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Obamas and Clintons to hit the campaign trail for Harris in the final stretch

 

Day Two Of The 2024 Democratic National Convention barack michelle obama dnc politics political politician (Al Drago / Bloomberg via Getty Images file)Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama will follow their DNC appearance with campaign stops for Kamala Harris' campaign.

WASHINGTON — Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, along with former first lady Michelle Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, are preparing to lend their political star power to Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign in the final stretch of the election, according to four people familiar with their plans.The high-profile surrogates all felt “energized” by their roles in the Democratic National Convention last month and have offered to help the Harris team in any way that would be most helpful, these people said.

Barack Obama is expected to headline a fundraiser for Harris in Los Angeles next Friday and then hold larger campaign events next month, while Michelle Obama will focus on encouraging voter registration and turnout for Harris, the people familiar with the Obamas’ plans said. In addition to traveling for Harris, the former president will also sign his name to fundraising materials and will record candidate-specific ads and robocalls for Democrats running in down-ballot races, as he has done in past cycles, according to a person familiar with the effort.

“His strategy this fall will be driven by where he can move the needle with Democrats and persuadable voters, especially in states with key races,” senior Obama adviser Eric Schultz said.

Obama will also “engage in traditional and creative tactics” to reach voters digitally by working with content creators and influencers to push young people to IWillVote.com, Schultz said.

While she is likely to hold fewer campaign events than her husband, Michelle Obama is even more energized to help this election cycle now that it’s Harris, not President Joe Biden, on the Democratic ticket, people familiar with her plans said. The overall strategy and schedule are still being finalized for the Obamas, the people familiar with their plans said, and they will take their direction from the Harris campaign about what’s needed on the campaign trail.

During Michelle Obama’s speech at the DNC in Chicago, she implored Democrats to not just support Harris this November but “do something” to help her win.

The Obamas "are both extremely energized by Harris’ candidacy, enjoyed their time at the convention and they’re looking forward to being helpful in any way they can in the course of her campaign,” a former senior adviser to Obama said.

The Obamas and Clintons would have had some role in the home stretch of the Biden campaign had it continued. One person close to the planning said now they can help with different constituencies Harris needs to win over in November.

For instance, Bill Clinton will likely target more rural areas, with possible events in places like the Rust Belt and Georgia, two people familiar with his plans said. He’s eager to get out on the trail and was described as a “Dalmatian at a firehouse” by one person close to him.

Former President Clinton may also make an appeal to Latino voters specifically since he did better with that key demographic when he was in office than his successors, an additional source said. He will also likely be tapped to speak about economic issues, given his role as the “explainer-in-chief” on that topic in 2012, this person said, with his travel for Harris likely beginning sometime in October.

Hillary Clinton, for her part, is expected to focus on women and LGBTQ voters during her campaign events, two people familiar with her schedule said, with dates still being discussed. She will also likely be a key messenger on reproductive freedom which could be an effective way of reaching suburban women, whom the campaign also views as critical.

She plans to help with fundraising efforts, these sources said, in between stops on her latest book tour, which kicks off next week. Hillary Clinton has at least one luncheon with donors scheduled for next Friday, separate from Barack Obama’s event.

Both the Obamas and the Clintons have been in frequent touch with Harris since she took over the top of the ticket, with Hillary Clinton offering debate strategy and perspective ahead of the vice president’s showdown with former President Donald Trump in Philadelphia this week.

For his part, Biden will continue to travel to battleground states to tout what the White House views as the top Biden-Harris accomplishments of their term in office. The president will travel to Philadelphia on Monday in his official capacity but is expected to continue stumping for Harris wherever he goes and will do more joint events with the vice president in the final sprint to Election Day as well, according to officials in both of their offices.

Biden in particular can help shore up older white voters, who are not at the heart of the Harris coalition, these people said. First lady Jill Biden has also pledged to campaign for Harris in the fall, with a possible focus on education.

Beyond the Bidens, Obamas and Clintons, Democratic governors like Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro and California’s Gavin Newsom will serve as key surrogates in the next seven weeks, along with Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Laphonza Butler, D-Calif., according to a source familiar with their plans.

