“So Ukraine is a country in Europe. It exists next to another country called Russia. Russia is a bigger country.. Russia decided to invade a smaller country called Ukraine, so basically that’s wrong.”
Vice President Kamala Harris went on morning radio show The Morning Hustle on Tuesday, where she was asked to explain the situation in Ukraine with listeners.
"If you're watching any level of news, even social media, you're seeing everything that's going on right now in the Ukraine [sic]. Break it down in layman's terms," the host asked Harris, "for the people who don't understand what's going on and how it can directly affect the people of the United States?"
https://rumble.com/embed/vtkbpn/?pub=2n05b
Harris broke it down in the most simplistic possible terms, to the point of apparent condescension.
"So Ukraine is a country in Europe," she said. "It exists next to another country called Russia. Russia is a bigger country. Russia is a powerful country. Russia decided to invade a smaller country called Ukraine, so basically that's wrong."
When you have to give a book report without reading the book.
— Mike Whiskey ????? (@mnwybs)
Harris framed the conflict in terms of big and small, powerful and not powerful, along the same lines as oppression and identity politics in the United States. She did not mention any of the issues facing Ukraine other than its comparatively diminutive landmass, nor did she mention Russia's concerns that Ukraine is too tightly allied with adversaries of the "bigger country."
Russian forces invaded the nation of Ukraine last week, and the ensuing conflict has elicited virtual propaganda wars across the media landscape, both in Europe and North America.
In June 2021, The New York Times blasted the Biden administration for giving Harris such tough jobs, such as getting a handle on the border and voting rights. The concern of Ezra Klein was that Harris would never be able to attain the presidency if she were given such tough jobs that were too hard to make a success of.
Harris has also notably said that news coverage of her would be more favorable if she were a white man. In December 2021, The New York Times claimed that Harris was "still struggling to define herself in the Biden White House or meaningfully correct what she and her aides feel is an unfair perception that she is adrift in the job."
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