Sharing Some Thoughts about the 2024 Presidential Election

Alas, the 2024 Presidential Election will not go down in HERstory, but it will definitely be memorable.

I am a member of the group of "childless cat ladies" (not a bad group if VP Kamala Harris and singer-songwriter Taylor Swift are included), and have 10 inspiring t-shirts from the 2024 Presidential election. Apparently, there are lots of male voters in America who fear the intelligence of members of this group.

Sure, there will continue to be a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking following the election, possibly for years, including the fact that President Joe Biden should have followed his own promise that he was a one-term President and left the campaign earlier (maybe two years earlier) so that VP Harris could become better known as a candidate to the American electorate; or VP Harris should have chosen a different VP candidate; etc.

But, as Hillary Clinton said following her November 2016 Presidential election loss, "We still have not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling. But some day, someone will." 

Who knew that another educated and talented woman would run for President so soon? With VP Harris' foray into the race as the first woman of color and first woman of South Asian heritage, the election contained many firsts. Hopefully, the third time that a woman enters the Presidential race, the female candidate will be victorious.

In the meantime, let's remember what Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren said, "Remember, every step toward progress in American history came after darkness of defeat. Abolitionists, suffragettes, Dreamers, and marchers for civil rights and marriage equality all faced impossible odds, but they persisted. Now it is our turn to pull up our socks and get back in the fight."

The ACLU placed a full-page ad in The New York Times following the election. The ad said:

"Dear President-elect Trump: in case you had any doubt, We are the American Civil Liberties Union and we're not moving to Canada.

So, rest assured that when you target immigrants, dissidents, and your political opponents — we will challenge you in the courts, at state legislatures, and in the streets.

Surely, you remember the landmark lawsuits we won against you on family separation, the U.S. Census, and immigrants' rights — some of which were decided by judges you appointed.

During your last presidency, we brought 434 legal actions, including 250 lawsuits, against your administration's anti-civil liberties agenda.

We also mobilized the power of our more than 1 million card-carrying members in the streets, at airports, and in state capitals.

We've developed a comprehensive roadmap to defend our rights beginning on day one. We're not new to this.

At the ACLU, we play the long game. We've been around for 105 years and seen 19 presidents come and go.

That's why any attempt to roll back the nation's civil liberties on our watch will be hard fought and met with the full power of our resistance."

And a few words from Nichi Hoskins in the Huffington Post: "But despite the darkness, despite underwhelming voter turnout in an exhausting election cycle, I truly believe that pound for pound, body for body, the good guys do outnumber the bad guys. And if we wish to prevail in the long run, this moment must be about us. The silver lining I choose to see is that now, we have an opportunity to make our party into one that is truly for the people. The legacy runners are gone. There is no Clinton, no leftovers from Obama. The chance for a Bernie Sanders Cinderella story has long passed. The window is open. When we return, the candidates of the next primary cycle will have the best chance since 2008 to start anew, and stand for progressive change that propels our country into the future. So where do we go from here? Onward. We do not yield."

Let us not forget what VP Harris said, "While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign. The fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness and the dignity of all people. A fight for the ideals at the heart of our nation. The ideals that reflect America at our best. That is a fight I will never give up."

And lastly, during November and December, I will feature my timely #PostElectionSeries with a number of inspiring women authors, leaders, and influencers. Tune in on Wednesday, November 13, to kick off the series with Lyn Chamberlin as we discuss the election, leadership, gender bias, misinformation, and more.

SHARE THIS: I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but someday, someone will. ~Hillary Clinton #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Image Credit: Amazon.