Doctored version of Kamala Harris call spreads online
A video circulating on X appears to show Kamala Harris speaking slowly and with heavy bags under her eyes in her first public remarks since conceding the 2024 US presidential election to Donald Trump. But the clip is altered; authentic footage of the vice president and defeated Democratic nominee's video call to supporters -- though widely panned by Republicans and right-wing media -- shows her delivering the line faster and without the manipulated, edited-in signs of exhaustion.
"Kamala Harris is having a ROUGH time dealing with The Election Loss," says a November 26, 2024 post on X. "She just came back from a 6 Day Vacation in Hawaii, but it looks like she hasn’t fully recovered."
Similar posts -- some explicitly suggesting Harris was drunk -- spread across X after she thanked her campaign supporters and pledged that the “fight is not over" in a virtual call that drew criticism and mockery from conservatives online.
The posts share what purports to be a 36-second clip from the call. Harris, with droopy eyes and a slurred voice, says: "I just have to remind you, don't you ever let anybody take your power from you. You have the same power that you did before November 5, and you have the same purpose that you did. And you have the same ability to engage and inspire. So don't ever let anybody or any circumstance take your power for you."
Some users who shared it made clear or later said it was a joke, but others left comments suggesting they believed it was a genuine shot of Harris.
The video is, indeed, not authentic. It was doctored to change the vice president's appearance and pace of speech.
The original footage, uploaded to YouTube November 26, shows Harris delivering the same remarks without dark bags under her eyes -- and in roughly 29 seconds (archived here). The Democratic Party also posted a 29-second snippet highlighting the moment on X (archived here).
Vice President @KamalaHarris’ message to supporters. pic.twitter.com/x5xMUGTtkz
— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) November 26, 2024
The altered version of the clip, lasting 36 seconds, appears to play at approximately 75 percent speed.
AFP contacted the White House and Democratic National Committee for comment, but no responses were forthcoming.
AFP has previously debunked other misinformation about US politics, including similarly manipulated videos of Harris, here.
