On Monday, in an interview with The Breakfast Club, a New York City morning radio show, 2020 Democratic hopeful Kamala Harris discussed her stance on marijuana, saying she was in favor of legalizing the drug. But then she made a widely dunked-on gaffe about weed and rap music.
“I believe we need to legalize marijuana. We need to move it on the schedule so that we can research the impact of weed based on a developing brain,” Harris said.
It’s another stance Harris will have to square with her record as a prosecutor in Calfornia. As San Francisco’s district attorney in 2010, Harris was against a proposition to legalize pot.
When asked if she ever smoked, Harris said she did, back in college. Harris was later asked what music she listened to by co-host DJ Envy. Another co-host, Charlamagne tha God, interjected and asked her what she listened to when she smoked.
Harris said, “Definitely, Snoop. Uh huh, Tupac. For sure, for sure.”
Was she saying she listened to Snoop and Tupac or was she saying she was listening to Snoop and Tupac when high? Because if it was the latter, there’s a timing issue, given that Harris graduated college in 1986 when neither artist was releasing records.
A fact many conservatives were quick to point out.
“Kammy trying to be cool again,” conservative pundit Tomi Lohren tweeted Tuesday afternoon.
Kammy trying to be cool again.. @KamalaHarris says she listened to Snoop Dogg, Tupac while smoking weed in college years before they made music…https://t.co/gojTzgAnaW
— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) February 12, 2019
Kamala Harris really said she was listening to 2Pac and Snoop when she smoked weed in college. This woman graduated college in 1986 😂😂😂 these people will lie for no reason pic.twitter.com/efx6SuhK6o
— Neon Boudeaux (@Carnage45__) February 12, 2019
Kamala Harris claims to have smoked pot in college while listening to Tupac and Snoop.
— muskrat city limits (@joshieecs) February 11, 2019
Tupac's first album came out in 1991.
Snoop's first album came out in 1993.
Kamala Harris graduated college in 1986.
🤔🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/8BU0h27I12
Was she making it up? Maybe. But there’s also the possibility that Harris got stoned after college, while a district attorney in California. That would mean she was theoretically prosecuting people for marijuana while smoking it herself.
You said you smoked weed while listening to Tupac and Snoop Dogg. They released their first tracks while you were the DDA in Alameda. This would imply you were smoking weed as DDA and at the same time sending others to jail for smoking weed??? Hmmmm pic.twitter.com/slesuE7rm9
— Chris Manning (@Manning4USCong) February 12, 2019
Harris’ camp has settled on the explanation that she was answering what music she’s listening to, and not what music she listened to when she got stoned.
The rightwing is so desperate to attack @KamalaHarris they're trying to make Reefergate happen.@djenvy asked what she listened to. @cthagod made a pot joke. Then she answered @djenvy's question.
— Ian Sams (@IanSams) February 12, 2019
This really isn't that complicated. Just watch. pic.twitter.com/jIuRLFUULF
It’s possible that she answered a question about what she’s listening to in 2018 with Snoop and Tupac. But probably not. So she either forgot what music was around when she got stoned or was misleading listeners about the time frame when she got stoned.
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