Convince me, Kamala

Madam Vice President, since President Joe Biden dropped out of the reelection campaign, I have been flooded by invitations to “answer the call” and get enthusiastically behind you. That’s because, as a suburban mom and a registered Democrat, there was a time when I would have been thrilled to declare “I’m with her” and join in the meme-sharing, girl-bossing party. Confidently throwing myself into the K-Hive would feel so much better than where I find myself instead: anxious, deflated, and politically homeless.

As I see friends eagerly climbing the bandwagon and sharing AI images of Kamala as Wonder Woman, I wish so much I could join the fangirl fun. But I just can’t, Madam Vice President, because I’m not the same voter I was in 2020. In the last 10 months, I have seen crowds all over this country gleefully celebrate the brutal slaughter of 1,200 of my people in Israel and the kidnapping of 251 more. My city, and this country at large, has been flooded with anti-Zionist intimidation, harassment, and violent clashes.

As a liberal Jew and an unapologetic Zionist, I represent the segment of your coalition that is diametrically opposed to the far-left, terror-apologist wing of the party. Fortunately for you, your opponent is far from a moderate candidate. And so, like so many Jews, I find myself stuck between an autocratic rock and an antisemitic hard place. But don’t expect me to turn into a cheerleader for Team Kamala just because you are not Donald Trump. To get my support, you will need to clearly demonstrate which Democratic party you represent. Pandering to both sides won’t work for me. Here are some concrete steps you could take to convince me that you deserve my vote:

Select a pro-Israel moderate as your running mate.

I need to know where your principles lie. Your record is littered with politically convenient flip flops, from your time as a progressive District Attorney to supporting the death penalty and becoming the self-proclaimed “top cop” as the California Attorney General, to then running as a progressive candidate in the 2020 primary, leveraging your identity on the coattails of the racial reckoning following the murder of George Floyd. And so, I don’t know what you stand for. Choosing a moderate such as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, one who has openly condemned antisemitic activity in the strongest terms, would be an excellent way to signal that you intend to lean center, not bend to the far-left.

Take a strong stance against antisemitism.

And no, a Jewish husband is not enough. You are entering this race at a worrisome time for American Jews. Just last month, a violent anti-Israel mob blocked the entrance to a synagogue down the street from my home in Los Angeles, causing a violent riot as police stood down and watched. During this bloody afternoon, thugs took to the streets of my neighborhood, harassing and threatening anyone visibly Jewish. So you see, while reproductive rights and other social causes have always been important to me, my family’s safety will have to take priority this time around.

I have seen you make some troubling choices since October 7, such as ignoring the unprecedented spike in antisemitism, instead announcing a task force to battle Islamophobia in the weeks following the attack. You then publicly empathized with campus protesters who were calling for a global intifada and who are being funded by Iran, and just last week, you boycotted Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to Congress. This, as demonstrators outside were openly celebrating Hamas, burning American flags, and brandishing signs threatening a “final solution” for Zionists. To my dismay, it took you a full 12 hours to put out a statement condemning their behavior. This has not inspired confidence.

Demonstrate that you are a serious, formidable leader.

We, voters, are not the only ones watching you. Our enemies are too. While your campaign is leaning into internet tropes such as the ridiculous makeover into “Brat” branding, Iran, Russia and their partners are sharpening their teeth, eager to take advantage of American weakness. You are entering this race at a precarious time. Can you demonstrate that you are up to the challenge? What is your strategic vision for the country and for our role on the world stage? Can you strongly and unequivocally condemn our adversaries without defaulting to wishy-washiness? Sharing cooking videos and talking in cheesy platitudes is cringy and unserious and our enemies know it.

Make bringing them home a part of your platform.

There are still over 100 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, among them eight Americans. Move the needle by putting the plight of American hostages front and center at the Democratic National Convention. That’s what the Republicans did, and I have to confess that as I watched the RNC crowd chant “Bring them home!” I grieved that I dare not hope for such things at the DNC.

Madam Vice President, please don’t rely on the deep and troubling flaws of your opponent to win you my support. I don’t like having to weigh the threats he poses to the country against the threats the far left of your party poses to my community. And so, as enticing as it is to join the crowds and rally around you, I will not. And I won’t reluctantly vote for you by default either. Please show me that that under your leadership my kids will be able to wear Jewish stars without worry, that my Orthodox neighbors can walk the streets without looking over their shoulders, that Israel will be valued and supported as the important strategic partner that it is, and that our enemies will be deterred. If you don’t win my confidence, I will just stay home on November 5, or better yet, write in Ritchie Torres.