U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has a history of feigning a Southern accent on the campaign trail. IMAGE:Reuters
In Summary:
- Harris frequently uses a Southern accent when speaking to Southern communities.
- This behavior has been met with mockery and accusations of pandering.
Vice President Kamala Harris faced criticism on Tuesday night for using a Southern accent during a campaign rally in Atlanta, Georgia.
Harris, who was raised in San Francisco and attended high school in Montreal, Canada, often adopts a Southern accent when addressing voters in Southern regions.
This practice was notably prominent during her 2020 campaign events, where she was also criticized for the same behavior.
During an event in Florida, Harris exaggerated her accent, saying, “We will tell them we were hangin’ out in a parking lot this particular Saturday afternoon with Kamala and all our friends.”
In Fayetteville, North Carolina, she similarly altered her speech, promising voters to “get rid of that tax bill” passed by President Donald Trump.
Her use of a Southern accent has been labeled as “fake” and “pandering” by Southern voters, who feel it lacks authenticity.
Harris has also employed this accent while addressing Black audiences, making comments about “preachin'” and “testifyin'” to the truth.
US Vice President Kamala Harris with Reverend Al Sharpton at a funeral. PHOTO: Getty Images
At a Philadelphia event in May, she humorously asked, “Do I see people testifyin’? Can I get a witness?”
This tendency is not unique to Harris among politicians. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received similar backlash during her presidential campaigns for adopting a Southern drawl when speaking to Southern voters, famously saying, “I don’t feel no ways tired,” quoting civil rights leader James Cleveland.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has also been accused of slipping into a Southern drawl during a 2023 event with civil rights organizer Al Sharpton, where she declared, “I’m proud to be a bartender, ain’t nothin’ wrong with that. This is what changin’ the country looks like.”