Kevin O’Leary ignites firestorm on CNN, accusing Democrats of circumventing democracy in VP selection.
At a Glance
- Kevin O’Leary criticized the Democratic Party for selecting Kamala Harris as VP without a primary process
- O’Leary compared the situation to the 2016 primaries, suggesting party favoritism
- He argued that the Democratic Party has bypassed democratic principles
- CNN host Abby Phillip countered, stating parties can choose nominees as they see fit
- The exchange sparked a heated debate on the fairness of the nomination process
O’Leary’s Critique Sparks Controversy
In a recent CNN NewsNight broadcast, “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary unleashed a scathing critique of the Democratic Party’s candidate selection process, focusing on Kamala Harris’ nomination as Vice President. O’Leary’s comments ignited a fierce debate on the transparency and fairness of the party’s nomination procedures, drawing parallels to the contentious 2016 primary between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.
O’Leary argued that the Democratic Party had effectively sidestepped democratic principles by not allowing an open competition for the vice-presidential nomination. This assertion led to a heated exchange with CNN panelists, who vehemently disagreed with his position.
The crux of O’Leary’s argument centered on the lack of a primary process for selecting Vice President Harris. He drew comparisons to the controversial 2016 Democratic primaries, insinuating that the party’s decision-making process lacked transparency and potentially undermined democratic values.
“Only 90 days ago, Pelosi went to Biden and said, ‘You need to step aside’ and convinced him to do so. He made the decision, and he did actually ask her, and we’ve now learned this, ‘Is she the right person to drive this home?’ He questioned that. He could have said, ‘We need to run a process in order for me to make this move,’ but they decided not to. I don’t know who ‘they’ is. Was it Obama? Was it Pelosi? I don’t care who it was,’” O’Leary said.
Ouch. It’s true though.
O’Leary’s comments raise valid questions about the inner workings of party politics and the extent to which they align with democratic expectations. The lack of a clear, public process for selecting such a high-profile candidate as the Vice President fuels concerns about potential backroom deals and undue influence from party elites.
CNN host Abby Phillip offered an attempted counterargument to O’Leary’s claims, highlighting the constitutional realities of the American political system. Phillip emphasized that the primary process is not mandated by the Constitution, and political parties have the right to choose their nominees as they see fit.
“I know that you are from Canada,” CNN host Abby Phillip said, challenging his credibility. “But the primary process in this country is not in the Constitution. It’s not in the Constitution. The political parties can choose however they want to choose their nominee, and as long as they meet the legal deadlines in the states where they are on the ballot, they can do it however they want.”
Rude. He’s from Canada, but he invests a ton in America. Since when did lefties care where people were born?
O’Leary’s criticism, though controversial, sheds light on a critical aspect of American democracy: the balance between party politics and voter representation. The debate surrounding the Democratic Party’s nomination process underscores the ongoing struggle to maintain transparency and fairness in a system where political parties wield significant power.
Nobody voted for Kamala. How is that right?
