Letters to the Editor: Blame misogyny and racism? Or are voters just not into Democrats?
To the editor: George Skelton's column on why Vice President Kamala Harris lost had so many misguided tropes.
Just a little research would have dispelled his claim that Harris "overemphasized abortion" and that the issue "had played out." The majority of the country supports choice, and abortion rights won on several state ballots even where those same women voted for President-elect Donald Trump.
As for the tired refrain that Hillary Clinton was a "poor candidate" in 2016, more Americans voted for her than any other losing presidential candidate until then. Her beating Trump by almost 2.9 million in the popular vote proved she was widely supported.
Furthermore, then-FBI Director James Comey's serious error of judgment days before the election, needlessly announcing that he was reopening the Clinton email investigation, sank her candidacy along with Russia's undeniable efforts.
Skelton said Trump "won with ease." Only in the god-awful electoral college. According to some statistical modelers, Trump is likely to end up with less than 50% of the popular vote. That's not a mandate.
The real blame for Harris' loss sits firmly on the rampant misogyny and racism in our country.
Carolyn M. Campbell, West Hollywood
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To the editor: Skelton writes: "Maybe it's time for Democrats to ease up on identity politics. Whatever the policy merits are, it doesn't appear to be benefiting Democrats politically." Really? Is that all he's got?
The liberal media should accept significant blame for the loss. People on the center-left and center-right voted Republican this election. Theirs were votes for capitalism, not socialism; free speech, not censorship; meritocracy, not DEI programs; equal opportunity, not equal outcomes; a secure border, not an open one; and energy independence.
Liberals should abandon identity politics, "whatever the policy merits are," because it does not benefit the Democrats politically? Take identity politics to another part of this planet, because we're tired of it.
Andy Breidenbach, La Quinta
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To the editor: Sometimes the best lessons are hidden in plain sight. In the case of the 2024 election, Democrats should have watched "The Sound of Music" one more time.
After Maria comes bouncing back into the nunnery after running through the mountains singing, the Mother Abbess offers a life lesson: "People don't become nuns because they are running from something, Maria, but because they are running to something."
The Democrats did not come out supporting a living wage or promising to quickly reduce carbon emissions. They didn't talk about eliminating biodiversity loss, nor did they detail what they would do to bring about a cease-fire in Gaza. They did not do anything bold that might have given young people and those of us who love them genuine hope for the future.
Instead, the campaign was centered on the idea that Trump will destroy our democracy, so people must vote against him. Plenty of people saw him as just full of bluster, so they shrugged this off.
With the example of former President Obama's campaign, we can see that elections are won when a candidate offers "change we can believe in."
Next time, let's not run from something. Let's run to something.
Melina Watts, Agoura Hills
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To the editor: Let the endless articles about impending Armageddon begin.
To begin, I’d like to remind everyone that we already had Trump as president, and we fared just fine. And those who voted for him did so after almost four years of a Democratic president.
So all this talk about people leaving the U.S. and the end of democracy (Trump won both the popular vote and the electoral college) is complete partisan nonsense.
Michele Castagnetti, Los Angeles
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To the editor: So, the Democrats are to blame for Trump's victory.
It had nothing to do with billionaires pouring their money into the race or the Supreme Court gutting the Voting Rights Act.
It had nothing to do with propaganda machines disguised as news outlets piling on the lies and making gullible Americans believe immigrants were about to murder them in their homes.
What did the Democrats fail to do? They failed to realize that a woman cannot win in America yet. They also failed to promise the wealthy that they would cut their taxes.
Linda Reynolds, Northridge
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
