Black Women Always Win Debates
I’ve been asked to surmise about the victor of the vice presidential debate, and partisan politics aside, the answer is— Black women always win debates. Black women are versed. Black women are unabating. And Black women are undaunted. Senator and Democratic Vice Presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, did what needed to be done. I won’t fact-check either candidate, or discuss grievances or competencies with their administrations but I will acknowledge the all-too-familiar methodology and mechanisms Senator Harris employed to be declared the distinguished winner of the debate.
Kamala Harris performed just as brazenly as expected. She gained notoriety during her own presidential bid when she was brandished as the top performer during the Democratic primary debates. On Oct. 7, she managed to exude the same amount of fervency she displayed when we were first introduced to her debate style last year in June.
I can guarantee that if a Black woman is seated at a table, she is more than qualified to be there. The same can be said of Harris— the first woman elected District Attorney of San Francisco, the first Black woman elected Attorney General of the State of California and the second Black woman ever elected to the United States Senate. She has an extensive career as a public servant, and it makes perfect sense that she pursue the presidential ticket. During the course of the debate, she was astute and informed in all topics. It is her undisputed aptitude that prepared her for the debate, and any additional preparation is what propelled her ahead of her opponent.
Black women are especially proficient at commanding a room and demanding the respect we deserve. Kamala Harris’ “I’m speaking” is the resounding line that that could be heard echoing throughout the nation following the debate. She made it clear that she would not be deprecated by her opponent. She even reclaimed her time at some moment during the debate and can be heard saying, “He interrupted me and I'd like to just finish, please.”. We are accustomed to advocating for ourselves, because we are aware that we can not rely on anyone else to extend us that sort of courtesy. I’m sure the self-advocacy she emanated throughout the debate resonated with every Black woman that tuned in.
Senator Harris remained poised and composed for the duration of the debate. Her temperament bolstered the audiences receptiveness to her message, while temperament was the presidential candidate’s most debilitating disposition on Sept. 29. And if there’s one thing a Black woman knows how to do, it’s deliver a calm read without batting an eye or breaking a sweat. Harris was wholly unfazed by the attacks discharged against her by Vice President Mike Pence.
Most importantly, Black women tell it like it is. When asked about her thoughts on whether or not she believes in the potency of a vaccine, she said “If the public health professionals, if Dr. Fauci, if the doctors tell us that we should take it, I'll be the first in line to take it. Absolutely. But if Donald Trump tells us that we should take it, I'm not taking it.”. Despite reproach from her opponent, she stood her ground. Just as she divulged throughout the debate, the American people deserve to know the truth and we can rely on Black women more than any other demographic to tell the truth…insofar as a politician can and still serve their agenda.
Kamala Harris also enlisted a “first of all” or five to preface a deep dive into a subject matter; a phrase the Black community understands translates to ‘allow me to set the record straight’. And speaking of verbiage, a stylistic favorite of mine is Kamala’s transition between plain English and Black Vernacular English. When speaking about how the President handled sensitive information about the Coronavirus, she referenced Bob Woodward’s anecdote for the Trump Administration’s intelligence about the severity of the virus, “And then when that was exposed, the vice president said when asked ‘Well, why didn’t y'all tell anybody?’, he said ‘Because the president wanted people to remain calm’. So I want to ask the American people, how calm were you when you were panicked about where you're going to get your next roll of toilet paper? How calm were you when your kids were sent home from school and you didn't know when they could go back?”…point taken! Another one of my personal favorite tactics to use during an argument is repetition to drive a point home. Case in point, “If you have a pre-existing condition, heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, they're coming for you. If you love someone who has a pre existing condition – they’re coming for you. If you are under the age of 26 on your parents coverage, they're coming for you.”. And I don’t know about you, but I was made to feel like ‘they’ are coming for me.
Senator Kamala Harris delivered a dynamic performance that captivated both her supporters and detractors alike, from her varied facial expressions to her reclaimed time. Briefly to conclude, Black women always win debates.
