Senator Kamala Harris wouldn't let the rain get her down during a campaign event on Monday, dancing along to Mary J. Blige's "Work That" at a Jacksonville event, sport a pair of Chuck Taylors and holding an umbrella over her podium. The clip of the vice presidential candidate has become a meme that's been used by both her supporters and critics.
The clip was shared by news organization The Recount shortly after she danced at her second event for the day. Even though she didn't share the video of the dance, Harris did tweet out a photo from the event. "Rain or shine, democracy waits for no one," she wrote.
Kamala Harris is dancing in the Florida rain. pic.twitter.com/z2lxKMJ89e
— The Recount (@therecount) October 19, 2020
Rain or shine, democracy waits for no one. pic.twitter.com/DMimsHbmWO
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 19, 2020
The video from The Recount has since been viewed over 2 million times. It's been liked nearly 12,000 times and shared around 3,000 times.
Supporters reacted to the clip with glee, reveling in Harris' dance moves and outfit, like lifestyle brand Phenomenal CEO and founder Meena Harris. Writer and director Dylan Park also shared his excitement. "A BLACK WOMAN FROM OAKLAND CA IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES," he wrote.
I am absolutely unable to get over this video of @KamalaHarris dancing in the rain in chucks. pic.twitter.com/TD38hUISN2
— Meena Harris (@meenaharris) October 19, 2020
A BLACK WOMAN FROM OAKLAND CA IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES I REPEAT A BLACK WOMAN FROM OAKLAND CA https://t.co/wrFfPvus91
— Dylan (@dyllyp) October 20, 2020
We’re about to have the coolest VP, team https://t.co/z2BMcTptIi
— Julie McClain Downey (@McClainJulie) October 20, 2020
Some Twitter users opted to rain on everybody's parade by making fun of the California senator. One user wrote, "this is every middle class white person's idea of what being black is." Another user compared her to past democratic candidates who won their races like former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. He said that while people still look back on Clinton playing the sax, he felt that candidates dancing has become a cringe-worthy trend.
this is every middle class white person's idea of what being black is https://t.co/rtilds4DJS
— Garbage Ape (@GarbageApe) October 20, 2020
I know, Clinton's sax and Macarena at the '96 DNC, but I don't remember this annoying thing where candidates have to dance around all the time (remember High Hopes?) before Obama '07-8. Hard to overstate how much damage this man has done. https://t.co/aV9XaUmtqQ
— Branko Marcetic (@BMarchetich) October 20, 2020
Other people used the video to criticize Harris like podcaster Jake Flores, who wrote "Cop starts breakdancing," likely referencing questions that have been raised about Harris' time as a prosecutor, as explained by Vox. Another user also complained about the number of videos there are of Harris dancing, but so few of her speaking and sharing her views.
Cop starts breakdancing https://t.co/9H4fN4GvA1
— Flores Muertas (@feraljokes) October 20, 2020
the campaign doesn't allow her to speak every video of her on the trail is just dancing or clapping or walking off a plane in timberlands https://t.co/tGKUfN1vma
— Nicole (@youngestwoman) October 20, 2020
A number of Republicans took a video from the event, edited with the TikTok song "Drip Like ME" by Kenndog and used it to call out Harris. Daily Wire reporter Ryan Saavedra criticized her for dancing while campaigning. "This is what Kamala Harris is doing instead of showing up to her taxpayer-funded job and voting for relief funds that will go toward helping Americans who are struggling from the pandemic," he wrote.
A Trump supporter tweeted that the senator would "need a bigger umbrella" for the "liberal tears," as she put it.
This is what Kamala Harris is doing instead of showing up to her taxpayer-funded job and voting for relief funds that will go toward helping Americans who are struggling from the pandemic https://t.co/pUk52qfLPn
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) October 21, 2020
When Trump wins again.... there's going to be more liberal tears than that..... she's going to need a bigger umbrella https://t.co/v6YDVySSWJ
— Tammy Texoma (@TammyTexoma) October 21, 2020
The woman who posted the TikTok on Twitter responded to all the haters sharing it. "[T]he right has found this video. And it's just further proof that we will win with joy, something they hate to see," she wrote.
The Biden campaign did not respond to Newsweek's emailed request for comment in time for publication.
