This just in: Vice President Kamala Harris uses wired headphones.
But before you take another sip of coffee and move on with your day, there’s apparently… more to this story?
There isn’t, but Politico has now classified the VP as “bluetooth-phobic,” suggesting her choice of in-ear audio may be “a bit paranoid.”
“She has long felt that Bluetooth headphones are a security risk. As a result, Harris insists on using wired headphones,” the site reports, citing conversations with three former campaign aides.
How about we take this to the next level?
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One of the article’s writers, Alex Thompson, backed it up on Twitter with photographic “evidence”:
NEW: Kamala Harris has long felt that Bluetooth headphones are a security risk.
So, she insists on using wired ones, 3 fmr campaign aides told @rubycramer and me.
That Bluetooth phobia remains (if you look closely, you'll see the clump of wires in hand)https://t.co/9poyMTQrU2 pic.twitter.com/HtscTWm1sF— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) December 6, 2021
The bluetooth-phobia remains! A “clump of wires”!
“Should someone who travels with the nuclear football be spending time untangling her headphone wires?” the piece asks, before declaring: “The American people deserve answers!”
New York Time columnist Zeynep Tufekci offered a different take: “Bluetooth is a well-known security risk—including the possibility of escalating and executing code—well, malware—on the phone.”
Phobia??? Bluetooth is a well-known security risk—including the possibility of escalating and executing code—well, malware—on the phone. Strongly suggest talking to cybersecurity experts—or even a Dr. Google consultation—before running such stories. https://t.co/ZUSHnS3wIa
— zeynep tufekci (@zeynep) December 7, 2021
And surveillance/privacy expert Bryon Tau of The Wall Street Journal added: “Bluetooth peripherals are a security risk. If they don’t rotate their unique identifier, they can easily be sniffed and tracked. If there are flaws in the security, they can be compromised. Most people don’t have to worry about these things, but high-level federal officials should.”
The general reaction to the article was less technical but equally annoyed. Here’s what people are saying:
Kamala Harris doesn’t support Bluetooth. Republicans don’t support democracy. How do voters come to terms with these equally divisive stances? | NYT Opinion
— ???Wreath Nagy??? (@nagy_minaj) December 7, 2021
Had the Vice President worn ear buds the story would have been ‘Kamala Harris jeopardizes national security by using dangerous Bluetooth’
— vii (@lvisxvii) December 7, 2021
hillary had a private server
and that is too lax on security
kamala doesn’t trust bluetooth
and that is too paranoid on security
a woman
just not that woman
forever
and ever
and ever— Deanna McDonald (@deannagmcdonald) December 7, 2021
What a surprise that the folks who were obsessed with the national security implications of Hillary Clinton's email server are now pushing that VP Kamala Harris is being "paranoid" for declining to use Bluetooth tech because of its security vulnerabilities.
How very surprising.
— Charlotte Clymer ???? (@cmclymer) December 7, 2021
Imagine if she did use Bluetooth headphones: “Kamala Harris drops $225 on AirPod Pro earbuds!”
— Matt McDaniel (@themattmcd) December 7, 2021
I'm sorry, let me attempt to summarize this: VP Kamala Harris is now being criticized for using wired headphones instead of Bluetooth because she's worried about security risks and this is bad because… we don't want a Vice President who goes the extra mile in national security?
— Charlotte Clymer ???? (@cmclymer) December 6, 2021
If I had an important job I wouldn’t use Bluetooth because of security concerns and I’m sure Kamala has a good reason too
— local oaf (@eyeballslicer) December 7, 2021
The Kamala Harris “Bluetooth scandal” is just further evidence that it was never “but her emails,” it was always “but they’re females.”
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) December 7, 2021
Good morning. Happy Tuesday.
ANOTHER day of journalists painting VP Kamala Harris as a Salem witch because she loves a good crockpot and prefers not use Bluetooth. #morningjoe #KamalaHarris pic.twitter.com/lncJ2FpKdX
— ClockOutWars (@clockoutwars) December 7, 2021
Not going to link to it, but @AlexThomp's story on Kamala's alleged "Bluetooth phobia" is some seriously embarrassing n00b nonsense. Even I know that Bluetooth has security issues. Does @Politico miss the days when Trump officials called their Russian minders on burner phones?
— Steve Silberman (@stevesilberman) December 7, 2021
"Republicans are a weaponized, radicalized death cult who are taking a sledgehammer to our democracy."
"But Kamala Harris hates Bluetooth!
"Damn. Both sides are extremists."
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) December 7, 2021
So is this the dumbest political “scandal” of all time?
Perhaps, perhaps not — Obama’s tan suit has its own Wikipedia page.
ptn2719
Isn’t it nice that “political scandals” of the Biden-Harris era are so trivial compared to the Trump era?
