Vice President Kamala Harris was slammed by Democrats over the weekend for posting a “tone-deaf” photo that showed her simply watching protests for abortion rights while aboard Air Force One.
While claiming to be “fighting” for the right to have an abortion, Harris was knocked for posting a photo that showed her flying to Europe instead of taking to the street in protests over the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade:
I know there are women out there who are afraid. To those of you who feel alone and scared: I want you to know the President and I are fighting for you and your rights. We are in this fight together. pic.twitter.com/1J54ZY2aYk
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) June 24, 2022
“Um. 36,000 feet above everything, watching on a big ass TV in a private plane, and the message is ‘we’re in this together’? I’m not sure you guys get where the rest of us are at right now,” politics writer for the Daily Kos, Joan McCarter, tweeted.:
Um. 36,000 feet above everything, watching on a big ass TV in a private plane, and the message is “we're in this together”? I'm not sure you guys get where the rest of us are at right now. https://t.co/nJBkd7G3lW
— Joan McCarter 🌻 (@joanmccarter) June 25, 2022
“Could you be specific? Like, *how* are you fighting? Describe the tactics, explain the policy, give us the rundown,” New York magazine reporter Hillary Kelly questioned:
Could you be specific? Like, *how* are you fighting?
Describe the tactics, explain the policy, give us the rundown. https://t.co/88a4wFYvt7
— Hillary Kelly (@HillaryKelly) June 25, 2022
Imani Barbarin, who identifies herself on Twitter as “she/her Black girl magic+disabled pride,” questioned who the communications director was that suggested the photo was a good idea.
“Who was the strategist that decided a photo op on a taxpayer funded private plane both physically and metaphorically above the people watching pensively while not demonstrating action was a good idea?” Barbarin tweeted:
Who was the strategist that decided a photo op on a taxpayer funded private plane both physically and metaphorically above the people watching pensively while not demonstrating action was a good idea? https://t.co/AmlVzwvN7a
— Imani Barbarin, MAGC | Crutches&Spice ♿️ (@Imani_Barbarin) June 25, 2022
The criticism of Harris came before the Associated Press claimed on Monday that Harris is “leading” the fight on abortion, a clear break from how many Democrats feel about Harris’s effort on the issue.
In an article entitled “Harris emerges as top abortion voice, warns of more fallout,” AP reporter Will Weissert alleged that “Harris has been a leading Biden administration voice on abortion rights since early May when a leaked draft opinion previewed Roe v. Wade’s nullification.”
“Taking to the issue with a passion linked both to her personal and professional background, Harris has spent recent weeks sounding the alarm that upending Roe could create precedent for new restrictions on everything from contraception and in vitro fertilization to gay marriage and the right to vote,” the article continued.
The AP’s communications cover for the vice president comes as Harris delivered a word salad Friday afternoon. Speaking about the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Harris said, “We push to move forward; that we are guided by what we see that can be, unburdened by what has been,” she stated, with no applause forthcoming. “And I know everyone in this room understands this,” she claimed.
Such incoherent language appears to be commonplace for the vice president, who has made many communication mistakes during her tenure:
Kamala Harris: “The significance of the passage of time, right? The significance of the passage of time. So when you think about it, there is great significance to the passage of time … and there's such great significance to the passage of time…” pic.twitter.com/0yjBdfzFwm
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) March 21, 2022
KAMALA HARRIS: “I am here, standing here on the northern flank, on the eastern flank, talking about what we have in terms of the eastern flank and our NATO allies, and what is at stake at this very moment, what is at stake this very moment are some of the guiding principles…” pic.twitter.com/QOsMKRTRsQ
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 10, 2022
According to McLaughlin & Associates poll on Friday, 50 percent of voters believe it is “likely” Harris will become the president before President Joe Biden ends his four-year term.
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter and Gettr @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.
