The truth behind Kamala Harris' election day phone call with supporter after allegations went viral on social media
7 November 2024, 16:06 | Updated: 7 November 2024, 16:13
Kamala Harris makes phone gaffe on election night
Did Kamla Harris really fake a phone call with a supporter?
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Kamala Harris has been accused of faking a phone call with a supporter in an embarrassing election-day gaffe.
But did the failed presidential candidate really fake the phone call?
As millions of Americans headed to the polls on Tuesday, Vice President Harris made a surprise appearance at a phone bank in the Democratic Party’s headquarters in Washington DC.
During the visit, Ms Harris appeared to call a supporter, asking: "Have you voted already?"
A moment passes and she says: "You did? Thank you!"
The crowd then cheers, but as Ms Harris takes the phone from her ear, the smartphone screen becomes visible, showing the iPhone camera up.
Putting the phone to her ear again, she says: "Thank you so very much. It's so important that everybody participates."
The video quickly circulated online, with many people accusing her of staging the call.
Others defended the White House hopeful, saying she may have accidentally opened the camera app while on the call.
Despite criticisms from her detractors, there is no actual evidence the call was staged or faked.
iPhones do not show if you are on a call when the camera app is open, so, ultimately, it is impossible to tell.
Moreover, minutes after the apparent gaff, footage from CNN showed Ms Harris speaking with another voter, the phone app clearly visible this time.
This social media storm came as millions of Americans headed to the polls in what may prove to be the most impactful presidential election for a generation.
As we entered the early hours of Wednesday morning, it became clear Donald Trump had stormed to victory.
The 78-year-old was propelled by a general swing to the right across the whole country and victories in key swing states.
Speaking on Wednesday evening, Ms Harris conceded the election.
The vice president told her supporters to accept Mr Trump's victory and said that the peaceful transition of power was an important part of democracy.
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Ms Harris told her supporters that despite her defeat now is not the time to "throw up our hands".
"This is a time to roll up our sleeves," she added. She urged her supporters "to organise, to mobilise, and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice, and the future that we all know that we can build together".
Ms Harris also vowed to fight for women's freedoms, after an election in which abortion had been a key issue for some voters.
She said that "the light of America's promise will always burn bright, as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting."
She closed her address with an uplifting note, telling supporters that although people feel like we are entering a dark time... only when it is dark enough can you see the stars".
