'Trust no one,' Sarah Palin advises new Democratic VP nominee Kamala Harris
Sarah Palin, the second woman ever to hold the vice-presidential nomination, has some advice for Kamala Harris, who Joe Biden tapped on Tuesday as his running mate in the 2020 election. Namely, “fight mightily”, “trust no one new” and “don’t get muzzled.”
Palin, who ran beside John McCain in the 2008 election, congratulated the Democrat from California, telling her to “climb upon Geraldine Ferraro’s and my shoulders” and take in the lessons she learned during her campaign. Ferraro, in 1984, became the first Italian-American and woman to be selected as the VP nominee, alongside Walter Mondale.
In an Instagram post Tuesday, the former Alaskan governor shared her words of wisdom with Harris.
Palin’s top piece of advice cautioned Harris to keep her guard up around new people and to keep her team close. “They know you, know your voice, and most importantly are trustworthy.”
View this post on Instagram
Congrats to the democrat VP pick 🇺🇸 Climb upon Geraldine Ferraro’s and my shoulders, and from the most amazing view in your life consider lessons we learned: 1) out of the chute trust no one new; 2) fight mightily to keep your own team with you - they know you, know your voice, and most importantly are trustworthy; 3) don’t get muzzled - connect with media and voters in your own unique way. Some yahoos running campaigns will suffocate you with their own self-centered agenda so remember YOU were chosen for who YOU are. So stay connected with America as you smile and ignore deceptive “handlers” trying to change you; 4) some fun terms you may learn: “OTR” - an orchestrated campaign stop that’s meant to look un-orchestrated where you “normalize” in front of voters. (I’d remembered not packing my running shoes, they turned it into a whole campaign stop with media detailing my every move trying on shoes.) OTR’s get bizarre (try eating in front of vultures looking for the “gotcha” shot!) but my team made OTR’s the second most fun thing! “Ropeline”: thee MOST fun thing! Every single handshake and holler and hug and smile melted my heart, energized my soul, and gave me the utmost hope in the greatest country on earth! The ropeline is often the only way to literally touch those whom you wish to serve, so be sincere in looking in their eyes, understanding why they’re there, never forgetting they represent the innumerable Americans putting their trust in you to serve for the right reasons. It’s who and what they represent that is all that matters! 5) don’t forget the women who came before you; 6) have fun! This IS the greatest country in the world and hopefully you’ll be blessed beyond belief, like I was, with meeting new people from all walks of life and see just how great it is! 🇺🇸 more to come... including one of the funniest things in my life, right before my debate with Sen. Joe Biden... stay tuned! - Sarah Palin
A post shared by Sarah Palin (@sarahpalin97) on Aug 11, 2020 at 2:16pm PDT
In her last bit of advice, Palin urged Harris to be her true self. “Connect with media and voters in your own unique way. Some yahoos running campaigns will suffocate you with their own self-centered agenda so remember YOU were chosen for who YOU are.”
Harris, though the third woman whose name will appear on the presidential ballot, is the first visible minority to pick up the torch. Harris’ mother hails from India, while her father’s roots are in Jamaica. She had a brief stint in Canada, attending Montreal’s Westmount High School before graduating in 1981.
Harris had a short run at picking up the Democratic presidential nomination, but ended it in December, before a single vote was cast.
· Kamala Harris, a Montreal high school graduate, makes history as first Black woman, Asian-American on presidential ticket
After a strong start, Harris’ campaign quickly foundered amid strategic somersaults. First positioning herself as a progressive in the mould of reformers such as Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, Harris then tried to hew toward the centre. Her position on health care, for example, became a mishmash.
But in the months since, she emerged as a fierce advocate for police reform and social justice — in the Senate, in the streets, and on the airwaves, sparring with Republicans on the Senate floor and offering fiery critiques of Republican President Donald Trump.
.@KamalaHarris is the daughter of proud immigrants—a mother from India and a father from Jamaica—who raised her to take action.
That’s exactly what this moment calls for: action. And we hope you’ll take action with us: https://t.co/K3mVwfTxXJ pic.twitter.com/MZLAx9IN6C
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 12, 2020
