In Thursday’s conversation between Josh Hammer and Ben Harnwell, the discussion centers around the evolving political landscape in the United States, particularly focusing on the implications of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and the strategic importance of the Rust Belt in the upcoming 2024 presidential election as it relates to radical Democrat Kamala Harris and her candidacy for President and the reason these will be essential topics for victory.

Hammer emphasized the critical role of the Rust Belt in the 2024 presidential election by highlighting the region’s significance in determining electoral outcomes:

“The path to 270 still goes through the Rust Belt. That still goes through Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan in my estimation.”

According to Hammer, these states are pivotal battlegrounds, and any candidate aiming for victory must appeal to the working-class voters in these areas.

Hammer began by critiquing DEI initiatives, viewing them as the successors of affirmative action policies. He argued that these practices have evolved from the race-centric consciousness of affirmative action to a broader framework that he believes still perpetuates discrimination. Hammer highlighted recent Supreme Court decisions, such as the Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and North Carolina cases, which dealt a “fatal blow” to affirmative action in university admissions. According to Hammer, DEI is simply a continuation of these policies, which he criticizes for leading to “explicit discrimination on the basis of race against white people, Christians, and Asians.”

One of Hammer’s key points revolves around Justice Clarence Thomas’s “Scarlet Letter” analogy. He explained that race-conscious practices like affirmative action and DEI initiatives create a stigma or a “badge of inferiority” for the very individuals they claim to support. Hammer stated, “You are a black or Hispanic person who gains admission to a university or is hired in a corporation…you have a Scarlet Letter.”

He argues that this leads to an intellectual tension in which the purported beneficiaries of these practices are marked as having achieved their positions not through merit but through preferential treatment. This point is crucial in Hammer’s argument against DEI, as he believes it undermines the achievements of minorities by attributing their success to race-based policies rather than individual capabilities.

Hammer expressed skepticism about the Democrats’ strategy, mainly replacing Joe Biden with Kamala Harris. He questions the viability of Harris as a candidate who could resonate with Rust Belt voters, describing her as a “die-hard leftist Senator from California.” Hammer argues that her political stance, particularly her support for the Green New Deal and other progressive policies, may not align with the interests and values of the Rust Belt’s working-class electorate.

He also voiced concerns about Harris’s ability to connect with voters in crucial swing states, contrasting her with Joe Biden, who has historically been portrayed as a working-class guy. Hammer suggests that this image has a stronger appeal in the Rust Belt compared to Harris, whose coastal elite background might be perceived as disconnected from the everyday realities of these voters.

For more context, watch the full WarRoom segment featuring Josh Hammer:

Kamala Harris’s Scarlett Letter | Josh Hammer Exposes Why Democrats Can’t Engage The DEI Criticism