Last week, Democratic vice presidential nominee and United States Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) went viral when she danced in the rain at a Florida rally to Mary J. Blige's "Work That."
Amidst a brutal campaign season and a calamitous state of the union, the Senator's moment of levity was welcomed by supporters in attendance.
Watch below.
Kamala Harris is dancing in the Florida rain. pic.twitter.com/z2lxKMJ89e
— The Recount (@therecount) October 19, 2020
But while onlookers and supporters may have enjoyed the moment, conservative writer Peggy Noonan did not.
Noonan, a former speech writer for Ronald Reagan, is currently facing backlash for her description of Harris dancing at the event, writing:
"She's the younger candidate going for the younger vote, and she's going for a Happy Warrior vibe, but she's coming across as insubstantial, frivolous. When she started to dance in the rain onstage, in Jacksonville, Fla., to Mary J. Blige's 'Work That,' it was embarrassing."
Meanwhile, Noonan praised Trump's President Donald Trump's rallies as "big, boisterous, and frequent," writing that they could be evidence that the race between Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden is closer than the country thinks. In praising Trump's rallies, Noonan didn't mention that Trump has frequently danced onstage to the Village People at his own rallies.
Noonan's scrutiny of Harris, coupled with her praise for Trump, reeked of a racist double standard and was widely criticized online.
MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace and former Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) discussed the matter on air—and they addressed Noonan directly in no uncertain terms.
Watch below.
“Kamala Harris is anything but embarrassing. She is uplifting, she is inspirational, she is strong and substantial and she's going to be one hell of a vice president," @clairecmc says, discussing criticism from WSJ columnist Peggy Noonan of Sen. Harris' dancing at campaign events pic.twitter.com/ycav4MnyVZ
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 26, 2020
Wallace said:
"When you're a white woman and you're a Republican, there's just certain stuff culturally that you don't know jack bleep about, and you should keep your mouth shut when—I mean, what is that line in there about dancing to a drum beat? This, to me, felt tone-deaf. It felt nasty. It felt personal and it felt bitchy."
After taking a "deep breath," McCaskill said:
"I'll tell her what's embarrassing right now. Listen up, Peggy. Here's what's embarrassing: a President that pays off porn stars. A President that pulls babies out of the arms of their mothers. A President who says he likes to grab women by the you-know-what. A President who uses the White House for campaign events. A President who praises white supremacists."
"And, yes, even a President who can't dance, doesn't know how to show joy or empathy, and tries to do some kind of ridiculous arm thrust to 'YMCA.' That is what is embarrassing. Kamala Harris is anything but embarrassing. She's uplifting. She is inspirational. She is strong and substantial, and she's gonna be one hell of a vice president."
People praised them for not holding back.
Thank you @NicolleDWallace & @clairecmc for speaking back so powerfully to Peggy Noonan's disparagement of Kamala Harris. This was one of those times when Black women hoped our allies would speak up, as you both did, brilliantly. And yes what's “embarrassing" is that you had to.
— Joy VOTE & MASK UP!! Reid 😷) (@JoyAnnReid) October 26, 2020
Thanks, @NicolleDWallace, for asking @clairecmc to put Peggy Noonan on blast as only she could. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 https://t.co/OF7n3w6rEX
— Jonathan Capehart (@CapehartJ) October 27, 2020
I enjoyed this clip of both Nicolle Wallace and Claire McCaskill dragging Peggy Noonan for filth. 💯💯💯
pic.twitter.com/qpdxd6kjPZ
— Chantay Berry 💛💛 (@iamchanteezy) October 27, 2020
Watched and re-watched this sequence yesterday. Thank you for taking a deep breath and making the case @clairecmc, pushing back at disappointing sexist coverage. Women supporting women. Using their words yes. https://t.co/Ra3dQZJO6F
— Martha Wade Steketee (@msteketee) October 27, 2020
they came to dragggggg and i love yt on yt crime lmfaooooo https://t.co/fkhOewX8qW
— ryan mitchell (@TheSlayGawd) October 26, 2020
I feel much better after hearing these two women take down Peggy Noonan. Love you both! https://t.co/GnZtX3IihB
— Regina Zilinski (Podhorin) (@ReginaZilinski) October 27, 2020
Meanwhile, criticism of Noonan's piece continues.
This is the joy that so triggered Peggy Noonan that she wrote a column about how Senator Harris comes off as “insubstantial, frivolous."
Black joy is something they feel the need to attack. pic.twitter.com/orxMynAhAK
— African American Policy Forum (@AAPolicyForum) October 25, 2020
View it through the lens of racism and her comments make sense.
Also recall the President has simulated sex at his rallies, mocked journalist, made lots of stuff up... and also danced. https://t.co/3tDRrnQg8s
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) October 26, 2020
I'm not shocked about Peggy Noonan's "attitude." She's the type of woman who has tried to prevent women like Kamala Haris from existing let alone succeeding. And if they did make it, women like Peggy made it ten times harder than it had to be. pic.twitter.com/POONl24D3Z
— Jason Elias (@Zebop) October 25, 2020
The election deciding whether or not Harris will be the first woman and first Black vice president is on November 3, but early voting has begun in at least 40 states.
