Former Vice President Kamala Harris drew renewed online criticism this week after her appearance at a Detroit NAACP event, where critics said she spoke in a noticeably different vocal style than usual while rallying Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Speaking to the crowd Tuesday, Harris referenced civil rights leader Shirley Chisholm and urged attendees to stay engaged even if they aren’t enthusiastic about a particular candidate.
“Shirley Chisholm talked about it. If you’re not at the table, bring a folding chair. Otherwise, you might be on the menu. I’m conflating two people say, you know. It’s OK to not be in love with a candidate,” Harris said. “It’s OK to vote and ask everybody else to vote, because this choice is better than that one.”
Clips of the speech spread quickly online, with critics arguing that Harris shifted her speaking style for the Detroit audience. The account End Wokeness posted the clip along with the comment: “Kamala Harris unveiled a new blaccent at an NAACP event in Detroit tonight. This pretty much confirms it. She’s running in 2028.”
Conservative commentator Benny Johnson wrote, “It’s so bad. Does this mean she’s running.” Other social media users made similar observations, with one writing, “New accent = another presidential run,” and another posting, “Another classic leftist politician trait: switching accents depending on who they’re pandering to.”
Additional commentary online was more pointed, with one user calling her “Queen Word Salad” and another sarcastically writing, “ItS tOtAlLy OrGaNiC.” One commenter took a different tack, writing, “Please let her talk more… the more she talks the better chance of flipping red.”
This is not the first time Harris has faced this kind of criticism. During the 2024 campaign, she was accused of adopting a Southern accent during a rally in Atlanta, and observers also noted differences in her delivery between Labor Day appearances in Detroit and Pittsburgh.
The Detroit event also renewed questions about whether Harris intends to seek the presidency again in 2028. She has not ruled it out but has declined to commit either way.
“I have not decided if I’m going to run again,” Harris told the NAACP crowd. Earlier this month, she said her focus remained on the upcoming midterm elections, repeating: “midterms, midterms, midterms.”
