Vice-president elect Kamala Harris has been greeted with a mixed response after she was caught on camera fist-bumping Republican senator Lindsey Graham.
Harris, who is still a senator for California, returned to the Senate floor on Tuesday for the first time since the election was confirmed for the Biden/Harris campaign and there was an unusual moment where she was greeted by Graham in a friendly manner.
Graham is a supporter of president Trump and has promoted the baseless accusations of voter fraud. Most recently he was involved in controversy where he asked officials in Georgia about throwing out legal ballots.
Despite this, the senator from South Carolina, was more than happy to see Harris, exchanging a fist bump, with Graham also patting her on the back.
The video was shared on Twitter and has prompted a divisive response from onlookers many of whom thought she shouldn't be engaging in pleasantries with someone who has attempted to undermine the election result.
Lindsey can do what he wants but I can promise you that you’ll never see me fistbump someone who has worked their w… https://t.co/r15NPWS7kp— Robby Starbuck (@Robby Starbuck) 1605678771
it’s gonna be a painful 4 years. https://t.co/3NmRm2AIdS— Sana Saeed (@Sana Saeed) 1605662291
Living parody. https://t.co/qANyvbHVL1— Cody Johnston (@Cody Johnston) 1605656270
It’s a big club, and you ain’t in it. https://t.co/b5lSNAIDyY— ℮oin Higgins (@℮oin Higgins) 1605646758
@therecount This has a nothing will fundamentally change vibe and I hate it.— Lindsey Boylan (@Lindsey Boylan) 1605648240
Others defended Harris, who thought she was either feigning being friendly or was in someway starting to repair the bridges between the Democrats and Republicans that Trump damaged in his presidency.
@therecount Im sure many of us who have worked in offices know when to be cool to people you absolutely despise.— A View From The Left (@A View From The Left) 1605645239
@therecount Truth be told I think most of these GOP Senators are happy Trump will be gone. They are just afraid to… https://t.co/GFAqp8qVwA— Lisa “Mask up”😷 (@Lisa “Mask up”😷) 1605645594
@therecount She’s going to get votes for working people’s agenda. Watch her work.— Arriadna✨🇺🇸 (@Arriadna✨🇺🇸) 1605649793
@therecount @lacadri34 It’s called finessing the situation. Y’all voted for Biden/Harris to restored peace. This h… https://t.co/VHmpt9IlwK— bootlegg (@bootlegg) 1605656518
Graham has since explained what he meant by the fist bump. As quoted by CNN's Manu Raju, Graham said that it was just a friendly hello and wishing her all the best for the near future.
Just saying hello - I haven't seen her in a while. If it works out and they make it, I told her I wish her well and try to work where we can. We will know here in a month or so or less.