Vice President Kamala Harris's historical claim of working at McDonald's is now under significant scrutiny as contradictions arise amidst her presidential campaign narratives.
Breitbart reported that Harris has been caught in yet another major fib as she has tried to claim that she worked at McDonalds. Harris has repeatedly claimed a middle class upbringing, a claim that is quickly debunked by minimal research.
In a 2019 interview with Drew Barrymore, which kickstarted the scrutiny, Harris affirmed her role at a McDonald's, stating, "I did work at McDonald’s... I did fries. And then I did the cashier."
However, Harris’s prior memoirs, encompassing detailed facets of her personal and professional life, surprisingly make no mention of this employment, further fueling skepticism about the authenticity of her claims.
Harris first publicly mentioned the McDonald’s job during a labor rally in Las Vegas in 2019, capturing attention, particularly because it was a fresh detail not present in her extensive public record.
Such claims often become pivotal moments in campaigns, aimed at connecting with average voters through shared experiences.
Drew Barrymore, upon hearing Harris's statement, responded with a surprise, "I didn’t know that about you."
While the admittance seemed of minor consequence at the time, it sparked a trail of fact-checking and investigative reports by notable media outlets.
Politico initially misreported Harris's reason for taking the job, claiming it was to “pay her way” through college, which was later corrected to "earn a bit more spending money."
This inconsistency prompted further investigation. The Washington Free Beacon embarked on a thorough inquiry but found no conclusive evidence to support Harris’s claim.
Moreover, her campaign's reluctance to clarify or provide additional details provoked more questions than it answered.
Scrutiny intensified when it was revealed that Harris’s 1987 job application for a law clerk position, which fell within the same timeframe as the alleged McDonald’s job, did not list this employment even though it was within the required disclosure period.
The Free Beacon's analysis highlighted a possible discrepancy, indicating that although Harris might genuinely remember working at the fast-food chain, "the absence of that detail in public records and her campaign’s coyness and refusal to provide any further details raise questions."
The narrative drew criticism not just from Harris but also from the media outlets that reported her story.
The Free Beacon criticized the coverage by Politico and the New York Times, describing it as lackluster in terms of deep fact-checking given the potential impact of such a narrative on public perception.
This incident underscores the intricate dance between political figures and their narratives, particularly when those stories are used to forge relatability with constituents.
As the national spotlight increases with Harris’s presidential campaign, the question remains not just about the truthfulness of her McDonald's employment claim, but also about the media’s role in verifying such personal anecdotes before presenting them as facts.