An insult was lobbed at Trump at a Kamala Harris event. She says it was "offensive" and "hurtful"
Senator Kamala Harris is condemning a question to her at event that used a slur for a person with an intellectual disability, saying the language used was "offensive" and "hurtful."
Harris is facing some backlash on Twitter after she appeared to agree with a person at a campaign rally who asked a question, and at one point described President Trump's actions as "mentally retarded." Harris responded to the man that his comments were "well said." Video of the incident was tweeted by disabled health care advocate Kendally Brown.
During a rally, a voter referred to Trump's actions as "mentally retarded", prompting @KamalaHarris to laugh and say, "well said, well said."
— Kendally Brown (@kendallybrown) September 7, 2019
I hate amplifying content I know the right will seize on and twist for their own hypocritical gain, but this hurts my heart. #CripTheVote pic.twitter.com/aVQWtLFw30
In his question to Harris, the person said: "I don't buy that argument that impeachment does not make sense, and like when — I don't buy that argument. There needs to be accountability. I mean, what are you going to do in the next one year to diminish the mentally retarded action of this guy?" The audience laughed and applauded after the person's question.
"Well said, well said," Harris said, laughing.
Brown said in a follow-up tweet that Harris' apparent agreement was a "betrayal of the disability community."
"Using 'retarded' as a slur and an insult is never, EVER 'well said,' @KamalaHarris, no matter who it's against and no matter the larger point being made. It's ALWAYS a betrayal of the disability community. We need-and expect-better from you. #CripTheVote," Harris wrote.
Harris told CBS News' Caitlin Huey-Burns in an exclusive interview that she did not register the offensive term used in the moment, saying she did not "hear or process or in any way condone" it.
Yesterday, someone at a @KamalaHarris event called Pres. Trump “mentally retarded.”
— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 7, 2019
The 2020 candidate told @CHueyBurns the term is “incredibly offensive” and said in 2019 you would think "people would have a much better understanding of how hurtful a term like that can be." pic.twitter.com/01amMnkaqi
"It's an incredibly offensive term," Harris said in an interview. "It's offensive and you would think that in the year 2019, people would have a much better understanding of how hurtful a term like that can be."
"I heard him talk about the other stuff and then that came later and it was not something that I really heard or processed ... or in any way condone, that's for sure," Harris continued.
In a follow-up after CBS News' interview, Harris worte that "when my staff played the video from my town hall yesterday, it was upsetting. I didn't hear the words the man used in that moment, but if I had I would've stopped and corrected him. I'm sorry. That word and others like it aren't acceptable. Ever."
When my staff played the video from my town hall yesterday, it was upsetting. I didn’t hear the words the man used in that moment, but if I had I would’ve stopped and corrected him. I’m sorry. That word and others like it aren’t acceptable. Ever. https://t.co/mNmo1hyNpW
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 7, 2019
Harris is at the New Hampshire Democratic Party convention this weekend, along with 18 other presidential candidates.