Republican critics lambasted Vice President Kamala Harris, the de facto Democratic presidential nominee, after she made inarticulate remarks after welcoming home several Americans held prisoner in Russia.
Vice President Kamala Harris became the target of Republican ridicule again Friday after delivering rambling and repetitive remarks on the U.S. prisoner exchange with Russia.
President Biden and Harris met with Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Marine Corps veteran Paul Whelan and others at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland around midnight after the freed Americans landed safely on U.S. soil. Biden has called the prisoner exchange with Russia, the largest in post-Cold War history, a "feat of diplomacy."
Harris echoed those remarks in her comments on the tarmac, celebrating the president and his historic accomplishment. "This is an extraordinary day, and I'm very thankful for our president and what he has done over his entire career, but in particular as it relates to these families and these individuals," she said.
The 24-person swap was the culmination of difficult negotiations between Washington, D.C., and Moscow, which involved six countries releasing at least one prisoner each and a seventh, Turkey, hosting the exchange in Ankara. Harris said the deal demonstrates the importance of having a president who is experienced in diplomacy, in so many words and more.
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"This is just extraordinary testament to the importance of having a president who understands the power of diplomacy, and understands the strength that rests in understanding the significance of diplomacy and strengthening alliances," she said.
GOP critics and conservative media figures were quick to point to these remarks as yet another instance of Harris offering up a "word salad" when she is unguided by a teleprompter.
Former President Trump's campaign's rapid response team clipped her comments with the headline, "KAMALA — UNSCRIPTED FOR THE FIRST TIME."
Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance poked fun at her, writing on X, "Kamala sounds like a third-grader giving a book report on a book she didn’t read."
Fox News' Guy Benson quipped, "get her back on prompter."
"She is beyond word salad. She is now churning out word slaw," Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro posted on X.
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This was not the first time Harris has been roasted for inarticulate off-the-cuff remarks. She was lampooned on "The Daily Show" in May for her habit of repeating herself in public speeches. Harris has often been compared to the fictional Vice President Selina Meyer from HBO's political satire "Veep," not just for her role as vice president, but also for their shared penchant for circular speech patterns.
At an abortion rights rally at Howard University in April 2023, for instance, she told an audience, "So I think it's very important, as you have heard from so many incredible leaders for us at every moment in time and certainly this one, to see the moment in time in which we exist and are present, and to be able to contextualize it, to understand where we exist in the history and in the moment as it relates not only to the past but the future."
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Some Republicans wondered aloud whether Harris has avoided unscripted interactions with the press since becoming the de facto Democratic nominee for president precisely to prevent another viral moment from hurting her campaign.
"Not one interview, press conference or unscripted moment since she launched her campaign. Why? Here’s why," said Alexander Pantinakis, political director for the Florida GOP, as he shared the clip of Harris speaking at Joint Base Andrews.
The Harris campaign did not respond when asked why the vice president has not held a press conference in the 12 days since emerging as the presumptive Democratic nominee.
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A Democratic strategist told Fox News Digital Republicans were focusing on Harris' rhetorical blunders because they cannot attack the Biden-Harris administration on substance after securing a win by returning captive Americans home safely.
"You know how I know they’re lying about her powerful response to this important win for America, which we should all celebrate regardless of party? Because their boss, Donald Trump, is too chickens--- to debate Kamala Harris," the strategist said.
A planned debate between President Biden and former President Trump was scrapped after Biden dropped out. The Harris and Trump campaigns have not yet agreed to any debates.
Fox News Digital's Kristine Parks and Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
