Editorial: Pragmatic Kamala 

Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald: Kamala Harris speaks at a rally in Glendale.


Column By Mike Bibb


Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., on Sunday (Meet the Press) called Vice President Kamala Harris’ decision to moderate her views on fracking and ‘Medicare for All’ ‘pragmatic,’ saying that Harris is ‘doing what she thinks is right in order to win the election’ and that he still considers her to be ‘progressive.

NBC News, Sept. 8, 2024

Sometimes, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.  If it means being pragmatic and “doing what she thinks is right to win the election.”

While still a contender, folks are gradually awakening to the phoniness of her schtick.  She hasn’t quite mastered the ancient political illusion of talking out of both sides of her mouth — and making it believable.

But she tries.

That and videotapes dispel the myth.  Thanks to persistent inventor, Thomas Edison, and his “phonograph” in 1877.  A machine capable of recording and playing back practically anything it could “hear.” The combination of sound and moving pictures came 50 years later in 1927’s “The Jazz Singer.”  Modern audio and video technology has been evolving since the 1950s.

With few exceptions, professional political practitioners haven’t kept pace with the recording industry.

A possible explanation Sen. Bernie Sanders offered as an excuse when he noted Kamala Harris was being “pragmatic” when she was discovered flipping her opinions on issues she previously opposed.

Sort of acting “Republicanish” in pandering to less liberal voters.

For example, after three and a half years — and a month before the national election in November — Kam suddenly decided to visit the US/Mexico border in Arizona on Sept. 27.  Not because she wanted to, but rather because it was a politically pragmatic reaction to a festering problem she’s ignored.

Suppose she believes most people won’t figure out her pragmatic motives in pulling this stunt.

After all, being pragmatic often requires doing things one wouldn’t ordinarily do to achieve an intended purpose.

This is what Webster’s Dictionary insinuates when it defines ”pragmatic” as “practical, testing the validity of all concepts by their practical results.”

Or simply lying.  In other words, whatever it takes to enhance a situation to an individual’s benefit – including telling whoppers that are obvious whoppers.

USA Today also recognized the political play – “It’s possible that Harris doesn’t know what she believes, although that itself is a big problem. Yet it’s more likely that she knows exactly what she believes, but understands that her brand of extreme progressivism could make winning the White House difficult.” – USA Today, Sept. 10, 2024

Yep, Kamala has told us her “Values haven’t changed.”  She’s just as left and socialist-oriented as she’s always been. Telling tales to the contrary doesn’t change that fact.

In Kamala’s situation, she must be one of the most pragmatic candidates in the current election cycle. Hardly a day passes in which she isn’t pragmatically commenting about something or another.

Of course, the success of political pragmatism is determined – to a large extent – by the gullibility and ignorance of the voters.  If Kamala can say she supports fracking and private gun ownership today, when shelves of video clips reveal her mouthing exact opposite opinions not too long ago, then you know she’s being a political pragmatist or has changed her mind.

Recently interviewed on Oprah, Kamala bragged she was a legal gun owner and would shoot any intruder who entered her home.  Oprah, stunned by her remark, replied she didn’t realize Kam had a gun or favored individual firearms possession.

Oprah’s confusion probably comes from the realization Kamala has been well-documented as being against gun ownership.  To such an extent there is a video of her as California Attorney General informing a citizen the government could enter his home anytime to check and make sure the individual was obeying current gun laws.

I don’t believe that’s how it works.  As California’s Attorney General, Kam must have forgotten that pesky 4th Amendment rule again.  She was probably just practicing her pragmatism.  Although, in California, you never know how the laws will be enforced — or not enforced.

Additionally, other video interviews show Kamala promoting mandatory government gun “buy back” programs.  Essentially, private firearms confiscation using gun owner’s taxes as payment.

Her entire platform is based on political pragmatism.  The Democrat Party, in a pragmatic move, dumped President Joe in favor of replacing him with Vice President Kam.

Why?  Democrat National Committee (DNC) coaches decided Joe was a loser and had to sit on the bench his next term.  His statistics weren’t sufficient to risk another four years.

Kamala is equally unimpressive, but at least she isn’t 81 years old with her check engine light blinking. As a result, Joe was pulled from the lineup and Kam was sent in.

So far, the DNC has managed to limit Kamala to softball questions from admiring media reporters and talk show hosts.  Hollywood celebrities — some of the very same ones who favored Joe’s removal — are now eagerly endorsing Kamala’s campaign as the most important presidential election in the nation’s history.

Now, that’s what I call political pragmatism.  Some call it unadulterated barnyard manure. Some call it making lemonade from lemons.

Maybe, but it’s still a lemon no matter how much artificial sweetener is added to disguise the bitterness.

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author.