The White House has firmly rebutted claims Kamala Harris adopted a “southern drawl” while delivering a campaign speech in Detroit.
The Democrat presidential hopeful was accused of using a “fake” voice and “changing her accent for Black people” after addressing the audience in Michigan on Monday.
Clips of her speech went viral on social media, where some compared her delivery to the way she said the same lines just hours later in Pittsburgh, in “her regular accent”.
Other clips shared on social media appeared to show the Vice President using a “southern” accent during recent campaign speeches in Georgia and Pennsylvania.
In a press conference on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked by journalist Peter Doocy: “Since when does the Vice President have what sounds like a southern accent?
“She was talking about unions in Detroit using one tone of voice. She used the same line in Pittsburgh, and it sounded like she at least ad some kind of a southern drawl,” he said.
Ms Jean-Pierre appeared frustrated as she dismissed the allegation as “insane”.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said.
“Do you seriously think Americans think this an important question? You know what they care about? They care about the economy, they care about lowering costs, they care about healthcare. That’s what Americans care about. That’s what they want to hear...
“I’m not even going to entertain some question about the pres- just hearing it sounds so ridiculous. The question is just...insane.”
Looks like Kamala Harris developed a new accent when she landed in Detroit!
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 8, 2024
“The courts are gonna handle dat. We gon’ beat him in Novemba. We gon’ beat him in Novemba”
She’s a FRAUD. pic.twitter.com/9cMWI3tHtc
Many rushed to defend Ms Harris on social media after clips of her allegedly changing her accent went viral.
One Democrat wrote on X: “Wow - this is what the right has on Kamala. This.”
James L Greenlee added: “That's scraping pretty hard to try to find a scandal.”
Mike Nolan said Ms Harris was “emphasising the point to the audience she’s in front of”.
