I wonder how many readers will advise her to tone down her anger, or advise her on how not to alienate white voters from Middle America. Or maybe readers will advise her to wear less gold jewelry or more lipstick. I suppose I should be grateful you didn’t ask her for a cookie recipe.
Sari Boren
Cambridge, Mass.
To the Editor:
Dear Senator Harris:
I was an early supporter — a huge fan, of your intellect, charisma, commitment. I stopped supporting you for president because of your debate performance. An awful lot of my Democratic friends felt similarly. Your attacks on Joe Biden’s record on busing did not make you look good — rather, it made him a sympathetic character. You appeared smug, and with the “That Little Girl Was Me” T-shirts coming out the next day, it all looked extremely contrived. Unappealing, at best.
When you go after Mike Pence, and I hope you do, please keep this in mind. You are a brilliant debater, but consider how it plays in Peoria — or in my case, Wisconsin.
Now, go help Joe Biden win and save our nation.
Kate Canfield Loftus
Janesville, Wis.
To the Editor:
Like Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris’s biggest weakness is the perception that she is a political opportunist seeking the fame and notoriety that comes with being a major nominee, especially as the first woman of color to do so. President Trump is already attempting to exploit this by branding her as “phony Kamala.”
My advice to Ms. Harris is to shape her own public conduct in the fashion of Joe Biden and Barack Obama. Mr. Obama never made a big deal about being the first Black nominee, and neither should Ms. Harris about her groundbreaking nomination. Mr. Biden never acted as if he deserved the support of his voters, and neither should Ms. Harris. If Ms. Harris focuses on asking voters for their support and ignores the media hype about her race and gender, she will be successful.
Garrison Brazeal
St. Louis
To the Editor:
Ms. Harris, you and Joe Biden must distance yourselves from the far left on defunding the police, the violence in the cities and the absurd removal of statues of everyone who did not conform to 21st-century values. No waffling — clear, concise statements of what is acceptable and not acceptable. Get out in front of these issues — now! — otherwise you will lose many moderates come November.
Henry Lyons
Allentown, Pa.
To the Editor:
I watched all the Democratic debates and was somewhat dismayed at Kamala’s style. She did not come across as authentic. Yet when I watched her at Senate hearings, she was strong, articulate, focused and very self-assured. I sense that when it is about her, she feels the need to try to impress and dazzle. But when she is going after the bad actors, she is focused on the issue or on the person behaving badly, and she tackles it with facts and figures.