Why JD Vance's Kamala Harris 'Fried Chicken' Quip Isn't Racist (original) (raw)

JD Vance is under fire for his recent Kamala Harris “fried chicken” quip, which has been perceived by some as racist, though it has been explained to rather be an attack on her policies. Vance made the remark during an interview on NBC’s “Meet The Press” while addressing Laura Loomer’s racist post about Harris. Loomer, a far-right Donald Trump supporter, had previously said that the White House will “smell like curry” if Harris wins the election. Vance exclaimed that he did not like her comments, but added that Harris’ “policy” and “issues” should be her focus. A spokesperson for the Ohio senator has since clarified that his comments were not racist.

What does JD Vance’s Kamala Harris ‘fried chicken’ quip mean?

A spokesperson for JD Vance clarified to The Daily Beast that the “fried chicken” joke was not aimed as a racist comment at Kamala Harris. They said, “Senator Vance was referring to the fact that he prefers fried chicken, and his wife prefers curry chicken.” The spokesperson further mentioned that fried chicken was a staple in the Vance household when JD was a child, which he wrote in his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy.”

The clarification comes in light of the backlash Vance recently faced. This was after some interpreted his comment from NBC’s “Meet The Press” interview to be racist. NBC’s Kristen Welker asked Vance, whose wife Usha is an Indian-American, if they were offended by Loomer’s comment about Harris. He shared that he disliked her comments, but he criticized Harris’ policies.

While addressing the same Laura Loomer controversy recently, the Vice Presidential candidate said, “I make a mean chicken curry. I don’t think that it’s insulting for anybody to talk about their dietary preferences or what they want to do in the White House.”

Vance continued, “Kamala Harris is running for president and whether you’re eating curry at your dinner table or fried chicken, things have gotten more expensive thanks to her policies.” However, it was this statement that some believed was a racist and stereotypical diss at Harris, who is biracial.