Tucker Carlson doesn't pronounce Kamala Harris's name correctly, and doesn't seem to care
Hours after Kamala Harris had made history by being announced as Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election running mate, Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s behaviour indicated his viewers could be in for a long campaign — because he refuses to pronounce her name correctly.
Harris, 55, the first Black woman and the first Asian American to appear on a major-party presidential ticket, was announced as Biden’s choice on Tuesday. She has previously posted a video to Twitter, in which she lets children relay to viewers how to correctly pronounce her name.
People pronounce my name many different ways. Let #KidsForKamala show you how it’s done. pic.twitter.com/7QoQGN0B4k
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) May 24, 2016
Carlson, it seems, had never seen the clip.
In a segment on his show in which he was interviewing Richard Goldstein, a Democratic consultant, Carlson repeatedly referred to Harris as “Ka-MAL-a,” with most emphasis on the second syllable, Deadline reported . The correct pronunciation, however, is “Comma-la,” with the first syllable instead being emphasized, and the first part of her name sounding like the word “comma.”
The interview, the Independent reports , had seen Carlson question how Harris and Biden could now be running mates, after Harris has accused Biden of touching women inappropriately, as the two Democrats clashed during the Democratic primary. None of the allegations made against Biden have been proven, and he denies the claims.
Tucker Carlson loses it when a guest corrects his pronunciation of Kamala Harris's name pic.twitter.com/1fHIrPGuwN
— nikki mccann ramírez (@NikkiMcR) August 12, 2020
As Carlson persisted with the incorrect pronunciation of Harris’s name as he made his points, Goldstein pulled him up on it.
“This is something that will serve you and your fellow Fox News hosts,” Goodstein interjected, before relaying the proper way to say the name. “Her name is pronounced ‘Comma’…like the punctuation mark…’Comma-la’, OK?”
”OK. So what?” came Carlson’s response, before Goldstein offered:
“I think out of respect for someone who’s going to be on the national ticket, pronouncing her name right is kind of a bare minimum.”
Carlson wasn’t impressed by all the propriety, indicating it didn’t matter how her name was pronounced, and saying:
“So I’m disrespecting her by mispronouncing her name unintentionally? So it begins. You’re not allowed to criticize Ka-MAL-a Harris, or KAM-a-la Harris…or whatever?”
“OK look,” Carlson then went on. “I unintentionally mispronounced her name. But I love the idea that she is immune from criticism.
“On this show,” he added, “nobody in power is immune from criticism. Our political leaders must be held to account – that’s our job.”
Harris, meanwhile, will make their first appearance as a ticket on Wednesday in Wilmington, Delaware.
She is scheduled, with Biden, to deliver remarks just days before he formally accepts the Democratic nomination during the party’s national convention, which will take place largely as a virtual event next week due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Republican convention, where President Donald Trump will be nominated for a second four-year term, follows a week later and kicks off a 10-week sprint to the Nov. 3 election.
The 77-year-old Biden would be the oldest president ever if he wins, raising speculation that he would not seek re-election in 2024.
— with files from Reuters
