Vice President Kamala Harris said that “the American people deserve something better” in response to former President Donald Trump’s contentious interview with the Annual Convention of the National Association of Black Journalists that included false claims about her racial identity.
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"It was the same old show: division and lack of respect," said Harris Wednesday night in Houston, as she addressed members of the historically black sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, during their 60th Biennial Boule.
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A leader who understands differences
"The American people deserve a leader who tells the truth, a leader who does not respond with hostility or anger when faced with facts. We deserve a leader who understands that our differences do not divide us, but are an essential source of our strength," Harris stated.
In his Wednesday interview with the NABJ in Chicago, Trump questioned Harris' black racial identity, the presumptive Democratic candidate, who is half black and half Indian-American.
"I didn't know she was black until a few years ago, when she became black, and now she wants to be known as black," Trump said about Harris. "Is she Indian or is she black? Because she was Indian from start to finish, and suddenly she changed and became a black person."
Kamala and her identity
Harris, whose father is Jamaican and mother is Indian, attended Howard University, a historically black university. She is the first female vice president in the history of the United States and also the first black woman to hold the position.
Trump's comments came at a time when Harris is enjoying a boost in the polls in her still young presidential campaign after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race on July 21. Trump's campaign has set out to aggressively define Harris, and questioning her racial identity seems to be part of that strategy.
Other offenses
"Crazy Kamala says she is Indian, not black. This is a big problem. It's a complete farce. She uses everyone, including her racial identity!", wrote Trump in a post on Truth Social, reinforcing his false claims from the interview.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, later on Wednesday night, Trump accused Harris of adopting a "new Southern accent" when she spoke the night before at a campaign event in Atlanta.