Kamala Harris Speaks Directly to the Daddy Gang on Call Her Daddy

TW: sexual assault

Podcasts, especially political podcasts, are a very male-dominated space. Call Her Daddy, while not inherently political, is breaking that barrier. Alex Cooper is becoming a voice for the generation. She has her finger on the pulse of media and all the hot topics currently. From having the stars of the mega-hit TV show Love Island to now Presidential Candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris. Cooper says that her podcast’s main focus is women and she never wanted her platform to turn political. Her goal is to have her “politically-mixed” viewers see an honest conversation about women, period. By talking about women’s value in our country and how our bodies are being policed. She also makes it very clear at the start that Donald Trump was also invited to have a candid conversation about women. 

The interview starts with Harris praising Call Her Daddy for putting her viewers first and producing a show that is honest and open. Something I love about this interaction is that you can see right away that this doesn’t feel like just another stop on the media circuit. Harris has this ability to sit and have a conversation with Cooper that seems like two women talking about their hopes for their country. Obviously, there is a looming feeling that one of these women could potentially have the ability to get things done. 

Cooper brings up how women are frequently told no. Harris says, “I don’t hear no.” She will push and fight and work hard for whatever she is aiming for. Followed up by something I would never hear come out of her mouth. She says, “I urge all the Daddy Gang, don’t hear no.” There is something so bizarre and humorous, but also sort of humanizing, to hear a Presidential Candidate address the fans of Call Her Daddy by their name “Daddy Gang”. This stood out to me so much because Alex Cooper has had to fight hard to make her brand be taken seriously. Even though Call Her Daddy is currently ranked number one in the US for podcasts on Spotify, notably above Joe Rogan and Tucker Carlson, it isn’t seen as impactful to most people. I think that is simply because it is catered towards women. Cooper frequently talks openly and in detail about sex and relationships from a female-centered perspective and because of that it is “taboo and raunchy.” So to hear a female Presidential Candidate acknowledge the mass of fans of this podcast by name, no matter how silly it might seem, is impactful. 

“I’m going to be honest, when I started ‘Call Her Daddy,’ I really didn’t see it heading in the direction where I would be sitting down with the Vice President of the United States. But, like, dream big, kids!”

Alex Cooper, host of Call Her Daddy

Sexual assault affects many women in our country and it matters how the people we look up to to lead our country speak about it. One in five women in the United States experienced completed or attempted rape during their lifetime. On one side we have a candidate who prosecuted rapists and people who have committed acts of sexual violence. Someone who protected a childhood best friend who was being raped by her stepfather. Someone who says to survivors, “Don’t quietly suffer. You have done nothing wrong and don’t let anyone convince you you have.” That is Kamala Harris and that is a direct quote from her podcast appearance. On the other side, you have a man who was found liable for sexual assault in a court case. And a man who claims her can do anything to women and uses vulgar language about how he touches them. The difference between the way the two people speak on this issue means everything to survivors. Harris also thanks Alex Cooper for bringing light to the topic and talking about it on her platform. Another way of showing that she is a caring woman who genuinely cares about how women are treated in the country she is running to serve. Harris says that she wants to stand up for people’s rights but also wants to care for them and protect them after their rights have been taken, as in when she worked as a prosecutor specializing in sexual assault cases even before her time in Washington. That is why she says people should vote, to never let someone take away your power. 

The conversation quickly shifts to reproductive rights. She talks about the struggles of women in the South needing to travel across state lines to get medical care. She talks about how people don’t need to abandon their faith to agree that the government shouldn’t have the ability to make decisions on women’s bodies. These decisions, being made mostly by men, are causing women to lose their bodily autonomy. Not only is abortion up for debate but now so is contraceptives. I love that Kamala Harris can acknowledge and validate someone’s religious beliefs and acknowledge that you can separate decisions you would make for your body and the rights of other women to have that same right to decide. She touches on the notion that some people believe that there should be exceptions only when the woman’s life is at risk. But she talks about how with that logic that would mean that the woman would have to be almost dead already for medical intervention to be allowed to save her. This is inhumane to say the least especially because before the overturning of Roe v. Wade the right to abortion was protected. It is important to note that Harris fact-checks Trump’s claims of post-birth executions. She calls this claim outrageously inaccurate and insulting. This portion of the podcast is ended by a question that gets a laugh out of the vice president, “Are there any laws that police what men can do with their bodies?” The answer the pair settled on is no.

“I am the first Vice President or President to ever in office go to a reproductive healthcare clinic.”

Kamala Harris

This interview, to me, is one of the most insightful looks into what we could see if we do have our first female president in Kamala Harris. She takes the time to go on a platform that respects women’s interests and values. This could also be seen as a calculated move but we don’t see the other side taking the time to have this candid and vital conversation, and that says a lot. I love how she speaks about her children and the criticism about how she doesn’t have any blood-related children. She talks about the respect she has for the other woman in her kids’ and husband’s lives. The perspective she brings about the modern family is so refreshing. Women have value whether they want children, can’t naturally conceive children, or just don’t want to have children. Value does not come from offspring. Women are individual, complete beings no matter what. 

I believe that this conversation was very impactful. Going on a podcast whose main audience is women 18-24 brings them into the conversation even more. It is powerful to see a Presidential Candidate focus on Gen-Z women. Voters want to feel seen and feel like their needs and wants are being listened to. While obviously criticism comes with this I believe this will be one of the many things to help push the Harris campaign towards a victory this election cycle.  

• #GenZ
• #podcasts
• #politics