Vice President Kamala Harris has been subjected to online ridicule following her apparent adoption of a "new accent" during an event hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus on Saturday evening.
"Hello to all of my Divine Nine brothers and sisters," Harris greeted the attendees at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Phoenix Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C. "And to all my HBCU brothers and sisters." As reported by Fox News, the social media account End Wokeness was among the first to highlight the Vice President's altered speech, sharing a clip of her address with the caption: "BREAKING: Kamala Harris unveils a new accent at the Black Caucus Dinner."
The online community was quick to respond, with Paul A. Szypula, a user with a substantial following of over 232,700, questioning whether this was a new accent or a return to a previously feigned one. "Either way, its incredibly insulting to black people. Shame on Kamala," Szypula criticized. Collin Rugg, another influential user with 1.4 million followers, also shared the clip, noting that Harris has exhibited this accent at various points throughout her campaign.
Columnist James Hirsen joined the chorus of critics, referring to the Vice President's speech as the "Kamala Harris accent du jour." Other users pointed out the inconsistency in Harris' accents, noting that despite being raised in Canada, she has adopted various American regional accents depending on her campaign location.
Harris' reference to the "Divine Nine" during her speech is a nod to her membership in a historically Black sorority during her time at Howard University. Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment on Sunday but received no response.
Earlier this month, the Vice President faced similar criticism when she appeared to use different accents while campaigning in Detroit and Pittsburgh, mere hours apart. Fox News' Peter Doocy questioned White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about the issue, asking, "Since when does the vice president have what sounds like a southern accent?"
Jean-Pierre dismissed the question, stating, "I have no idea what you're talking about," and suggesting that Americans are more concerned with the economy, lowering costs, and healthcare than the Vice President's accent.
In the coming days, Harris is set to engage with Black voters. President Biden, speaking at the same Congressional Black Caucus dinner, praised Harris as the first Black and South Asian woman vice president, expressing his hope that she would become the first female president of the United States.
Harris' upcoming engagements include a meeting with the National Association of Black Journalists in Philadelphia and a live-streamed rally featuring Oprah Winfrey and groups such as "Win with Black Women," "White Women: Answer the Call," and "South Asians for Harris," as per the Associated Press.
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