U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss has some thoughts about Vice President Kamala Harris’ swift ascendency to the top of the party ticket, what qualities she should consider in the imminent choice of her running mate, and the Democratic party’s sudden push to label the other side as “weird.”
The Democratic congressman from Newton sat down with the Herald for a one-on-one interview and pushed back on the name-calling flying from the left toward Republicans. According to the 36-year-old, it’s bad politics to pick on constituents, and a politician should never make a voter feel alienated.
Because of that, Auchincloss said that he’s not comfortable getting on board the “just call them weird” bandwagon along with the rest of the party, even if it’s a message that seems like it’s working where no other has.
“I think we should focus on the candidates, and not the voters. I never like to insult voters,” he said.
The congressman’s comments come after Minnesota Gov. Tim Waltz, during an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, said of Republicans that “it’s true, these guys are just weird.”
He then later doubled down, saying “these are weird people on the other side. They want to take books away; they want to be in your exam room.”
The Harris for President campaign was quick to notice when “weird” started to trend on social media, and just as quick to insert it into campaign messaging.
“Trump is old and quite weird,” the campaign said two days after Waltz’s comments.
U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, Trump’s running mate, has “out-of-touch, weird ideas,” the Biden-Harris team said the next day, and is a “creep,” they said the day after.
From July 24 to July 30, Google searches for “Trump weird” jumped 1,900%.
Taking the argument to Trump or his running mate is entirely fair game, according to Auchincloss. It’s even appropriate, he said, to look at the pair of them, consider their policies, and come away thinking the two so-called conservative politicians are quite “weird.”
However, the congressman said, the line should be drawn at the feet of the presidential candidates or other politicians, and not in such a way that it leaves the average conservative voter left outside of the conversation.
“Ridiculing their voters? That’s not my style of politics,” he said.
“What I don’t want to do is tell 80 million Americans that they are weird. Don’t condescend to voters, don’t insult voters. Every American should feel like they have a place in the Democratic Party, or that we’re trying to enlist Americans into the Democratic party. That starts from a place of humility and respect, not a place of condescension,” Auchincloss said.
Waltz, along with about half-a-dozen other Democrats, is rumored to have made the running as a potential Harris VP pick, with an announcement expected any day now.
Auchincloss said that Democratic party has a deep bench, and several candidates who could have a direct impact on the electoral college math in November, but if asked he would tell Harris there is only really one consideration a candidate must make.
“Who can be president on day one?” he said. “It’s what she owes the American people. You need to be able to look the American people in the eye and say ‘I believe this person can be president on day one of the administration.’”
As far as the party anointing Harris as President Joe Biden’s successor after the latter chose to step aside from consideration at the party convention, the Marine-turned-congressman said assertions from the right that a ‘coup’ caused her candidacy are absurd, especially considering the source.
“That is an ironic charge being leveled by the Republican party. I was in the chamber on January 6th. I saw a coup and Republicans have zero credibility on questions of election integrity,” he said. “It’s actually exactly according to the norms and conventions of the Democratic Party.”
“14 million voters voted for the Biden-Harris ticket to be the nominee, Biden stepped aside, there was an open process, Harris earned the majority of the delegates support,” Auchincloss said.
Harris, on Friday, secured enough of the party’s delegates on the first day of a virtual roll call to officially become the party nominee, according to DNC Chair Jaime Harrison.
“I am so proud to confirm that Vice President Harris has earned more than a majority of votes from all convention delegates and will be the nominee of Democratic Party following the close of voting on Monday,” he said.
The Democratic National Convention is scheduled for August 19 to August 22 in Chicago, Illinois.
