Castro slams media for holding Harris to ‘different standard’

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro blamed a media “double standard” for his fellow candidate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), announcing her exit from the race Tuesday.

“The way the media has treated Kamala Harris has been something else,” Castro said in a clip tweeted by his national press secretary, Sawyer Hackett, citing recent articles in national publications that described disarray and infighting within her campaign.

{mosads}The coverage “basically trashed her campaign and focused on one small part of it,” Castro said, adding, “They’ve held her to a different standard, a double standard [that] has been grossly unfair and unfortunate,”

Sec. @JulianCastro responds to @KamalaHarris’s treatment by media:

“The way the media has treated @KamalaHarris has been something else. The way they’ve held her to a different standard, a double standard has been grossly unfair and unfortunate.” #KHive pic.twitter.com/TIpowCAQLI

— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) December 3, 2019

The former Obama Cabinet member went on to praise Harris for her qualifications and her willingness to fight for others. 

“I really want to commend Sen. Harris for the race that she’s run. She’s one of the most qualified people running, and throughout this campaign she’s run her campaign with class and with dignity,” Castro said, adding that the California senator had “articulated a vision and fought for people of all different backgrounds, people who need a champion,” citing Harris’s own immigrant parents.

Numerous other 2020 hopefuls offered their own praise for Harris after she announced she would withdraw from the race Tuesday, including Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who said Harris “broke barriers and did it with joy,” and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who commended her for “your commitment to fighting for the people, for justice, and to holding Donald Trump accountable.”