Quick Take
Activist, artist and writer Donna Maurillo has no patience for those criticizing Kamala Harris: “With only 100 days to the election, she was thrown into the arena wholly unprepared to face a man who had been working for more than four years to plan his election team, his policies, his strategies, and his roadmap. Four years versus 100 days.” She laments that two-thirds of the top economic superpowers of the world have had women presidents or prime ministers and says the U.S. is sadly absent.
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I am so sick. Yes, it’s about the election. But not in the way you think.
I’m sick of the armchair quarterbacking, the dumping on Kamala Harris, blaming her for the loss to Donald Trump. “She should have done this.” “She should have paid attention.” “She should have had better policies.” “She didn’t consider these people.”
This is nothing more than … barn carpeting. Where were they during the campaign season? Did they do anything at all to help her out?
Kamala Harris was not planning to run for president this election season. In fact, many other Democratic politicians had that plan, but they were held back by Joe Biden’s stubborn refusal to let go of the party reins. With the president declaring that he would run, who would go up against him? He was given the candidacy in a primary process with no other real choices.
After weeks and months of trying to persuade him to step aside because of his mental decline (which, by the way, was nearly on par with that of Donald Trump’s), Biden finally agreed to step down. That left Kamala Harris as the only logical choice. She was, after all, the vice president and had White House experience.
So, with only 100 days to the election, she was thrown into the arena wholly unprepared to face a man who had been working for more than four years to plan his election team, his policies, his strategies and his roadmap. Four years versus 100 days.
What we ended up with was a debacle.
We expected better? No, we threw a woman into a losing battle and then blamed her for the outcome. “See? Women just are not ready for the rough-and-tumble of a presidential campaign.” (Insert self-satisfaction here.)
I blame not only Joe Biden, but I blame every single Democrat who did not vote. Were you one of them? Did any of these so-called post-election experts offer her any of their insights during the campaign? Did any of these people do anything to get out the vote? Did any of the pundits offer reasons to vote for democracy rather than demagoguery?
No, but they’re ready to pile on against a woman who took up the reins, likely knowing that she was fighting uphill against a lying, thieving, woman-hating, cheating, manipulative con man who had been setting his plans in motion for years.
Two-thirds of the top GDP nations around the world have had women presidents or prime ministers. Count among them Mexico, the Philippines, India, Great Britain, Brazil, Canada, France, Israel, Turkey, Portugal, Argentina and even the Muslim country of Pakistan. But the United States, with no female presidents, ranks with Russia, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran and other less-than-illustrious-as-role-model nations.
I’m tired of hearing that we are not ready for a woman president.
I’m tired of the sexist, racist, anti-female memes that were thrown at Kamala Harris. Examples: She got to the top by working on her back. She was Willie Brown’s (unprintable). She worked the street corners. She and Hillary Clinton were affected by (unprintable) jobs. She’s been handled by pimps. What does that say to our daughters, sisters, mothers, wives and other women who have succeeded in their careers?
I have lost respect for anyone who thought these were funny.
I am angry with all those white women who did not vote for Kamala Harris because they wanted cheaper prices for eggs. (As one of my guy friends said, “If you want cheaper eggs, buy a chicken.”) I am angry with all those men – white, Black, Hispanic – who thought a woman couldn’t possibly be better than Donald Trump. I am angry with all those voters who thought reproductive health issues would never affect them. I am angry with all those who sold their souls so they wouldn’t have to pay $10 dollars more for a tank of gas.
But I am incredibly grateful for all the Black and Hispanic women who would not be fooled into voting for a con man. You deserve our deep admiration.
When she was 15, Donna Maurillo got into politics as a “Teen for Kennedy.” She has been a Republican and a Democrat, and she currently is part of an activist group meeting weekly to write postcards to legislators and voters. Their total so far is 50,000 postcards, all sent at their own expense.