Kamala Harris's surprising move

Harris's statement that she would "shoot anyone who breaks into her house" shows that the vice president is using the gun-related theme to project a tough image, shattering ingrained perceptions about female candidates.

During a conversation on September 19th, "television queen" Oprah Winfrey and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris watched moving footage, an integral part of the Democratic Party's gun safety campaigns. The footage depicted the horror of a school shooting, a teenage victim shot in an auditorium, his wrist and right arm bandaged. A mother wept as she spoke directly to Harris, pleading with those in power to make change. However, when Winfrey shifted the topic to Harris's own gun ownership rights, the vice president delivered a completely different message. "If someone breaks into my house," Harris said, laughing, "they'll get shot." According to the New York Times , this statement by Harris was noteworthy, as she is generally a cautious candidate. The Democratic candidate seemed to immediately regret her words. When Oprah showed understanding, Harris admitted she shouldn't have said that. She also joked that her assistants would help clean up the mess from the comment. "My staff will handle that later," Harris said, still smiling. The New York Times noted that Harris's comment underscores the Democrats' growing acceptance of American gun culture, even as they campaign to warn about the dangers of gun ownership. Additionally, Harris is seizing the opportunity to introduce herself to a country that has never elected a woman president in the short time remaining before the election. "That's my point of view. I don't want to take guns away from people," Harris said.

The Democratic Party is gradually becoming more comfortable with the topic of guns.

Guns and presidents have gone hand in hand for much of American history. People can purchase a replica of one of former President George Washington's flintlock pistols for $156.99 at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. The Smithsonian Institution even has one of the original. When Barack Obama was president, the White House said he enjoyed shooting clay pigeons at Camp David. In recent years, male Democrats from Republican-leaning states have generally incorporated guns into their political campaigns. In a 2010 campaign ad, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia shot a replica of the Limits and Exchanges Act – an environmental measure to limit emissions – with a rifle. He was running as a Democrat at the time, but later became an independent candidate. In 2016, Jason Kander, a Democrat from Missouri then running for the U.S. Senate, blindfolded himself and assembled an AR-15. He challenged his Republican opponent, Roy Blunt, to do the same. In 2018, Democrat Jared Golden hit the bullseye in a campaign advertisement in Maine.

Democratic politicians Jared Golden, Jason Kander, and Joe Manchin appeared in campaign ads with guns.

A tough image

However, no one has ever threatened to shoot a real person with a gun in these advertisements. Just last week, Harris spoke about the need to choose her words carefully when speaking. The vice president's impromptu comment about guns comes at a time when she is striving to project a tough image against a male opponent who values ​​his own strong image. The ads and speeches in the campaign frequently refer to her long tenure as a prosecutor, arresting murderers and transnational gangs. The campaign also pledges Harris will implement new border security measures. During the 2019 campaign, Harris's role as a local prosecutor became a target of criticism from progressives, who called her "Police Kamala." Now, this experience has become a strength and a central focus of her 2024 campaign. Her gun quickly became part of the overall picture, even though the vice president rarely mentions it. In 2019, Harris told reporters that she bought the gun for personal safety. During the debate with Republican candidate Donald Trump on September 10th, she also addressed gun ownership. “Both Tim Walz and I have guns,” she said. “We don’t take anyone’s gun away, so stop making this up.”

Harris sought to project an image of a tough, strong female candidate, no less capable than her male counterparts. Photo: New York Times.

A campaign official said the gun is now safely stored at her California home. It's unclear exactly when the vice president purchased the gun, or if there was a specific story or threat that led her to buy it. Clearly, Harris's gun has become symbolic of a candidate attempting to challenge ingrained notions about the identity of a president and what the Democratic Party represents. In recent years, female politicians with the strongest ties to guns have tended to lean toward Republicans. For example, Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake posted photos of herself holding a gun on social media and urged supporters to arm themselves. The other three candidates in the 2024 presidential election, all male, have also shown interest in guns. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's hunting hobby – Harris's running mate – was the first thing the campaign mentioned to the national public when introducing him. When Senator JD Vance of Ohio accepted the vice presidential nomination, he spoke of finding 19 loaded handguns belonging to his grandmother. In 2023, when the entire country was abuzz with the news of a Chinese spy balloon, he posted a photo of himself looking up at the sky and holding a rifle. Also in 2023, Trump visited a gun store and said he wanted to buy one. Reports indicate the New York Police Department sought to revoke his gun license after the former president was convicted of 34 charges in May. Harris is working to normalize the image of a female president. The vice president's mention of guns may be a way to portray herself as no different from the men in the 2024 race, or even from her predecessors, should she become the occupant of the White House.

Znews.vn

Source: https://znews.vn/dong-thai-gay-sung-sot-cua-ba-kamala-harris-post1499515.html