The Kamala Harris-DEI Attacks Seem to Go Only in One Direction

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the criticism and dismissal of Vice President Kamala Harris as a "DEI hire" by Republican politicians and right-wing commentators. It examines the contrast between the criticism of Harris's selection and the lack of objection to the racial and gender makeup of her own running mate selection process.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Criticism of Kamala Harris as a "DEI Hire"

1. What are the main criticisms made by Republican politicians and right-wing commentators against Kamala Harris?

• They have dismissed Harris as a "DEI hire", arguing that her race and gender are the only reasons she got the job as Vice President.
• They have claimed that Biden promised to choose a black woman as his running mate, which is false.
• They have accused Harris of representing "classic DEI culture" and being chosen solely due to "diversity, equity, and inclusion" considerations.

2. How have these critics responded to Harris's own running mate selection process?

• The critics did not raise any objections when Harris's short list for running mate consisted entirely of white men.
• They did not protest the lack of women and people of color on Harris's running mate list.

3. What does the contrast between these two situations reveal about the critics' motivations?

• The "DEI" criticism of Harris is not about objecting to selection based on race and sex, but about objecting when that selection process favors women and minorities.
• The critics' position appears to be driven more by bias than a principled stance against consideration of race and gender in employment and politics.

[02] Kamala Harris's Running Mate Selection Process

1. What were the goals and considerations in Harris's running mate selection process?

• One of Harris's goals was to diversify her ticket and appeal to demographics like older white voters and suburban women.
• Harris's team was particularly interested in a running mate who would appeal to white men who don't like Trump but may question voting for a Black and South Asian woman.
• Harris quickly narrowed her short list to six candidates, all of whom were white men.

2. How did the critics respond to Harris's running mate selection?

• The critics did not object to Harris selecting a white male running mate, even though this was done to broaden the ticket's representation.
• Instead, the critics have focused their criticism on attacking the running mate's (Tim Walz's) positions on issues like immigration and Black Lives Matter.

3. What does this reveal about the critics' approach to diversity and inclusion?

• The critics' objections to "DEI" appear to be selective and driven more by partisan bias than a principled stance.
• They are willing to accept and even endorse consideration of race and gender when it benefits white men, but object strongly when it benefits women and minorities.