A campaign video released Thursday featuring Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has sparked a firestorm of criticism, with critics accusing the pair of making racist remarks about ‘White Guy Tacos’.
The video shows Walz describing his preferred taco as having ground beef and cheese, to which Harris playfully inquires, “Do you put any flavor in it?” Walz responds, “Uh, no,” eliciting a cackle from Harris.
Social media users have swiftly condemned the exchange, arguing that the comments are racially insensitive and perpetuate negative stereotypes about white people. Some critics pointed out the double standard, arguing that if a Republican candidate made similar remarks about Black people, they would be excoriated.
“See, folks, it’s funny that white people hate spices! Not racist at all! Just funny!” posted Ben Shapiro, a commentator for The Daily Wire. David Marcus, a columnist for Fox News, added, “This isn’t cute. Walz is being used as a clown to mock White people.” Senator Ted Cruz, D-Texas, also weighed in, saying “Hispanics are not tacos.”
Conservative speaker, writer, and podcast host Ian Haworth argued that if a Republican made a similar comment about a minority group, it would “cause riots.”
Matt Walsh, another commentator for The Daily Wire, stated, “Crazy that a presidential candidate can just casually let out some blatant anti-white racism and nobody cares. Imagine if Donald Trump said that a ‘black guy taco’ was made with fried chicken and watermelon. Nuclear meltdown.”
Even supporters of Governor Walz have expressed concerns about his comments, with journalist Brian Shea stating, “I really like Tim Walz, but as someone who also really likes cooking with flavor, I will tell you that black pepper is far from the top spice level in Minnesota.”
Others specifically criticized Harris’s role in the video, with alt-right commentator Jack Posobiec arguing that her comments mocked white people. “The Kamala campaign is now making videos mocking white people for ‘not seasoning their food,’ a popular anti-white meme online. Not even making this up,” said Posobiec.
Defenders of Harris and Walz have dismissed the criticism, arguing that the video was meant to be lighthearted and that critics are being overly sensitive. Micha Efran, a political organizer and executive committee member for the Texas Democratic Party, wrote on X, “These are the guys calling democrats easily offend-able and hypersensitive,” referring to those criticizing the video.
The controversy highlights the complexities of humor and the potential for unintended offense in political discourse. It also raises questions about the double standards that may exist in how different groups are treated when making similar comments. The Harris campaign has not responded to requests for comment.
