LONDON: US Vice President Kamala Harris was slammed over the weekend for awkwardly laughing at a question regarding Ukrainian refugees.
Harris was speaking at a joint press conference in Warsaw with Polish President Andrzej Duda, who was asked if he had requested the US to accept more Ukrainian refugees.
Duda confirmed that he had made the request, but Harris dodged the topic, turning to the Polish president while saying “a friend in need is a friend indeed.” She then began laughing for several seconds.
Viewers took to social media to criticize Harris for what was seen as an insensitive reaction to a serious subject.
“[Vice President] Harris, this is a very serious situation requiring action, not a laughing matter,” Ukrainian-born GOP Rep. Victoria Spartz tweeted.
.@VP Harris, this is a very serious situation requiring action, not a laughing matter. https://t.co/sHC0BY1Ktu
— Rep. Victoria Spartz (@RepSpartz) March 10, 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s former spokesperson Iuliia Mendel said in a now-deleted tweet that “it would be a tragedy” if Harris ever became president. She also told CNN that the laughing moment was a “very bad experience.”
She said in the interview: “For us, and for Ukrainians … it was a very bad experience to see this type of reaction — a laugh — when we’re listening about one of the biggest tragedies of Ukraine right now, when so many millions of Ukrainians are turned into refugees.”
Many others joined in criticizing Harris, who has repeatedly resorted to chuckling, giggling and laughing during uncomfortable moments.
Author and former Donald Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos tweeted: “Kamala Harris has been very consistent during her live remarks with Poland’s leader. She is awkwardly laughing. Again.”
Kamala Harris has been very consistent during her live remarks with Poland’s leader. She is awkwardly laughing. Again.
— George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) March 10, 2022
US columnist Benny Johnson tweeted: “Only Kamala Harris would find it appropriate to laugh when talking about the topic of Ukrainian refugees.”
Only Kamala Harris would find it appropriate to laugh when talking about the topic of Ukrainian Refugees.
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) March 10, 2022
In August last year, Harris found herself in a similar predicament when she began laughing after a reporter asked her about Americans trapped in Afghanistan amid the Taliban takeover.
At the time, US TV personality Meghan McCain, daughter of the late senator John McCain, tweeted: “This may be some kind of real issue (like Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Joker’) but she’s the vice president and she’s hand ample time and resources to media train herself out of reacting to every single crisis situation like she’s walking onto a late night show. She comes off so craven.”
This may be some kind of real issue (like Joaquin phoenix in the joker) but she’s the Vice President and she’s hand ample time and resources to media train herself out of reacting to every SINGLE crisis situation like she’s walking onto a late night show. She comes off so craven. https://t.co/Vznthwskhl
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) August 23, 2021
