Vice President Kamala Harris is forced to play defense again after some comments she made about communities in Florida after Hurricane Ian.
President Joe Biden has her back, but her latest gaffe helped Florida Governor Ron DeSantis regain some of the ground he lost after his response to the natural disaster was heavily criticized.
Harris got in trouble for suggesting that “communities of color” would be the focus of the relief coming from the Biden administration. According to reports, her remarks were a source of anxiety for many locals.
Harris was having a chat with actress Priyanka Chopra around the issue of climate change on Friday when she made her point.
While at the Democratic National Committee’s Women’s Leadership Forum in Washington, the 57-year-old politician stated: “I know we are all thinking about the families in Florida and Puerto Rico with [Hurricane] Fiona and what we need to do to help them in terms of an immediate response and aid.”
She continued: “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.”
Harris then added: “Understanding that 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.”
The former California Senator was not specifically focused on the situation in Florida, but DeSantis’s rapid response director Christina Pushaw went on the offense and accused her of causing “undue panic” to the survivors of the devastating hurricane.
Pushaw hit back on Twitter: “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.”
The Republican also shared: “The @VP needs to correct what she said as well. A real journalist would simply ask her to clarify what she meant by those comments and why she misrepresented the relief effort.”
Harris, who is facing many questions over how she handles her job, was also attacked by Elon Musk, who said that he has recently started voting for Republican candidates after years of supporting left-leaning politicians.
Musk tweeted: “Should be according to the greatest need, not race or anything else.”
Harris has also gotten in trouble on the international stage after erroneously claiming that the US has a “strong alliance” with the Republic of North Korea.
Her supporters say that she is being judged too harshly by the press because being vice president is often a thankless job.
