Vice President Kamala Harris has gone viral after a brief but pointed exchange with hecklers at her campaign rally in La Cross, Wisconsin, on Thursday evening.
The Democratic presidential nominee was interrupted during the event while discussing the issue of reproductive rights and the role that former President Donald Trump, her Republican opponent in the 2024 race, played in overturning federal abortion rights in dozens of states across the country.
“Donald Trump hand-selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention that they would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade — and they did as he intended,” said Harris.
A heckler then appeared to shout, “Lies!” shortly after, to which Harris replied, “Oh, you guys are at the wrong rally.”
Following a thunderous roar of applause from Harris supporters, drowning out the hecklers, Harris added, “No, I think you meant to go to the smaller one down the street … come on!”
Vice President Harris to MAGA hecklers: “Oh you guys are at the wrong rally. I think you meant to go to the smaller one down the street”
🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/mRjL561vbp
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) October 17, 2024
The interaction with hecklers did not last long; however, the exchange found staying power on social media timelines as it was reshared countless times.
“This What A MTFing “BOSS” Look Like!!! … Pop Yo Sh*t,” said rapper-turned-influential online political voice Plies on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Many online praised the Democratic presidential hopeful for how she handled the situation, particularly for the way she trolled the unexpected hecklers. Harris eventually got back on message, saying, “…in America, one in three women live in a state with a Trump abortion ban.” She added, “Many of these bans have no exception, even for rape or incest.”
Abortion has been a tenuous issue for Republicans since SCOTUS struck down abortion rights in June 2022. In every election where abortion access was on the ballot in the past few election cycles, voters across ideologically diverse states chose to enshrine reproductive rights. The issue has been such a losing issue that Trump and some Republicans have sought to soften their positions on abortion.
Though Trump has bragged about his appointment of Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett and their subsequent roles in overturning Roe, the former president has gone out of his way to say he would not back a national abortion ban — something embraced by some Republicans and being pushed by conservative anti-abortion leaders.
Democrats are hoping to see a major turnout for Harris and other Democrats down the ballot, given there are several abortion measures on the ballot in states like Nevada, Florida, Maryland and Arizona. They also warn that if Trump and Republicans get control of the White House and Congress, they will pass a federal abortion ban.
However, Trump said he believes overturning Roe and returning the legal status of abortion to the states was a good thing.
“Look at some of the abortion laws that they want to go back to in states like Michigan and Arizona that are from the 1800s,” Democratic strategist Joel Payne told theGrio. “[Republicans] want to go back to a time where less people had rights and less people had self-determination.”
Harris emerged as the nation’s leading voice on reproductive rights shortly after the Supreme Court’s leaked ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Since replacing President Joe Biden as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, Harris has seemingly reenergized the abortion movement.
Political analyst Juanita Tolliver points out that reproductive rights are one of the key differences between Harris and Biden — not in their stances but in how they discuss the issue.
“Reproductive rights advocates will already tell you she’s different from Biden because she repeatedly says the word abortion, which he famously refused to do,” Tolliver told theGrio.
In addition to her viral moment with hecklers, Harris has had a newsy week as of late. The vice president sat down for several high-profile interviews, including with radio personality Charlamagne Tha God and FOX News’ Brett Baier.
Tolliver praised Harris for the interview with FOX, telling theGrio, “She went to [Trump’s] home turf, so to speak, and she delivered … She refused to back down, no matter how many times Brett Briar tried to interrupt her.”
NAACP President Derrick Johnson warned against the dangers of re-electing Donald Trump in November. He told theGrio the choice between him and Harris could not be clearer.
“I don’t know a single African-American who would want to allow or enable Project 2025 to be the new norm or reality because it is anti-Black in its essence,” Johnson said of the controversial pro-Trump conservative agenda published by former Trump administration officials.
“On one side of the aisle, it’s redefining government and creating a 1930s apartheid reality, as opposed to making sure that you look forward towards a 2030 that’s more diverse, inclusive, and provides more opportunities,” said Johnson.
