and the broad affirmation, from Democrats, of the right's positions on crime and the border. What to make of it all? We discuss how Kamala tried to define her career and candidacy, what we make of Tim Walz (so far), how Democrats talked about Trump (including the shifts from how they've done so in the past), and the state of the presidential race now that both conventions are, blessedly, over.

Sources:

Watch Kamala Harris's full DNC speech (YouTube)

Watch Tim Walz's full DNC speech (YouTube)

Watch Michelle Obama's full DNC speech (YouTube)

Liliana Segura, "Democrats Abandoned Their Anti-Death Penalty Stance. Those on Federal Death Row May Pay the Price," The Intercept, Aug 23, 2024.

Josh Leifer and Waleed Shahid, "The Uncommitted Movement Is the Floor of What’s Possible,” Dissent, Aug 16, 2024

Noah Lanard, "Here Is the Speech That the Uncommitted Movement Wants to Give at the DNC," Mother Jones, Aug 23, 2024