Vice President Kamala Harris was back in the battleground state of Pennsylvania on Sunday, where she spoke before a Philadelphia church congregation and subsequently came under fire from social media commenters for allegedly unveiling a “new accent” during the event.
“BREAKING: Kamala Harris unveils a new accent at a black Philadelphia church,” popular conservative X account “End Wokeness” posted Sunday accompanied by video of Harris at the event.
Harris traveled to the Church of Christian Compassion in Philadelphia on Sunday morning, where she spoke to the predominantly Black congregants, telling them that in just nine days, voters will “have the power to decide the fate of our nation for generations to come.”
“Here in Pennsylvania, right now each of us has an opportunity to make a difference. Because in this moment we do face a real question. What kind of country do we want to live in?” she said. “The great thing about living in a democracy is we the people have the choice to answer that question. So let us answer not just with our words, but with our works.”
Harris cited the Book of Psalms in her remarks, including saying: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the mornin’. The path may seem hard, the work may seem heavy, but joy cometh in the mornin’ and church morning is on its way.”
Critics on social media pounced on clips of Harris quoting Psalms, saying she debuted a new “pastor” accent, comparing her inflection to Martin Luther King’s tenor.
Harris has previously been accused by critics of unveiling new “accents” while on the campaign trail, including one last month when she spoke before the Congressional Black Caucus, and another “accent” that was compared to “Foghorn Leghorn” during a Labor Day rally in Detroit when she spoke to blue-collar union workers.
“Since when does the vice president have what sounds like a Southern accent?” Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre last month following her Detroit speech that was compared to the “Foghorn Leghorn” cartoon character.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jean-Pierre replied.
“Well, she was talking about unions in Detroit using one tone of voice, she used the same line in Pittsburgh, and it sounded like she at least had some kind of Southern drawl,” Doocy pressed.
“I mean, do you hear the question that you’re – I mean, do you think Americans seriously think that this is an important question?” Jean-Pierre pushed back. “You know what they care about? They care about the economy, they care about lowering costs, they care about health care. That’s what they want to hear… democracy and freedom… I’m not going to even entertain some question about… it’s just. Hearing it sounds so ridiculous. The question – I’m talking about the question – is just insane.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign regarding the Philadelphia speech and critics who lambasted the VP for unveiling the “new accent,” but did not immediately receive a reply on Sunday afternoon.
Pennsylvania is again a key battleground state this election cycle, after Trump won the state in his successful presidential election in 2016, and President Biden claimed the state in 2020. Both Trump and Harris have repeatedly crisscrossed the state in recent months as they work to lock up votes in the state that will likely determine the overall outcome of the election.
Harris will hold a campaign rally in Philadelphia later Sunday, while Trump will join a rally in New York City’s Madison Square Garden Sunday evening.