The Harris team has had a steady stream of celebrity backers out on the trail on the vice president’s behalf as well, which is only expected to ramp up in the coming weeks, but the campaign is also working to engage digital surrogates more directly than in past cycles. It hopes to leverage the massive followings of online content creators to its benefit, without necessarily having to plan in-person events for them, the source said. 
 
 

Harris rides post-debate momentum into North Carolina with raucous rallies and large crowds

 

 

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Riding high on momentum two days after the presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris was greeted by a deafening crowd here Thursday, eager to see the Democratic nominee push to the next phase of her campaign.

Harris told supporters it was time to turn the page from Donald Trump while again challenging the former president to a second debate, which she did earlier in the day at her rally in Charlotte.

“We owe it to the voters. Because here’s the thing: In this election, what’s at stake could not be more important,” she said.

On Thursday, Trump said he would not participate in another debate against Harris and complained that the ABC News moderators at Tuesday's event were unfair.

In her remarks, Harris made the case that Trump would not respect the U.S. Constitution if he were re-elected, pointing to his assertion that he would be a dictator on Day One. She also noted that some of the highest-placed officials in his administration have since warned against Trump’s gaining access to the White House again.

 

“Put that all in the context of people who have been talking about how he was when they served with him in the White House, people who saw him every day, his national security adviser, his defense secretary, his chief of staff and his vice president, all, all of whom have warned America Donald Trump is not fit to be president,” she said as the crowd roared.

Harris turned out more than 17,000 people in this city of about 300,000 residents after she spoke to a crowd of 7,500 in Charlotte. The large audiences are positive signs for Democrats as they seek to turn North Carolina blue for the first time since Barack Obama won in 2008.



Before she arrived at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, a massive party was already underway. Thousands of people waved and jumped in unison to a DJ; later, some performed a line dance, while others linked arms and danced jubilantly.

After the second rally, Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, said in a brief interview that Harris could turn the state blue, pointing to the explosive energy in the venue.

"There’s a reason why Donald Trump spent more money in August in North Carolina than any other state — because they’re panicking," he said. "They know that Kamala Harris is at least tied or maybe even taking the lead in North Carolina. Donald Trump has no other path to the presidency. He must win North Carolina.

"We know that if Kamala Harris wins North Carolina, she is the next president of the United States," he continued. "We did this in 2008. North Carolina voted for Barack Obama and made history. North Carolina is ready to make history again."

SOURCE : Harris rides post-debate momentum into North Carolina with raucous rallies and large crowds

 

Harris weaves her life story into a vision for America as she accepts Democratic nomination

 


 
 

Amid a cacophony of cheering Democrats and a canopy of red, white and blue balloons, Vice President Kamala Harris made history.

The first woman elected vice president of the United States officially became the first Black and South Asian woman named a major-party presidential nominee, lifting Democrats’ hopes of defeating former President Donald Trump and keeping the White House for another four years.

After three days of buildup about her work as a prosecutor and her promise as a leader, Harris emerged onstage to deafening roars from a packed arena, which cheered over her attempts to begin her speech before she told attendees they had to “get to some business.”

“We are charting a new way forward, forward to a future with a strong and growing middle class,” Harris said in her speech.

“Because we know a strong middle class has always been critical to America’s success, and building that middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency,” she continued, calling it a “personal” thing because “the middle class is where I come from.”

“That’s why we will create what I call an opportunity economy, an opportunity economy where everyone has the chance to compete and a chance to succeed, whether you live in a rural area, small town or big city,” Harris said.

At that, thousands of Democrats inside the arena leaped to their feet, offering a thunderous reception.

In the lead-up to Harris’ appearance, the electricity running through the party was palpable inside the United Center, where Michael Jordan famously led the Chicago Bulls to three of their six championships. All night, the arena was transformed into a rollicking party, with a sea of bodies, many of them wearing white, bouncing, dancing and singing as celebratory music blared.

