Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio, known for his affiliation with former President Donald Trump, recently took aim at Vice President Kamala Harris for her theatrical use of a southern accent while addressing a crowd in Atlanta. Citing her bizarre behavior, Vance noted how out of place Harris sounded, especially considering she hails from the great state of California and doesn’t have a trace of a southern heritage—unless you count her talent for voice modulation.
During a rally in Georgia, in what can only be described as a master class in pandering, Harris decided to channel her inner Southern belle. Vance wasted no time pointing out the absurdity of this attempt at authenticity. After all, a woman who spent her formative years in Vancouver suddenly trying to charm an audience in Atlanta raises more than a few eyebrows. It’s like a vegan trying to sell barbecue at a Southern cook-off—it’s just not believable.
ICYMI – Vance accuses Harris of pandering to southern crowd https://t.co/TQcf4WcJbn
— Overton (@OvertonLive) August 1, 2024
Adding to the hilarity, Vance has been in the hot seat himself recently, facing backlash from Democrats over his offbeat comments about “childless cat ladies” and some rather fantastical claims involving couches and dolphins. Yet here he stands, unbothered, throwing shade at Harris for sounding like she just stepped off a porch in Mobile, Alabama. In a world where authenticity seems increasingly rare, it’s refreshing to see a Republican calling out this sort of inauthentic performance art.
Harris, in her southern accent, proclaimed, “You all helped us win in 2020, and we gonna do it again in 2024.” The irony is rich since she can barely keep track of her own identity—one minute she’s embracing her Indian roots, and the next, she’s a proud Californian. Even Trump chimed in, noting that she seems to morph with the election cycle, which begs the question: what’s next? A Midwestern accent for her next campaign stop?
While Vance has faced some criticism regarding his vice-presidential selection, pointing to concerns about his capacity to elevate Trump’s status rather than diminish it, the real conversation is about Harris’s credibility—or lack thereof. The vice-presidential pick typically has less bearing on the election than the presidential candidate, but if Harris’s only tactic is to impersonate different regional accents, good luck winning over the electorate. In the end, authenticity might just be the key that unlocks success in 2024, and that door seems firmly shut for Harris.