The slate of prominent Irish-American Democrats who gathered to express their support for Kamala Harris struggled to stay on topic.
At times, it felt like last Tuesday’s “national organizing call” for Irish-Americans supporting Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign could have been something the Democratic National Committee planned before the country’s Irish-American president took himself off the ticket. But if the event itself felt odd, it was hardly out of place on the Harris-Walz campaign schedule.
The campaign has divvied voters up by their race at several virtual events over the last several weeks. “White Dudes For Harris” made a particular splash, as did “White Women For Kamala,” which featured a TikTok influencer who adopted a condescending tone — known as “gentle parenting” on social media — to tell the attendees they should never correct people of color.
There are “For Harris” events for every conceivable identity group: black voters, South Asians, Jews, and more. But the event aimed at Irish-Americans seemed particularly awkward in the wake of the Democratic Party’s defenestration of a very-Irish president who is very proud of his heritage.
As New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said on the call, President Joe Biden was, along with John F. Kennedy, one of the “most Irish-American presidents in the history of our nation.”
At one point, the call became a true Kennedy fest when JFK’s grandnephew and niece, Joe Kennedy III and Rory Kennedy, chimed in at the same time. Rory Kennedy told a story about a family rosary that was sentimental to her famous Irish-American political family.
Biden sometimes carries a rosary in his pocket and goes to Mass regularly, although he famously flouts the Catholic Church’s doctrine on abortion, gender ideology, and other issues.
“In Scranton, Irish Catholic Democrat is one word,” Virginia McGregor, DNC treasurer and national co-chair of Women for Harris said on the call.
Biden himself did not join Tuesday’s call, although Murphy said the president would likely be “quoting an Irish poet or two” if he were there.
Some of the speakers came armed with jokes.
“I think the only thing Donald Trump really understands about Ireland or the Irish culture is the McDonald’s Shamrock Shake every March,” said Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-PA).
“Most important, they’re not weird,” Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) said about Irish-Americans in her swing state district, referencing the recent online barb from Democrats that the Trump-Vance ticket is “weird.”
Rounding out the call was a bizarre appearance from actress and singer Lynda Carter, known for playing Wonder Woman in the ’70s, who began her remarks by talking about how she didn’t like her father’s “last wife” trying to cut his bushy Irish eyebrows.
Carter also ranted about abortion — at one point appearing to forget the word contraception — and about men who support former President Donald Trump.
“He’s really not for those men either because he wants to take away their condoms,” she said. “They want to take reproductive freedom. They want to take away — they want to take away not only our right to choose but, what do you call it? You know. Condoms and all of it. I’ve just lost my way. I get all excited.”
Former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe quipped that Democrats “need the Irish because God gave us the gift of gab.”
“We’re good talkers. There’s no one better at the doors,” he said. “The only problem, when we do door-to-door, we spend too long at each door.”
Biden is a “spectacular president,” and Kamala will also be a “spectacular president,” McAuliffe said.
Actor Michael Kelly, known for “House Of Cards,” also joined the call and said the country is at an “inflection point.”
“Let me tell you, if there is anything that my Irish brothers and sisters know it is how to work,” the actor said of campaigning for Harris.
Also joining the call were Reps. Tim Kennedy (D-NY) and Dan Kildee (D-MI). All of the speakers told listeners to sign up for the Harris campaign’s text alerts for Irish-American supporters.
Biden “embodied completely” the Irish qualities of working hard and doing what is right when he dropped out of the 2024 race, McGregor, the DNC treasurer said. She also claimed that, “you cannot travel abroad without hearing how our country’s global standing has been restored.”
“When you’re at your summer barbecues make sure you have three quick points about why you’re voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz,” she added.
Harris and Tim Walz “share the values of the Irish community” as well, Murphy assured, urging supporters, “let’s leave no shamrock unturned” in supporting the new ticket.
“Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, the Irish, unbeatable!” the New Jersey governor said.
Editor’s note: Mairead Elordi (née McArdle) is very Irish-American.
