A comment Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., made Tuesday about how American voters feel about Vice President Kamala Harris sparked online backlash from the White House and Democratic National Committee (DNC).
Kennedy made it clear he wasn’t speaking for himself during an appearance on Fox News’ “The Story” with Martha MacCallum, citing recent polling that continues to show high disapproval ratings for Harris and President Biden.
“I’m not saying that this is accurate, but I can read a poll, and the American people have concluded that President Biden is old, and he needs soup and an early bedtime,” the senator said.
“They have concluded that Vice President Harris is not capable — that when her IQ gets to 75, she should sell,” he continued. “Again, I’m not saying that’s fair or accurate, but that’s the conclusion today that the American people have reached. They’re pretty disgusted.”
Sen. John Kennedy appears on Fox News’ ‘The Story.’ (Fox News)
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The dig at Harris’ intelligence prompted responses on X, formerly Twitter, from White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates and Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison.
“Shameful and undignified comments like these from [Kennedy] start a fire sale on one’s credibility,” Bates wrote Tuesday evening.
“Bless his heart,” wrote Harrison. “[G]uess Senator Foghorn is a bit upset that our VP has done more for the working families of Louisiana than he has done over the entirety of his unproductive senate career.”
DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison is joined by business and political leaders on April 12, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Kennedy’s office declined to comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
During his appearance on Fox Tuesday, the senator argued that the Biden administration “has embraced the neo-socialist, woke wing, loon wing of the Democratic Party. I mean, just look around. The American people might be poorer under President Biden, but they’re not stupid.
“They see an open border. They experience inflation. They see the rampant crime,” he said. “The American people look around and see the world on fire — the war in Ukraine, the war in the Middle East, the embers smoldering in China — and they have concluded that, fair or unfair.”
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. (Fox News Digital)
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During an interview with CNN on Sunday, Harris reacted to a number of polls showing former President Donald Trump was ahead of President Biden in hypothetical election match-ups, as well as in battleground states.
“We’re going to have to earn our re-elect, there’s no doubt about it,” she said.
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“It is absolutely right in a democracy with free and fair elections that the candidates, the people who want to continue in leadership have to make their case, and have to make it effectively,” she continued. “And that means communicating in such a way that the message is received about the accomplishments and what we care about.”
According to the RealClearPolitics national average of polls, Harris has a 54.6% unfavorable rating, compared to 36.5% favorable, while Biden has a 55.5% unfavorable rating, compared to 40.6% favorable.
Fox News’ Hanna Panreck contributed to this report.