Kamala Harris, the current Vice President of the United States, has emerged as a significant figure in American politics, particularly as she campaigns for the presidency in 2024. However, her candidacy has not been without challenges. Racially charged attacks have surfaced during her campaign, underscoring the intersection of race and politics in contemporary America. These 'Dei' (diversity, equity, and inclusion) attacks often aim to undermine her legitimacy and appeal by invoking stereotypes associated with her biracial identity.
The use of racially motivated rhetoric against Harris highlights broader societal issues regarding representation and acceptance within political spheres. As a woman of both Indian and Jamaican descent, Harris embodies a multifaceted identity that challenges traditional notions of leadership within the predominantly white male-dominated political landscape. Critics have sought to exploit this complexity by framing her as an outsider or questioning her authenticity as an American leader. Such narratives not only reflect deep-seated biases but also reveal how race continues to shape electoral dynamics in the United States.
Such efforts have come under attack by the political right in recent years with claims that it gives people from backgrounds that have previously been discriminated against an advantage, and it has at times been used to minimize accomplishments of people with such roots.
The comments by Owens — Utah’s only Black member of Congress — went beyond those made by many of Utah’s other top Republicans.
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., accused Harris of being a "DEI hire" in a CNN interview on Monday and claimed that Biden wanted to pick a Black woman as a vice president: "When you go down that route, you take mediocrity."
DEI – which stands for diversity, equity and inclusion – refers to the initiatives and programs intended to address discrimination against historically marginalized groups within schools, businesses or government agencies, according to industry experts.
In a 2020 debate, Biden stated that he would "pick a woman to be vice president," not declaring a specific race. In a later interview with ABC News that August, Biden added that he "didn't feel pressure to select a Black woman."
"On the right, a lot of skepticism of this, of arguments that Democrats and liberals have gone too far with all sorts of DEI initiatives," said Steven Greene, political science professor at NCSU.
Greene said he expects Kamala Harris -- now the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for President -- to be the focus of some of that rhetoric.
"Part of that is going to be the fact that she's a Black woman and how that relates to the issues. And Republicans are already out with their talking point that she is a DEI candidate," Greene said.
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