Vice President Kamala Harris was mocked for claiming technical difficulties kept her from hearing a hardball question during a Friday appearance on a Comedy Central show.
“I want to know who the real president of this country is,” host Charlamagne tha God asked. “Is it Joe Biden or Joe Manchin?”
Manchin, a moderate Democrat, has opposed the big spending in the Build Back Better proposal that President Joe Biden has been trying to ram through the Senate.
Symone Sanders, Harris’ outgoing chief spokeswoman, intervened to say that Harris was unable to hear the question. Charlamagne was not buying that.
WATCH: Kamala Harris staffer attempts to shut down interview after Harris is asked a question she doesn’t like.
“They’re acting like they can’t hear me,” says the interviewer. pic.twitter.com/jLWG57db3E
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 18, 2021
“She can hear me,” he said.
After more crosstalk, Charlamagne said, “They’re acting like they can’t hear me.”
Harris then said she could hear. The question was asked again.
“Come on, Charlamagne, it’s Joe Biden,” Harris said. “It’s Joe Biden, and don’t start talking like a Republican about asking whether or not he’s president.”
“Do you think Joe Manchin is a problem?” he asked.
Harris repeated that Biden is president.
“And I’m vice president and my name is Kamala Harris,” she said.
Earlier in the interview, Charlamagne asked why Manchin is “allowed to constantly hold up President Biden’s agenda.”
“Every vote matters, especially in the Senate, and we have to listen to the voices who represent their districts,” Harris responded.
Charlamagne then said Manchin is “ruining this country” and “holding up progress,” giving Harris a chance to poke at Republicans.
“Here’s the thing, though,” she said. “I think it’s a mistake to try and think about this only through the lens of Democrats versus Democrats when the fact is Republicans are consistently and unanimously standing in the way of progress.”