Vice President Kamala Harris had a golden opportunity over the weekend to clarify and explain what appeared to be incredibly racist remarks regarding disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Ian, but she choose not to, ignoring a reporter’s question on the issue, according to a video clip posted online.
On Friday, Harris appeared with leftist Priyanka Chopra at a women’s leadership forum in Washington, D.C. sponsored by the Democratic National Committee, The Daily Wire reported, when the subject of hurricane disaster relief came up.
“It is our lowest income communities and our communities of color that are most impacted by these extreme conditions and impacted by issues that are not of their own making,” the vice president said. “And so we have to address this in a way that is about giving resources based on equity, understanding that we fight for equality, but we also need to fight for equity, understanding not everyone starts out at the same place.
“And if we want people to be in an equal place, sometimes we have to take into account those disparities and do that work,” Harris added.
The Republican National Committee’s Research channel posted a short video clip of the exchange in which a man — presumably a reporter — asked the VP as she walked by: “Vice President, can you clarify what you meant about equity for hurricane relief?”
Harris looked at the man but ignored him and continued walking.
"Can you clarify what you meant about ‘equity’ for hurricane relief?"
Kamala Harris refuses to answer. pic.twitter.com/abTJcjkJoJ
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 3, 2022
Several people took umbrage at the vice president’s remarks.
“The response in my state of Florida has been incredible. My Governor and Floridians are handling the aftermath remarkably. Kamala is exploiting our misfortune to pander to a voter bloc to ahead of the midterms,” noted Josie The Redheaded Libertarian.
“Should be according to greatest need, not race or anything else,” SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk added.
You can’t make this up.
Kamala Harris said the administration will be giving hurricane resources “based on equity” by directing funds to “communities of color.”
I guess everyone else is just screwed. 🤦🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/75y4JfoYD7
— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) September 30, 2022
“Agreed. Really disgraceful to see her priorities when folks have lost their homes, and some even their lives. Thank you, Elon!” added Students for Trump founder Ron Fournier.
“This is false. @VP‘s rhetoric is causing undue panic and must be clarified. FEMA Individual Assistance is already available to all Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian, regardless of race or background,” Christina Pushaw, communications director for Gov. Ron DeSantis’ reelection campaign, noted.
“It’s just jaw dropping that she is talking about prioritizing ‘communities of color’ when the hardest hit communities are like 95% white. Not that it should ever matter in any case,” she added.
