Harris was speaking to a group from historically Black colleges and universities. A video of her introduction surfaced online earlier in the week.
“Please stand as she enters the room,” White House adviser Keisha Lance Bottoms is heard advising those in attendance.
“Hello everybody,” Harris says as some in the crowd fawn over her entrance.
The host then interjects laughing, “You can clap, it’s okay!”
A couple of individuals are seen doing a polite golf clap while the rest don’t really respond to the prodding.
Will Somebody Clap for Kamala Harris? Please?Kamala Harris enters the room to awkward silence, her audience is told “You can clap!” as she does her signature cringe cackle.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 23, 2023
Just so humiliating.. pic.twitter.com/ZVlQb4c1vu
While there is plenty to mock about Vice President Kamala Harris, we may have to cut her some slack here.
This is a tight room, a well-dressed crowd showing great respect for their surroundings. Perhaps they simply felt that silence was the best way to show respect.
Additionally, a vast majority of the crowd is holding up cell phones to record her entrance or have programs in their hands, making it difficult to start clapping no matter who is addressing them.
However, while we are cutting some slack, others aren’t quite as forgiving. And that’s okay.
“Jeb vibes,” wrote retired UFC fighter, Nik Lentz.
Several viewers noted the similarity between Harris’ dilemma and a famous incident involving former Florida governor Jeb Bush.Jeb vibes
— Nik “The Carny” Lentz (@NikLentz) February 23, 2023
In what came to be symbolic of his low-energy presidential campaign in 2016, Bush implored a crowd of unenthusiastic supporters to “please clap” after delivering a line he felt was worthy of support.
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