2020 Candidates Defend Kamala Harris from ‘Racist and Ugly’ Attack Shared by Don Jr.: ‘Peddling Birtherism Again’

Some of Kamala Harris‘s 2020 rivals are speaking up to defend her following reports on a “racist campaign” against her online.

One such tweet, shared on Thursday by Donald Trump Jr., said, “Kamala Harris is *not* an American Black. She is half Indian and half Jamaican… I’m so sick of people robbing American Blacks (like myself) of our history. It’s disgusting. Now using it for debate time at #DemDebate2?”

Trump Jr. shared the tweet and added, “Is this true? Wow.”

If you thought the Trumps couldn’t get grosser, @DonaldJTrumpJr is questioning @KamalaHarris‘ identity — a page out of his racist dad’s birtherism playbook. These guys are wetting their goldleaf-lined undies imagining this strong Black woman on a debate stage in the general. pic.twitter.com/kxU2EDGpzi

— Ian Sams (@IanSams) June 28, 2019

Don Jr.’s tweet has since been deleted.

The Harris campaign told The Daily Beast, “This is the same type of racist attacks his father used to attack Barack Obama. It didn’t work then and it won’t work now.”

This afternoon, several of Harris’ 2020 opponents tweeted to defend her and denounce the attack:

The attacks against @KamalaHarris are racist and ugly. We all have an obligation to speak out and say so. And it’s within the power and obligation of tech companies to stop these vile lies dead in their tracks.

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) June 29, 2019

The coordinated smear campaign on Senator @KamalaHarris is racist and vile. The Trump family is peddling birtherism again and it’s incumbent on all of us to speak out against it.

— Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) June 29, 2019

There’s a long history of black Americans being told they don’t belong—and millions are kept down and shut out to this day. @KamalaHarris is an American. Period. And all of us must call out attempts to question her identity for what they are: racist. https://t.co/g3n7lmoU2h

— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) June 29, 2019

The attack on @KamalaHarris is racist and we can’t allow it to go unchecked. We have a responsibility to call out this birtherism and the continued spread of misinformation.

— Tim Ryan (@TimRyan) June 29, 2019

.@KamalaHarris doesn’t have shit to prove. https://t.co/OQm8wVub7W

— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) June 29, 2019

Donald Trump Jr. is a racist too. Shocker. https://t.co/cy0N6fUseX

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) June 29, 2019

The same forces of hatred rooted in ‘birtherism’ that questioned @BarackObama‘s American citizenship, and even his racial identity, are now being used against Senator @KamalaHarris. It’s disgusting and we have to call it out when we see it. Racism has no place in America.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 29, 2019

The presidential competitive field is stronger because Kamala Harris has been powerfully voicing her Black American experience. Her first-generation story embodies the American dream. It’s long past time to end these racist, birther-style attacks. https://t.co/x5Wdx8DKr8

— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) June 29, 2019

This is racism. It was wrong before, and it’s wrong now. We won’t allow it again. https://t.co/MCkHFdronw

— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) June 29, 2019

The attacks against @KamalaHarris are racist & un-American, period.

— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) June 29, 2019

These troll-fueled racist attacks on Senator @KamalaHarris are unacceptable. We are better than this (Russia is not) and stand united against this type of vile behavior.

— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) June 29, 2019

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