It did not take lengthy for Vice President Kamala Harris to be hit with a barrage of sexist and racist assaults after President Joe Biden endorsed her for the presidential run.
After ripping into Biden by calling him previous, senile, and mentally incapable of working for reelection, the GOP is now attacking Harris for being ethnically Black and South Asian, and likewise for simply being a lady.
The GOP is ripping into her race, calling her a “DEI rent”
Chatting with CNN on Monday, Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee mentioned he was “100%” positive Harris was a mediocre “DEI rent.”
And Rep. Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin mentioned he thought the Democratic Social gathering solely backed Harris “due to her ethnic background.”
Earlier than boarding a aircraft to DC, Rep. Glenn Grothman instructed @KathrynMerckTV, “It’s gonna be tougher to beat any individual who isn’t Joe Biden.”
On VP Harris:
“Apparently, they really feel, or quite a lot of Democrats really feel, they’ve to stay together with her due to her ethnic background.” pic.twitter.com/XFII5eFjKC
— A.J. Bayatpour (@AJBayatpour) July 22, 2024
Others, like conservative commentator and former Reuters managing editor Paul Ingrassia, are criticizing her identification as a baby of immigrant dad and mom.
Ingrassia mentioned that as a result of she’s not a “natural-born citizen,” she shouldn’t be allowed to run for the highest ticket.
In accordance with constitutional scholar @DrJohnEastman of the @ClaremontInst (an opinion I share alongside many different authorized professionals), Kamala Harris is ineligible to function President underneath the twelfth Modification.
Thus, Kamala should step apart for one more candidate who is definitely… pic.twitter.com/NpgtQxaCOG
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) July 21, 2024
Harris was born in Oakland, California, making her a natural-born citizen and eligible to run for the presidency.
Harris can be going through a barrage of sexist assaults
The GOP is baselessly accusing Harris of sleeping her option to the highest.
Far-right blogger and Trump ally Laura Loomer leveled groundless accusations at Harris, accusing her of being “an escort,” amongst different unsubstantiated allegations. Loomer additionally accused Harris of getting a bootleg relationship with Willie Brown, the previous mayor of San Francisco.
Reuters fact-checked the photograph of Harris and Brown in 2020, reporting that Brown had been separated from his spouse for over a decade when Harris dated him within the mid-Nineteen Nineties.
Loomer additionally implied that Harris had an inappropriate relationship with TV host and actor Montel Williams, prompting Williams to defend Harris on X.
Equally, right-wing commentator and former Fox Information host Megyn Kelly additionally accused Harris of being an “unqualified political aspirant” and buying and selling sexual favors to advance her profession. Kelly didn’t present proof for her declare.
Disagree. She really did sleep her method into and upwards in California politics and most ladies (and males) could be taught that and see it for what it’s: proof of an unqualified political aspirant getting forward based mostly on smthg aside from benefit. It’s related, and honest sport. https://t.co/qIrx0xGC6a
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) July 22, 2024
To make sure, race and gender-driven assaults on Harris aren’t new. As an example, in 2021, then-Senate candidate JD Vance branded her as being a part of a bunch of “childless cat women who’re depressing at their very own lives.”
JD Vance says ladies who haven’t given beginning like Kamala Harris are “childless cat women who’re depressing at their very own lives,” and have “no direct stake” in America. pic.twitter.com/3DJY3pQTGe
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) July 22, 2024
This was although she is the stepmother of two youngsters.
And Jackson Lahmeyer, who based the “Pastors for Trump” motion, wrote on X on July 4: “Each Joe + the Ho gotta go!”
He additionally referred to as Harris a “whore” and “harlot” whereas replying to feedback on his submit.
Consultants say such assaults are to be anticipated in a presidential race this brutal
Political consultants instructed BI they anticipated Trump and his celebration to launch these racist and private assaults, and added this onslaught is prone to get extra intense because the race progresses.
“America has a deep historical past of assaults being on the idea of race, so it isn’t surprising,” mentioned Thomas Hollihan, a professor of communication at USC Annenberg.
However these assaults, he mentioned, may have little impact on undecided voters and can solely assist provoke the GOP’s current base.
Costas Panagopoulos, a political science professor from Northeastern College, echoed this sentiment.
“As an African and Asian American girl, Vice President Harris is prone to face a barrage of refined and overt racist and sexist assaults on this race, however many citizens will reject these and be personally offended by them,” he mentioned.
“People anticipate higher,” Panagopoulos added.
Though Hillary Clinton additionally bore the brunt of sexist assaults as a feminine presidential candidate in 2016, the consultants instructed BI that Harris goes to have it a lot worse.
“The assaults on Kamala Harris possible will probably be extra vicious as a result of she isn’t white, and there are simply over 100 days earlier than the election, ” mentioned Jonathan Aronson, a communication and worldwide relations professor from USC Annenberg.
“Assaults on Hillary stretched over a few years,” he mentioned.
Hollihan mentioned as effectively that he thought the assaults on Harris can be extra extreme than they had been for Clinton, as a result of “they’re animated by race and gender.”
Representatives for Harris didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from Enterprise Insider despatched exterior common enterprise hours.
