During a recent campaign event for Donald Trump in Flint, Michigan, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders took aim at Vice President Kamala Harris. She humorously suggested that her children keep her “humble,” unlike Harris, who she implied lacks that grounding influence.
Sanders, reflecting on a touching moment with her daughter, noted, “As I tell her how proud I am, she patted my shoulder and said, ‘It’s OK, Mommy, one day you can be pretty too.’” Following this, she remarked, “Unfortunately, Kamala Harris doesn’t have anything keeping her humble.”
The crowd reacted with a pause, and Sanders continued, criticising Harris on issues like border security and inflation, stating, “You would think after four years of straight failure, she would know a little humility.”
The comments echoed the controversial remarks made by Republican Senator JD Vance in 2021 about “childless cat ladies,” stirring up intense backlash online. Amee Vanderpool, a writer on X (formerly Twitter), called out Sanders for her remarks, asserting they crossed a line and highlighted a broader contempt for childless individuals.
MSNBC anchor Chris Hayes commented, emphasizing that Sanders’ remarks revealed genuine ideological contempt for those without children. “This isn’t just a political tactic,” he stated; “it’s a deeply held belief.”
I’ll say this: at this point this isn’t some savvy political calculation: they genuinely, as an ideological matter, have contempt for people without children. https://t.co/QOGYOX2bSn
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) September 17, 2024
Daniel Parker, a Democratic U.S. House candidate from Arkansas, condemned Sanders’ remarks, stating, “This is despicable coming from our governor. Arkansas, we are better than this.”
Experts pointed out that such divisive rhetoric could backfire, especially as voters increasingly seek unity over division. While inflammatory comments about pets and children can resonate with some, they risk alienating broader audiences, particularly women and families, which may negatively affect Trump’s campaign.