This week, Vice President Kamala Harris attempted to offer a concise and simple description of the importance of transportation infrastructure in the United States. Unfortunately for Harris, the description came off as more simplistic in nature – for which she quickly faced a wave of criticism across social media.
At least that is the narrative being depicted on social platforms and shared by some right-leaning media outlets including Fox News.
A Mixed Word Salad?
Harris, who is known for her “word salads” where she often tries to sound profound, only to bungle it entirely, is often ridiculed for her inability to stay on message. Yet, in this case, it could be argued that her critics cherry-picked one line in a much longer address to cast her in a bad light.
“This issue of transportation is fundamentally about just making sure that people have the ability to get where they need to go,” Harris said during a roundtable discussion on the Americans with Disabilities Act.
If given in a speech, it wasn’t a strong statement and it stated the obvious. But it wasn’t part of a speech.
Yet, that single sentence was shared on Twitter by RNC Research (@RNCResearch), which claims to expose the lies and hypocrisy of the Biden Administration. The social media account is managed by the Republican National Committee. However, it could be argued that in this case, the tweet was actually a bit hypocritical and disingenuous.
Roundtable Discussion – Not a Speech
Let’s review what VP Harris actually stated during the roundtable according to the official White House transcript.
“This issue of transportation is fundamentally about just making sure that people have the ability to get where they need to go. It’s that basic. But we know the obstacles to that goal can be great. And, for example, when we think about air travel, as the Secretary (of Transportation Pete Buttigieg) mentioned, a majority of domestic flights still have no accessible restrooms.”
In other words, the one sentence does not actually seem to fall into the category of “word salad” when taken out of the larger context. And yet, it still serves to make a larger point about the issues those with disabilities face while traveling.
Harris further added, “When we think about the stories that I’ve heard of individuals with disabilities, knowing that they may not be able to access the restroom on a plane, and what they must do to deprive themselves of food or liquids for hours and hours before that flight, out of concern that they may need to then take care of themselves but have no access to the ability to do that because that restroom on that plane just does not physically allow that to happen.”
Essentially there really was no word salad there. She offered a simple explanation to make a point and explained it as clearly as anyone might. It was also done in a roundtable discussion – where individuals share their viewpoints.
Though it is absolutely true that Harris is no great speaker, and has made no shortage of questionable statements, this was hardly the most egregious example. Instead, it would appear that RNC Research sought to pick out one line of dozens to cast VP Harris in a bad light.
Moreover, there is also some irony that the RNC would go to such lengths to find one throwaway line – especially as the former President Donald Trump, the current GOP frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination next year, is hardly an orator of the ages.
Author Experience and Expertise
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
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