“Nice Gas Stove You Got There”: Vice President Kamala Grilled Over Gas Stove in Holiday Photo

William FurneyDec 1, 2023

Minute Read

The vice president has made a culinary blunder, according to conservative media and the wider public, at least with her use of cooking equipment.

Not So Happy Holiday

Seizing an opportunity to lay into the Democratic second in command, Republican Party-supporting US media outlets blasted Kamala Harris for sharing a Thanksgiving image with a gas stove in the background.

Holiday Greetings

Harris posted the holiday photo on X (formerly Twitter) of her and second gentleman Doug Emhoff in their kitchen, beside some food and the apparently offensive cooking device. “From our family to yours, happy Thanksgiving,” read the post.

Not So Fair and Balanced

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Conservative channel Fox News leapt on the post, reporting “criticism on social media” and noting — not entirely correctly — that the Biden administration had earlier in the year proposed banning gas stoves for being environmentally unfriendly. Other conservative outlets, including Fox News sister company the Wall Street Journal, followed suit with the false claim.

‘All Options Open’

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The cooking controversy stems from comments by an official at the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in January who said “any option is on the table” regarding gas stoves and their possible regulation in a bid to combat climate change because gas is a fossil fuel.

No Ban, Says Biden Administration

Following the comments and growing public disquiet over a possible ban, the Biden administration said it was not considering outlawing the ranges. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing that “the president does not support banning gas stoves.”

‘No Proceeding to Ban Gas Stoves’

The CPSC chief, Alex Hoehn-Saric, said his agency would also not introduce a ban on gas stoves. “I am not looking to ban gas stoves and the CPSC has no proceeding to do so,” he said in a statement following the uproar.

US Gas Stove Usage

Nearly half (40 percent) of all US households use gas stoves while others use electricity, according to various estimates, but in some states, usage is as high as 70 percent.

House Ban Block Law

In June, Republicans and Democrats passed legislation that would stop the government from banning gas stoves, bringing in the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act that put an end to the matter.

Harris ‘Wants Stoves Banned’

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But many Americans, it seems, are unaware of the new law or the Biden administration’s vow not to ban gas stoves. One person wrote on X: “Kamala Harris uses a gas stove. Kamala also says you shouldn’t use a gas stove. What would you call Kamala?”

‘Damaging the Climate’

Someone else on X said: “Nice gas stove you got there. Thought you wanted them banned? Banned from the peasants, not the rich.” Another person said: Is that a gas stove? Sure is. FBI, you may want to arrest her. She’s damaging the climate.”

Harris Running Again

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The vice president, 59, is running for reelection next year, with her boss, Biden, who at 81 is 22 years her senior and amid calls for him to retire due to his advanced age.

Biden-Harris Polling Lead

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The Biden-Harris ticket for 2024 is popular among Democratic voters, as national primary polling shows a massive lead of nearly 70 points over the two rivals in the race. They are author Marianne Williamson, who has an average national polling figure of 5.6 percent, and congressman Dean Phillips, with a mere 4.4 percent voter support.

Biden and Trump?

If Biden and Harris are selected as the Democrats’ choice in primary voting early next year, they may face off against former president Donald Trump and whoever he picks as his running mate. Trump is currently leading the GOP pack of nominee hopefuls by an equally wide margin of around 50 points.

A Newsom Run?

But as polling suggests most Americans, including Democrats, think Biden should not run in 2024, due to his age and a recent string of gaffes that raised concerns further, some Democrats may be waiting to step in — chief among them California’s governor.

Raising National Profile

Governor Gavin Newsom, 56, has not said if he’s running for the presidency, and has yet to throw his hat into the Democratic ring. But political analysts say that given recent attempts to raise his profile nationally, including a visit to China in late October in which he met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, he may soon declare himself a candidate for the 2024 presidential election.