Kamala Harris finds herself in the middle of another controversy for her latest appearance on the cover of Vogue magazine. The vice president, who is in the final stretch of her campaign to retain the White House, received backlash over an airbrushed and overly polished digital cover for the iconic fashion publication.
Critics argued that the images look almost AI-generated, accusing Vogue and the Harris team of using digital manipulation to an excessive extent. The October cover, which shows Harris in her signature tailored blazer and pointed stilettos while campaigning in New Hampshire, quickly became the focus of pundits and social media influencers.
The Vogue cover itself portrays Harris as a confident and poised leader. However, many online have compared the images to AI-generated graphics, pointing out the unnatural smoothness of her skin and the hyper-stylized lighting. “Why does this look like AI?” asked one Twitter user, encapsulating the skepticism many feel about the authenticity of the photo.
Only rarely are individuals summoned for acts of national rescue, but in July, Vice President @KamalaHarris received one of those calls. With President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection campaign, the world looked to Harris with hopes and doubts. https://t.co/NtOIMM2L1R pic.twitter.com/4u1mbmDJ6i
— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) October 11, 2024
It is also not lost on critics that Harris’s Vogue shoot coincided with significant events, such as the first anniversary of the October 7 attack and the looming threat of a hurricane in Florida. Her decision to prioritize a photo shoot over addressing these matters in public has been portrayed as tone-deaf and emblematic of the administration’s overall lack of urgency. Notably, Julie Kelly tweeted, “Holy sh*t. The reason Kamala Harris was mostly MIA on the one-year anniversary of the Oct 7 slaughter/kidnapping of Israelis is because SHE WAS DOING A VOGUE PHOTO SHOOT.”
Holy sh*t
The reason Kamala Harris was mostly MIA on the one-year anniversary of the Oct 7 slaughter/kidnapping of Israelis is because SHE WAS DOING A VOGUE PHOTO SHOOT. pic.twitter.com/mFOflelEnx
— Julie Kelly (@julie_kelly2) October 11, 2024
On social media, reactions to Harris’s polished cover have been swift and relentless. Greg Price noted, “It turns out the day Kamala was bitching at DeSantis for not taking her phone call as a hurricane was barreling towards Florida, even though she is not in the chain of command on hurricane response, was the same day that she was doing a photoshoot with Vogue.”
It turns out the day Kamala was bitching at DeSantis for not taking her phone call as a hurricane was barreling towards Florida, even though she is not in the chain of command on hurricane response, was the same day that she was doing a photoshoot with Vogue. pic.twitter.com/YMrQhZrnZN
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) October 11, 2024
This isn’t the first time Harris has faced criticism for her public image. As she campaigns in critical swing states like Michigan and Pennsylvania, critics argue that while she focuses on polished appearances in fashion magazines, pressing issues—such as inflation, immigration, and national security—are being left unresolved.
The criticisms surrounding the Vogue cover are not isolated either. Harris has been accused multiple times of carefully curating her public image, often at the expense of authenticity. In the past, numerous rally accents and her photo ops, such as her trips to the border or her carefully choreographed visits with small business owners, have come under fire for appearing staged.
In the Vogue piece itself, Harris is seen visiting a small pretzel factory in New Hampshire, chatting with the owners about their journey. For Harris, the stakes are high. As the reaction to her Vogue cover demonstrates, she may still have a long way to go in convincing voters that her focus is on real-world issues.
REACTIONS:
I don’t get it – she’s rescuing America from her own administration? That same administration she said she can’t think of a single thing she’d do differently?
— Slc55 (@Slc552) October 11, 2024
Not one person voted for her.
— J (@JayTC53) October 11, 2024
Perhaps she’s the candidate for YOUR times… but not for ours!
— DeWink (@DWink99) October 11, 2024
The most tone-deaf rag in modern history that elevates sexual deviants and communists! The only people who enjoy this are the self-absorbed liberal cheering for people like Diddy, Oprah, and all the coke-heads in Hollywood!
— Dora Etoile Du_Roi (@DoraDuRoi) October 11, 2024
You’re a national disgrace. This woman has a 67 IQ and so does your editor, apparently.
— swell22 (@theswell22) October 11, 2024