So what exactly was all that at the debate about?
Kamala Harris is now changing her story. Instead of being in favor of mandatory busing (see my article here for what that is) as she signaled earlier, she’s now saying it should be available only as an “option.” That means leaving it up to local communities instead of forcing it at a federal level, which is exactly what Biden was arguing.
Compare her comments from a week ago to the latest ones.
.@KamalaHarris: “I support busing. Listen, the schools of America are as segregated, if not more segregated, today than when I was in [school]…need to put every effort, including busing, into play to de-segregate the schools…fed govt has a role & a responsibility to step up." pic.twitter.com/a7ujueP0Bu
— Vaughn Hillyard (@VaughnHillyard) June 30, 2019
And her comments yesterday.
Oh. That's different. From @AP: 'Harris says busing should be considered, not mandated.' https://t.co/uRRalGihR1 pic.twitter.com/BNNopuyHjF
— Byron York (@ByronYork) July 4, 2019
Putting the clear flip-flop shown above aside, which is a big deal in its own right, some might say her newest position is still consistent overall because she would have supported the policy back when Biden opposed it in the 70s and 80s. That doesn’t hold water, though, because Harris says in the first statement that our schools are just as, if not more segregated today. If that’s true (it’s not), how could she possibly oppose busing for today’s students when she insisted it was tantamount to racism to oppose it decades back, a time when she asserts the problem was less serious? None of this makes any actual sense.
What it shows is just how politically brutal Harris is going to try to be. With her seeing a spike in the polls after the debates, she’ll only be emboldened now. While the first debates were heated, she’ll no doubt go even harder at Biden the next go- round.
I just don’t think the former vice president is up for it.
Enjoying the read? Please visit my archive and check out some of my latest articles.
I’ve got a new twitter! Please help by following @bonchieredstate.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member