Former Vice President Kamala Harris made her first significant public appearance since leaving office with a speech at Emerge’s 20th anniversary gala in San Francisco on Wednesday, delivering criticism of President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office.
But it was Harris’ slurring “unhinged” speech that received the most criticism online, and wild rumors quickly swirled that Harris was drunk.
“Kamala Harris slammed for appearing drunk during an unhinged anti-Trump rant,” reported Sky News Australia.
“If you’re wondering if Kamala Harris still sounds drunk and cringe, she does,” noted one critic on X.
“Is she drunk?” asked another social media user.
“Kamala appears to be drunk on stage again… yikes,” said a third.
In her address to the Democratic women’s political training organization, Harris accused the Trump administration of abandoning American ideals in pursuit of a narrow agenda.
“Instead of the administration working to advance America’s highest ideals, we are witnessing the wholesale abandonment of those ideals,” Harris said. “Right now, we are living in their vision for America. It’s an agenda, a narrow, self-serving vision of America where they punish truth tellers, favor loyalists cashing in on their power, and leave everyone to fend for themselves.”
Harris specifically targeted Trump’s economic policies, particularly his tariffs, which she characterized as causing “the greatest manmade economic crisis in modern presidential history.”
The former vice president’s return to the political stage comes amid speculation about her future plans, though she did not address rumors of a potential California gubernatorial run.
In one of the speech’s most strange and viral moments, Harris referenced a video of elephants at the San Diego Zoo during a recent earthquake, using it as a metaphor for America.
“Here those elephants were. And as soon as they felt the earth shaking beneath their feet, they cut in a circle and stood next to each other to protect the most vulnerable,” Harris said. “The instinct has to be to immediately find and connect with each other, and to know that the circle will be stronger.”
The event, hosted by Emerge — a fundraising organization for Democratic women — gouged watchers, charging $25 for virtual livestream access to $250 for general admission.
Did that include an open bar for Harris?
Take a look at Harris’ speech, and decide for yourself —