CNN commentator Angela Rye made waves with her recent remarks about white voters who don’t support Kamala Harris. During a segment on CNN, Rye, also the co-host of the podcast ‘Native Land Pod,’ expressed that white Americans who fail to vote for Harris should be “held accountable.” Her comments, which were widely shared online, have sparked strong reactions from both sides of the political spectrum.
In the 2016 presidential election, white non-Hispanic voters overwhelmingly preferred Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton. According to exit polls conducted by Edison Research, 58% of white non-Hispanic voters chose Trump, while only 37% supported Clinton. In the 2020 election, this trend continued with 58% of white voters choosing Trump over Joe Biden, who garnered 41% of the white vote, according to data from the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research.
These statistics show a clear preference for Republican candidates among white voters in recent elections. With Kamala Harris now in the spotlight as a Democratic candidate, there’s a visible effort within the party and media to galvanize more support for her from this demographic. However, Rye’s recent comments suggest a growing frustration among Democrats about the lack of traction with white voters, and her statements have added fuel to this ongoing debate.
“What I think is a mistake is to let white folks escape the accountability that they must face for not showing up to save democracy themselves,” said Rye during the broadcast. Her argument hinges on the belief that the responsibility to “save democracy” lies with white voters, given that they are the largest demographic group in the United States.
Rye continued by emphasizing that white men and women should take on this responsibility in future elections. She argued that the expectation to ensure the success of democratic principles shouldn’t solely fall on minority groups, and instead, white voters should be more active in supporting Democratic candidates like Kamala Harris. This call for accountability, however, has been viewed by some as divisive, while others see it as a push for increased political engagement.
Her remarks come at a time when Harris is under heavy scrutiny, facing challenges in polling and media coverage. Despite being the first female vice president and a historic figure in American politics, Harris has struggled to win over key voting blocs, including white voters. This demographic will likely play a crucial role in the outcome of upcoming elections, and Democrats are looking for ways to win them over.
The pressure to broaden Harris’ appeal has only intensified as the 2024 election draws nearer. Some within the Democratic Party argue that failure to secure more white votes could be detrimental to her chances. However, Rye’s approach, calling for accountability from white voters, has drawn criticism from those who feel that framing political support in racial terms could alienate potential voters instead of bringing them to the table.
.@angela_rye: “What I think is a mistake is to let white folks escape the accountability that they must face for not showing up to save democracy … The responsibility of saving democracy should be on the largest demographic in this country, that is white men & white women. pic.twitter.com/AjdbPYRGI0
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) October 19, 2024
Black male voters are also being bribed and shamed into voting for Kamala Harris.
Barack Obama last week scolded black men and told the ‘brothers’ that they had to vote for Kamala Harris.
WATCH:
My problem with President Obama lecture black men about voting for the Democrats. he only show up when time to lecture us. about voting .pic.twitter.com/HR42OM3B12
— Don Salmon (@dijoni) October 11, 2024
It’s not working.
Black men lashed out at Obama and lit him up for trying to shame them into voting for Kamala Harris.
WATCH (language warning):
Oh man. Black Americans are DONE with Barack Obama. Listen to black voters respond to Obama trying to shame them into voting for Kamala.
These responses are🔥🔥🔥
We can now officially call Obama’s smug speech the greatest political backfire of all time… pic.twitter.com/m0e0Weh3ub
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 14, 2024
Here I thought voting was up to the individual. I was not aware that I had to vote for Kamal Toe. Wow–not voting for that skank.
In case someone forgot the duty of the votger is to reseadrch and choose the most qualified candidate to do the job the candidate is running for. TahtsIT!!!!!!!
Every day you are shown Black racists in the Communist No News propaganda outlet.Sadly 2008 election brought forward Black racists and racism.
seems to be getting awfully dark in politics lately.