KEY POINTS

  • Tulsi Gabbard is a fighter with nothing to lose
  • Democrat attacks on another progressive could hurt
  • Warren dropping out will not effect Gabbard

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is fighting back. Unbeknownst to much of America, the 38-year-old Gulf war vet is running for the Democratic nomination for president. She scored her first delegate, from American Samoa, on Super Tuesday.

She desecrated her loyalty to the party in 2016 by supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders for president. Gabbard was co-chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) until then.

The DNC is threatening to keep Gabbard off the March 15 debate stage, even though she now qualifies, by virtue of having a delegate. Fox News ignores her. Like the woman Aretha Franklin sang about in her 1967 version of Otis Redding’s song Respect, the Hawaiian congresswoman seems to be saying “Respect is what I want from you.”

In her autobiography Aretha: From These Roots, The Queen of Soul said “respect” spoke to anyone who feels unappreciated.

The DNC said on Tuesday the requirements to participate in upcoming Democrat debates will go up, even though last debate featured six persons including four of whom who have dropped out.

“We have two more debates – of course the threshold will go up,” DNC Communications Director Xochitl Hinojosa tweeted on Tuesday. “By the time we have the March debate, almost 2,000 delegates will be allocated. The threshold will reflect where we are in the race, as it always has.”

https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1234962318045278208

The right-wing press is doing all it can to gin up a controversy. For instance, The Washington Examiner weighed in opining the establishment is afraid of Gabbard who has strong anti-war stances.

“If they change the rules now, conveniently, it would seem suspect, like they are trying to keep Gabbard off the stage,” the news site said. “Otherwise, she will grace the debate stage again soon — and take the establishment to task.”

Gabbard blasted her fellow 2020 contender Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Tuesday, calling her a “fake indigenous woman of color” in a tweet. This followed Republican strategist Karl Rove calling Warren “only woman left” in the 2020 Democratic field.

Gabbard appeared to be referring to criticism Warren faced over past claims of Native American ancestry, for which the senator has apologized. President Trump called the Massachusetts senator “Pocahontas.”

Warren suspended her campaign Thursday. Other Democrats who quit endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden earlier this week. The Massachusetts senator ran as a progressive alternative, similar to Sanders. She hasn’t endorsed either.

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