By the time presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his vice presidential running mate U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris appeared together Wednesday afternoon at a high school gymnasium in Wilmington, Delaware, politicians and others from Westchester and Fairfield had already been making clear their opinions about Biden’s choice of Harris.
For some, their opinion was to express no opinion when asked by the Business Journal. For others, there was no reticence to speak out, especially on social media.
During their nationally televised appearance at A.I. Du Pont High School, Biden and Harris both recalled how they were introduced by Biden”™s late son, Beau. At the time, he was the attorney general of Delaware and she was the attorney general of California.
In his speech, Biden was sharply critical of President Trump for having verbally attacked Harris in news conferences and public appearances, saying, “Is anyone surprised that Donald Trump has a problem with strong women?”
Harris laced into Trump for emboldening racism and injustice, mismanaging the pandemic response and leading the country into what she described as the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
Biden and Harris wore face masks when they first entered the largely empty gym, then removed them and observed social distancing during their speeches.
The Connecticut Republican Party reacted to the selection of Harris, announced Aug. 11, with the posting on its Facebook site of a statement from GOP National Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.
“A hiding, diminished and incoherent Joe Biden didn”™t just select a vice presidential candidate, he chose the person who would actually be in charge the next four years if he is somehow able to win,” McDaniel said.
“Kamala Harris”™ extreme positions, from raising taxes to abolishing private health insurance to comparing law enforcement officials to the KKK, show that the left-wing mob is controlling Biden”™s candidacy, just like they would control him as president. These radical policies might be popular among liberals, but they are well outside the mainstream for most Americans.”
Democratic U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut commented, “Here”™s what I”™ve learned about my friend Kamala over the past four years: She”™s got great instincts, and she trusts them. When she makes a promise, she keeps it. Friendship and family matter to her more than almost anything. If you”™re in a fight, you want her in your foxhole.”
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal was quoted by the Hartford Courant as saying about Harris, “She has a real burning sense of outrage, where it”™s appropriate, about injustice.”
Gov. Ned Lamont, also a Democrat, said, “Sen. Kamala Harris is a true leader, and the kind of person that will be incredible for our country by the side of my good friend Joe Biden. I proudly support the Biden-Harris ticket!”
Connecticut State Treasurer Shawn T. Wooden issued a statement calling Biden”™s selection of Harris “a special moment in history for Black and Brown girls everywhere who can finally see themselves in a vice presidential candidate.”
In Westchester, former County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican now running for the state Senate seat held by Peter Harckham, told the Business Journal, “I congratulate Senator Harris on her historic nomination. Her family”™s story is quintessentially American, and one we can all be proud of irrespective of our individual politics.”
Astorino went on to detail some of their political differences. “Senator Harris and I hold starkly opposing viewpoints on many key issues ”“ federal takeover of local zoning, massive new programs that would skyrocket taxes, and cashless bail to name a few. I look forward to a substantive debate between the presidential campaigns in the weeks to come.”
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, against whom Astorino ran in 2014, had a very short and simple statement after Biden”™s selection of Harris: “We”™re ready. Let”™s go win!”
Carl Heastie, speaker of the New York State Assembly, said that he was ecstatic that Biden chose Harris, who happened to have been a college roommate of one of his cousins.
State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who is from Yonkers, said, “What a great choice. Now on to the White House.”
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer said, “I’ve been lucky to get to fight alongside my friend Kamala Harris in the Senate ”“ and I”™m thrilled to support her through her next journey. Congratulations, Kamala! You and Joe Biden make a strong ticket to lead Democrats to victory in November. I”™ll be cheering you on!”
New York”™s other U.S. Senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, said, “My friend Kamala Harris is a fearless champion for justice with the experience and compassion to lead ”“ but the next few months won”™t be easy.”
Mimi Rocah, the Democratic candidate for Westchester County District Attorney, said, “I didn’t expect to feel so emotional. In a good way. Which feels so darn good after so long of feeling emotionally drained.”
The Westchester Republican Party posted on its Facebook page a statement from Nick Langworthy, chairman of the New York GOP.
“Americans already rejected Kamala Harris on the presidential stage because they saw right through her phony facade,” Langworthy said. “She ran for president as a wannabe socialist and now she and puppet Joe Biden represent a radical left agenda that will bankrupt America, dismantle our freedoms and destroy public safety. This pick proves Joe Biden has no control over his campaign, and he”™ll have no control over the country.”
The political activist group Indivisible Westchester posted a comment that its members were thrilled to hear that Biden had chosen Harris as his running mate.
“She brings energy and historic diversity to the Democratic ticket as the first Black and South Asian woman to be a vice presidential nominee.”
The group Westchester for Biden posted a Twitter message that it was “ready to work like crazy to bring this team across the finish line.”
A Biden and Harris win would be a disaster for the national economy and that’s priority #1 for every voter.
Just look around at how Democratic states like NY are doing fiscally. NY just came in at the bottom for Economic outlook so why put those policies in place for the nation? They seem seem to be a big failure that we can’t afford more of.
A Biden and Harris win would be the usual. Democrats’ having to clean up the mess left behind from the Republicans. Seems like the cycle will never end.