Kamala Harris accused of using a fake accent in Detroit speech

Not for the first time in her career, Vice President and Democratic candidate for the upcoming US election Kamala Harris has been accused of using a fake accent during a speech.

As part of her Labor Day campaigning, Harris stopped off at Northwestern High School in Detroit to speak to union members and workers on September 2.

A number of social media users have shared a clip from the speech where Harris said: "You may not be a union member but you better thank a union member for the five-day work week. You better thank a union member for sick leave. You better thank a union member for paid leave. You better thank a union member for vacation time."

But it's not what she said but how she said it that's attracted criticism from a number of people online as she appears to use a southern accent but is understood to not have any apparent southern roots.

The Donald Trump campaign posted two videos of Harris delivering a similar line in both Detroit and later the same day in Pittsburgh and said: "Let's see if you can spot the difference..."

Comedian Terrence K Williams claimed Harris was "caught on stage pretending to be black southern woman" and "is mocking southern folks and pandering for votes".

Chad Prather, a comedian and podcast host, blasted the moment as "so cringe" and added "no-one is buying it".

And Matt Whitlock, a Republican communications strategist, claimed "politics is a performance to Kamala Harris".

Previously, Harris came under fire in July for appearing to speak with a Southern accent during an Atlanta rally.

During a trip to Paris, France in 2021, she was mocked then for seemingly mimicking the French accent.

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