A video circulating online claims that Vice President Kamala Harris made an incoherent statement at a rally. This video has been altered. The original footage from a reproductive rights rally at Howard University does not contain the alleged quote.
AP’s Assessment
The video in question has been edited. The authentic footage, from a rally at Howard University last Tuesday, demonstrates that Harris did not make the confused remarks.
The Facts
Following the rally in Washington, D.C., Republicans mocked a real clip of Harris’s speech, describing it as a “word salad.” In the genuine footage, Harris stated: “So I think it’s very important — as you have heard from so many incredible leaders — for us, at every moment in time, and certainly this one, to see the moment in time in which we exist and are present, and to be able to contextualize it, to understand where we exist in the history and in the moment as it relates not only to the past, but the future.”
During the weekend, a manipulated version of the video emerged on social media. In this altered clip, Harris appears to say: “Today is today. And yesterday was today yesterday. Tomorrow will be today tomorrow. So live today, so the future today will be as the past today as it is tomorrow.”
The first instance of the edited clip appeared on Friday from an account known for sharing altered footage of politicians for comedic purposes. Although some users shared this video as a joke, others falsely claimed it to be genuine. For example, a tweet stated: “If you get what Kamala Harris is saying yesterday then tell me tomorrow so that I can make my past better #KamalaHarris.” This version has been viewed over 29,000 times by Tuesday.
The real footage, streamed by NARAL Pro-Choice America, captures Harris’s actual comments about the “moment in time,” not the fabricated “today is today” statement. The White House transcript of her remarks does not include any mention of the altered video’s content.
Harris’s appearance at Howard University coincided with the announcement of their reelection campaign by President Joe Biden. This case highlights the ongoing issue of misinformation and the importance of factual context. AP continues to engage in efforts to counteract misleading information.
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