But seriously…I also still use wired headphones, mostly because (a) I have a great pair that are a more than a few years old and still sound great and (b) wireless ones drain your device’s battery too fast.
mastik8
Remember when China and Russia admitted to listening in on Trump as he discussed policy on his private phone?
Heywood Jablowme
Trump thought “airplane mode” is what you use when there’s a lot of airplane noise around and you want to make the phone louder.
Fahd
Sure sounds like damned if you do and damned if you don´t.
However, I am still wondering why John Waters said Kamala Harris was the only democrat for whom he would not vote.
Cam
I loved how all the Republicans were trying to attack her for buying a nice pot for meals, yet have no problem with congresspeople who pose holding guns that cost WAY more.
winemaker
‘Isn’t it about time camel faced ‘heels up harris’ shows her incompetence (as if the last 10 months haven’t proved her ineptitude and laissez faire attitude) as she’s always been about herself and nobody else? Really who in their right mind voted for this anti American and socialist POS knowing her background as one of the worst district attorneys in San Francisco (among many) thinking she’d be a qualified vice president? And thanks to the fools who believed her BULLSHIT and voted for this incompetence, and now we have rising inflation, a supply chain slowdown ( right before Christmas with no end in sight, perfect timing incidentally ) a still open ‘Swiss Cheese’ southern border, the Afghanistan debacle a couple a few months ago just to name a few. Hopefully people have gotten sick and tired of this and will realize willy nilly voting like everything else in life has consequences and this is the consequence of not voting intelligently. Why the gay community keeps voting for stuff like this never ceases to amaze me and many of my friends both gay and straight. Just what has ‘heels up’ done for anyone other than herself that doesn’t promote her own personal agenda? I’ll wait for a credible answer, too late, she’s done ZIPPO, ZILCH, ZERO and NOTHING for America, again proving she’s all about herself and herself only and doesn’t really care who she screws as long as it fits her agenda even America. God forbid we have to deal with another 3 years of joey and ‘heels up’ screwing America and making this country the laughing stock of the free world.
Cam
Awwww, How sweet, @Hank31 went back to this screename to attack another woman becuase his Hank name kept getting mocked.
We get it precious, Melania who lied about speaking 5 languages, plagiarized Michell Obama’s speech, lied about graduating from school, and is credibly alleged to have been a prostitute is fine with you, but you’re going to call Kamala Harris “Hells Up” because she isnt a virgin.
We get it, any woman that speaks up, you hate, ESPECIALLY a Black woman.
Your troll game is sad and weak.
TheAbsoluteTRUTH
Hey dude just quit worrying about clueless joe and kamel toe, they are doing more for the other side than we could have hoped. It’ll be a bloodbath to our benefit at the midterms then when we put joe away for good in a few years we can go back to getting things done. Just hang in there and let these liberal lunatics keep doing their thing
RoughRugger
Sit your ass down Karen. Nobody has the time or inclination to deal with your paranoid MAGAt bullshit.
Openminded
Come on Winemaker, don’t hold back, tell us how you really feel.
Cam
@TheAbsoluteTRUTH
And as always, the one right wing troll has to bring on it’s other screenames to back up one of it’s posts.
Your insecurity is ……as one of your other screenames always said, hi-LAR-ious.
TheAbsoluteTRUTH
She might as well have used bluetooth as useless as she is
Cam
This is just another screename for the @Hank31 troll.
frapachino
She’s losing staff left and right , they are calling out her bullying tactics, any criticism of this fake, affirmative action appointed politician is welcomed.
Cam
This is just another screename for the @Hank31 troll.
humble charlie
It’s obvious “winemaker” is just trying to instigate responses. Don’t take him/her seriously.
Essie
I don’t use Bluetooth because I don’t understand how it works. I’m usually the only person riding the bus who still has wires hanging from her ears. I’m probably being criticized by everybody. I’ll have to call Kamala and ask her how she puts up with all this sh!t. Life is tough for us important women.
Openminded
Essie, I’m with you on the wired devices. I giggle now when I see these “cool” kids with their big headphones walking around like it’s the latest greatest thing going. H#ll, we had big headphones decades ago. I guess we were cool before our time.
jayceecook
I still use wired headphones. And I’m not talking about those puny in your ear kind. I’m talking about full over the ear, dj style wired headphones. Like big a$$ Princess Leia cinnamon buns wired headphones
I own a pair of BT headphones but I only use them from time to time. I was not aware of their security issues. Which makes sense because I’m not in a position where I would need to know that. Even if that wasn’t the case with KH, wired headphones will always be superior for many reasons but mainly because there is no latency issues. She could have preferred them for that and it still wouldn’t be an issue. At least for rational people.
Don’t feel bad about using them. There’s no need to.
Heywood Jablowme
No, the dumbest political “scandal” ever will always be… Barack Obama wearing a tan suit! On a warm day in summertime! Gasp.