New Hampshire Gov Chris Sununu grilled by reporter for 'intentionally mispronouncing' Kamala Harris' name

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: New Hampshire Gov Chris Sununu was already having an uneasy conversation with a reporter when he was asked if he was deliberately mispronouncing Kamala Harris' name. 

Politico journalist Eugene Daniels was the one to challenge the Republican over his pronunciation of the vice president's first name, as reported by Daily Mail.

Reporter asks Chris Sununu if he intentionally mispronounced Kamala Harris' name

The correct pronunciation of Kamala Harris' name has been debated since she was named Joe Biden's running mate in 2020.

The topic reemerged on Thursday, July 18, when Daniels questioned Sununu on the possibility of Harris replacing Biden as the Democratic nominee amid rising calls for him to step aside.

In a clip from the interview, Daniels was heard saying, "I hear Republicans often mispronouncing Vice President Kamala Harris' name. You've done it a few times. Is it a tactic? Or is it just a tough name to pronounce?"

Sununu expressed shock at the suggestion and asserted that it was a misunderstanding. However, Daniels went one step further and asked Sununu to repeat Harris' name, pointing out that Republicans have previously distorted it both purposefully and unintentionally. 

The governor pronounced her name "Kuh-MAL-a" while the actual pronunciation is "Comma-la," which has been thoroughly recorded during her term. 

Sununu said, "If I'm pronouncing her name wrong, I apologize. I say Kuh-MAL-a Harris I'm honestly telling you I wouldn't disrespect someone by pronouncing their name wrong." Daniels told Sununu, "Comma-la. Comma-la. Comma-la. Don't apologize to me — it's not my name."

Donald Trump has a history of mispronouncing Harris' name or overpronouncing it in an apparent mocking manner. Critics contend that the intentional mispronunciation is used to point out her heritage as a Black and Indian woman.

In her 2019 memoir, 'The Truths We Hold', Harris wrote, "[M]y name is pronounced 'comma-la', like the punctuation mark. It means 'lotus flower', which is a symbol of significance in Indian culture."

Internet believes there is more than one pronunciation of Kamala Harris' name

Netizens had mixed reactions to Chris Sununu being confronted about his pronunciation of Kamala Harris' name. 

One claimed, "Kamala herself has pronounced her name different ways. Even Joe has pronounced her name at least two different ways," while another said, "I would say her name is the least of her problems. When she ran for president the first time - she got very little traction."

A person added, "There’s a lot more to worry about when it comes to Kamala. Pronouncing her name correctly is the least of them," and someone else remarked, "I’ll be happy never to have to pronounce it again."

"Really? I've always thought it was Ku-MAL-a. I've never heard it pronounced Comma-la before, not that I care. It's really hard to hear the difference anyway," expressed one more. 

An individual wrote, "It's the end of her tenure and we still don't know the correct pronunciation of her name. Perhaps is she had been more active in accomplishing objectives, more people would know how to say her name."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.