Kamala Harris posted a casual tweet Saturday evening that immediately put her in hot water. The vice president had people questioning if she knows the meaning of Memorial Day and that’s not a good thing.
The leader-of-the-free-world-in-waiting tweeted out “Enjoy the long weekend.” with a smiling picture of herself. There is no doubt she thought she was just checking in with her supporters on Twitter. It came off as tone-deaf and insincere snce she didn’t bother to acknowledge the reason for the long weekend.
Enjoy the long weekend. pic.twitter.com/ilGOrod4AW
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) May 29, 2021
The responses quickly came in. Many people explained the meaning of the Memorial Day holiday. It was noted she should have at least mentioned support for those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and loved ones left to grieve their loss. It’s really basic stuff for an elected official, especially for the vice-president. Nonetheless, she screwed it up.
It is Memorial Day weekend. This weekend is our time as a nation to honor our Fallen. It is our dedicated time to reflect on our war fighters, those who paid the ultimate price for our Freedom.
— Code of Vets ™ (@codeofvets) May 29, 2021
Care to mention WHY we’re having a long weekend, Kamala?
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) May 30, 2021
Here’s some facts about Memorial Day since you apparently forgot this isn’t just a “long weekend” pic.twitter.com/t6hED8Yqud
— Texas Federation of College Republicans (@txfcr) May 30, 2021
Some thought maybe it was an error made by her communications team. Some people posted pictures of their loved ones who were killed in battle. Kamala’s tweet clearly hit a nerve. Are Kamala’s critics just being petty and delivering knee jerk reactions? I don’t think so. She signed on for this job and she has to know that everything she does will come under scrutiny from both her supporters and her opponents. If her communications team is responsible for her social media accounts – this tweet is on her official government account – then they are the ones who dropped the ball with this tweet.
When your Comms Team has a plan, but no one stopped to ask a veteran how it might shake out.
This is why diversity within an organization is a good thing.
— Templeton Peck (@captainwanks) May 29, 2021
Here’s the thing – I think her tweet is very much like something that could have easily been posted by one of her political mentors – Barack Obama. Politicians are, by nature, very egocentric and Obama’s ego is gigantic. Remember how every tweet that acknowledged a historic event or commemoration included a photo of himself? He was the first selfie president. Kamala’s tweet is a lot like one of his. She isn’t a military veteran. There is no reason for a big smiling picture of herself in a Memorial Day weekend tweet.
Kamala or her staff have seen the fallout and posted a more traditional tweet today.
Throughout our history our service men and women have risked everything to defend our freedoms and our country. As we prepare to honor them on Memorial Day, we remember their service and their sacrifice.
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) May 30, 2021
There are plenty of people defending Kamala by retweeting posts from Trump. This is where we are. Whataboutism is a big part of political debate but it doesn’t move the needle with anyone. The point with the Biden and Harris administration is that Biden ran on uniting the country. He and Kamala are expected to do better. By ignoring the true reason for the long weekend, she slighted military families across the country. Her tweet provided unnecessary fodder for political disagreements.
Diligent scrutiny is just an element in her job. She frequently comes off as phony and tone-deaf. We live in hyper-partisan times and no one is in the mood to give the other side a break. Joe and Kamala have failed miserably in bringing everyone together, even just a little bit.
Today I am reading responses from both Biden and Kamala to a bill moving toward Governor Abbott’s signature on election integrity and election law in Texas. The president called the Texas bill “unAmerican,” a description that pits Texans against each other. Kamala has a tweet about it.
Today, Texas legislators advanced a bill attacking the right to vote. It’s yet another assault on our democracy. Congress needs to pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
We need to make it easier for eligible voters to vote. Not harder.— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) May 30, 2021
This is a long weekend. This is a solemn time for many Americans, though, and should be a time for all Americans to take some time and reflect on the human price of our freedoms. On the last Monday of May, we honor the men and women who died serving in the U.S. military. It began as Decoration Day during the spring in the years following the end of the Civil War. The day became a federal holiday in 1971. This weekend is a humbling time.
Kamala should have saved her tweet about enjoying a long weekend for Independence Day this year.
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