Stand up for the facts!
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.
I would like to contribute
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, speaks Oct. 27, 2024, during a community rally in Philadelphia. (AP)
Video of Kamala Harris altered to slow her speech and make her sound drunk
If Your Time is short
-
This video was altered to slow Vice President Kamala Harris’ speech.
-
Original footage from her address at an Oct. 27 Philadelphia rally shows she spoke with a typical cadence.
Social media users shared an altered video clip from Vice President Kamala Harris’ Oct. 27 campaign rally in Philadelphia and falsely claimed it showed the Democratic presidential candidate drunk and slurring her words.
A Nov. 3 Instagram post shared a video with sticker text that said, "Coke-beer-wine whatever she loves it," and, "Let’s talk about her drinking problem."
In the video, Harris tells the crowd, "You know what, hold, hold on a second. Listen. No, hold on. Hold on. I want to talk about Gaza for a minute. I want to talk about Gaza for a minute. OK?"
The Instagram post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.)
We found other social media users sharing the same video clip and saying Harris was drunk.
Featured Fact-check
(Screenshot from Instagram)
In the Instagram video from the Philadelphia rally, Harris is speaking extremely slowly. But news video of the speech makes clear the Instagram video was altered to slow the speed and make her sound drunk.
In the altered Instagram video, Harris speaks for about 20 seconds. In the real video above, also found here, Harris says the same words in 12 seconds.
This claim mirrors numerous social media posts we’ve fact-checked before that falsely claim to show Harris intoxicated at public speeches. It’s been a common line of attack from conservative critics of Harris, who single out memes of Harris that have gone viral, and echoes similar claims made against former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
One expert PolitiFact spoke to when Pelosi was being targeted said these kinds of false claims aim to advance stereotypes of portraying women as "unstable" and "unfit."
We rate the claim the video shows Harris drunk while giving a speech in Philadelphia Pants on Fire!
Our Sources
Instagram post, Nov. 3, 2024 (archived)
Instagram post, Oct. 30, 2024 (archived)
Instagram post, Nov. 2, 2024 (archived)
Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth, Kamala Harris rally in Philly: FULL SPEECH, Oct. 27, 2024
C-SPAN, Vice President Harris Holds Rally in Philadelphia, Oct. 27, 2024
PolitiFact, No, social media videos do not show Kamala Harris intoxicated at public events, Aug. 22, 2024
PolitiFact, Sober, seriously: Altered video slows Kamala Harris’ remarks on abortion to fuel intoxication claims, Sept, 24, 2024
PolitiFact,Kamala Harris wasn’t slurring about today, yesterday or tomorrow. This video is altered, May 5, 2023
PolitiFact, No, photo doesn’t show an intoxicated Kamala Harris, Oct. 30, 2020
Browse the Truth-O-Meter
More by Jeff Cercone
Video of Kamala Harris altered to slow her speech and make her sound drunk
Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!
In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.