Kamala Harris has been mocked for appearing to put on a French accent to speak to scientists in a Paris lab, on the first day of her trip to France.
The vice president began her program in Paris on Tuesday as the highest-ranking member of the Biden administration to visit France. The five-day trip is aimed at undoing some of the damage caused by a series of blunders the White House made in its dealings with the French.
Harris on Tuesday visited the Institut Pasteur science lab, where Americans are working alongside Europeans to tackle COVID-19 and where her Indian-born mother researched breast cancer.
Harris spoke about her love of science, and her dismay at how politics could not be as methodological and logical as their experiments.
‘In government, we campaign with ‘The Plan,’ Harris said, with what some said was a French accent to discuss ‘the plan’.
Kamala Harris on Tuesday visited the Institut Pasteur laboratory in Paris, as part of her five-day trip to try and rebuild bridges with France
The Quebec-educated vice president, who speaks some French, spoke on Tuesday of her love for scientific principals – but was mocked for appearing to put on a French accent
‘Uppercase T, uppercase P, ‘The Plan!
‘And then the environment is such we’re expected to defend ‘The Plan’ even when the first time we roll it out there may be some glitches and it’s time to reevaluate and then do it again.’
Harris also spoke about why she liked scientific approaches.
‘One of the things people in politics and government should really take from the approach of scientists – scientists operate with a hypothesis. I love that,’ Harris said.
‘A hypothesis – it’s well-thought-out, it’s well-planned, they start out with a hypothesis and then they test it out knowing invariably, you’re trying something for the first time, there will be glitches, there will be mistakes.
‘Then everyone gets together, no one gets beat up about it, you analyze it – what went wrong, reevaluate, update the hypothesis and start again.’
She was accused on social media of talking down to the scientists, and embarrassing the country. Harris moved to Montreal, Canada, when she was 12 and attended a French-speaking school for several years.
Republican researcher Jake Schneider tweeted the clip, saying: ‘Kamala ‘Cringe’ Harris visits a group of French scientists and speaks to them as if they’re toddlers, lamenting that people expect their elected officials to keep their promises.’
Abigail Marone, the press secretary for Missouri senator Josh Hawley, tweeted: ‘Is she using a FRENCH ACCENT?! I love this episode of Veep.’
Becket Adams, a commentator with the Washington Examiner, joked: ‘I thought we cancelled pepe lepew.’
TV commentator Joe Concha said: ‘There really are no words anymore… #AuRevoir’
One man said: ‘OMG! I am so embarrassed! God help the USA!’
‘Wow,’ said another. ‘And she wonders why her approval rating is in the 20’s.’
Another added: ‘Why is she pandering to them? Feel bad about the sub deal? Will they be allowed to vote in our next election? Just like Joe, she’s doing her part to make the Carter Mondale years not look so bad.’
France briefly withdrew its ambassador to the U.S. in September after the Biden administration struck a secret deal with Australia to build nuclear-powered submarines, blindsiding France.
As a result of the U.S. deal, Australia canceled its own $65 billion contract to buy French-made submarines.
Her visit is seen as a bid to rebuild bridges.
On Wednesday evening, she met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace for nearly two hours.
Harris and Macron are seen on Wednesday at the Elysee Palace in Paris
Harris and Macron held talks for around two hours, which their aides described as constructive
Both leaders told reporters that they agreed it was the ‘the beginning of a new era’ that required working together.
Harris and Macron were also expected to discuss global health, space and other issues.
Harris is set to deliver a Thursday speech at the annual Paris Peace Forum and attend Veterans’ Day ceremonies. On Friday she is expected to participate in the Paris Conference on Libya.