Vice President Kamala Harris recently found herself in the spotlight for an unfortunate slip of the tongue, referring to former President Donald Trump as the “former vice president” while speaking to reporters. The gaffe occurred on a tarmac when Harris was asked about the possibility of a second debate with Trump. Her response, “I would like another debate with the former vice president,” quickly made waves online.
The Trump campaign wasted no time sharing the blunder on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), leading to a flurry of comparisons between Harris’ slip and President Joe Biden’s own history of verbal gaffes.
This latest misstep comes after Biden himself faced scrutiny for a series of awkward moments, including one during an introduction of world leaders at the Quad summit in Delaware. While presenting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Biden appeared frustrated, snapping at his staff, “Who’s next?”
Harris and Trump first squared off on September 10 during a debate hosted by ABC News. Unlike Trump’s earlier debate against Biden, the former president was widely criticized for his lackluster performance and for accusing the network and moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis of bias. The moderators fact-checked Trump in real-time, including debunking a false conspiracy theory he shared about migrants.
Since that initial face-off, Harris has expressed her desire for a second debate with Trump. Last week, she accepted an invitation from CNN for a debate scheduled for October 23, sharing on X that she hoped Trump would join her. However, Trump made it clear he had no plans to participate, saying at a North Carolina rally, “I’ve done two. It’s too late to do another. I’d love to, in many ways, but it’s too late. The voting is cast” , according to CNBC.
Trump also took to his own social media platform, Truth Social, stating, “KAMALA SHOULD FOCUS ON WHAT SHE SHOULD HAVE DONE DURING THE LAST ALMOST FOUR YEAR PERIOD. THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!”
Harris’ mix-up in referring to Trump as the “former vice president” quickly sparked mockery online, with many netizens drawing comparisons between her and Biden’s frequent gaffes. Despite the backlash, Harris has continued to focus on her role in the campaign, pushing for further discussions with her political rivals.