Insights on Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party

Ta-Nehisi Coates, known for his leftist activism and the “Reparations Suit,” recently shared his thoughts in Vanity Fair about Kamala Harris and her 2024 campaign. He highlighted what he sees as a contradiction within the Democratic Party: while it often celebrates black civil rights leaders, it simultaneously supports foreign policies that he categorizes as “imperial.”

In his essay titled “Did Kamala Harris’ silence on Gaza cost her the White House?” Coates pointed out that Harris’s ascent was largely due to a coalition of black women activists who had already secured various political achievements. He noted, “They asked for a black woman on the ticket. They got it. They asked for a black woman on the Supreme Court. They got it. They asked for a black woman on the Federal Reserve. They got that, too. And they got more.”

Coates praised the Biden administration for its record number of appointments of Black women to federal courts, the significant drops in Black unemployment and poverty, and the temporary expansion of the child tax credit, which notably halved the Black child poverty rate in just one year.

As Biden stepped back from the 2024 race and endorsed Harris, the same coalition of Black women was on the verge of potentially electing the first Black female president. Coates remarked that “the most compelling victory ever was on the horizon.” However, he also pointed out that Harris’s campaign illustrates a deeper contradiction; it’s puzzling that a “black president” who understands a movement against domestic racist state violence would simultaneously engage in similar actions abroad.

He elaborated on the historical context, stating that African American voters often see presidential elections as a choice among lesser evils. Moving forward, he insisted that the next Black president must broaden their focus to include “empire” in their list of challenges, alongside issues like “new white supremacy” and “the greedy billionaire class.”

Coates’s commentary also touched on American imperialism, arguing that the nation’s self-perception as a promoter of democratic justice clashes with the reality of its expansionist past. “The image of America as an imperial power runs counter to America’s self-image,” he mentioned, emphasizing the historical aggression since the country’s inception.

As for Harris, she is considered a likely candidate for the 2028 election. She indicated back in April that she “may” run again, and recent polls suggest she is leading in hypothetical Democratic primaries. One survey conducted in early May showed her approval rating among Democrats at 38%, way ahead of California Governor Gavin Newsom at 16%, with others significantly trailing.

Coates has been critical of Harris and other Democrats in the past. He highlighted the “baggage” they carry concerning criminal justice issues, calling her prior support for prosecuting parents in truancy cases “appalling.” He raised concerns about what it means to place military power in her hands.

In 2016, he supported Senator Bernie Sanders despite criticizing him for not having a clearer anti-racism agenda, acknowledging that voters might judge Sanders harshly yet still view him as the best candidate. In the context of current events, Coates reflected on a podcast, pondering whether he would have been “strong enough” to reject violence like that of Hamas if he had grown up in Gaza facing oppression and poverty.