Harris spent the beginning of her speech laying out her biography, from her family’s story to the early steps of her career. Speaking about her immigrant parents, she said she’s “no stranger to unlikely journeys,” describing her upbringing in the San Francisco Bay Area and her start as a prosecutor.

“Every day in the courtroom, I stood proudly before a judge and I said five words: ‘Kamala Harris for the people.’ My entire career, I only had one client: the people,” Harris said.

Harris then wove that story into the traditional applause line accepting her party’s nomination.

“And so, on behalf of the people; on behalf of every American, regardless of party, race, gender or the language your grandmother speaks; on behalf of my mother and everyone who has ever set out on their own unlikely journey; on behalf of Americans like the people I grew up with, people who work hard, chase their dreams and look out for one another; on behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth, I accept your nomination to be president of the United States of America,” Harris said.

In the month since President Joe Biden stepped aside from the campaign, Harris has transformed the race, invigorating a stagnant, lackluster campaign weighed down by questions over his age and sharpness. Now, the campaign is awash with money, having raised nearly $500 million since Harris moved to the top of the ticket and later chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate.

In her remarks, Harris spoke in broad outlines about her own agenda, saying she would restore reproductive freedoms, offer a tax cut to the middle class, end America’s housing shortage and protect Social Security and Medicare.

“They are out of their minds,” she said of Republicans and what she called their attack on women’s reproductive rights. “We trust women,” she said.

She repeatedly hammered away at Trump, calling him a threat to working Americans, saying he would cut taxes for only the wealthy. She also cited Project 2025, a conservative blueprint by the Heritage Foundation meant to be a road map for another Trump term. Trump rejected the document after the blowback around it.

After a program that included The Chicks singing the national anthem and a performance by Pink, pop queen Beyoncé's song “Freedom” also played ahead of the vice president's acceptance speech, reinforcing a theme Harris has leaned on to advocate for everything from voting rights to housing affordability to reproductive rights.

“I believe America cannot truly be prosperous unless Americans are fully able to make their own decisions about their own lives, especially on matters of heart and home. But tonight, in America, too many women are not able to make those decisions, and let’s be clear about how we got here,” Harris said, pointing to Trump’s Supreme Court appointees who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Harris also spoke about strengthening border security and national security, slamming Trump’s opposition to a bipartisan border deal that was proposed in Congress this year, as well as his past comments about American allies. She reaffirmed her commitment to NATO and Ukraine in its war against Russia.

And Harris spoke at length about Israel and its military action against Hamas in Gaza, an issue that has divided Democrats over the last year.

“Let me be clear, I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself,” Harris said, speaking about the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. “At the same time, what has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost, desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety over and over again.”

Trump, who posted on social media throughout Harris' speech, //truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113009140194457880" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(25, 106, 212); text-decoration: underline; outline: none !important;" shape="rect">wrote on his platform Truth Social: "She’s done nothing for three and a half years but talk, and that’s what she’s doing tonight, she’s complaining about everything but doing nothing."

Democrats react

The conclusion of the convention capped a tumultuous period for the Democratic Party, with weeks of infighting among its leaders before Biden announced he would step aside. Biden immediately endorsed Harris, and she quickly locked down support across his delegates, avoiding what some had feared could become a messy open convention.

But the prospect of Harris’ landing in the White House had Black leaders beaming all day.

“There is no glass ceiling in this for us. Hillary cracked it. We’re gonna break through it,” said Daniele Monroe-Moreno, the first Black woman to chair the Nevada Democratic Party.

She said Harris’ accomplishment sends a clear message in 2024.

“Every little girl — I don’t care what race, religious belief you are — there is nothing you cannot do,” Monroe-Moreno said. “And that’s what this means. Women. We’re here. We’re the new force in this Democratic Party.”

When Harris launched her first presidential campaign in 2019, she became the third Black woman to seek a major party’s nomination, following Rep. Shirley Chisholm, D-N.Y., in 1972 and former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, D-Ill., in 2004.

Now, little more than half a century after Chisholm’s campaign, which challenged stereotypes and collected a handful of delegates, her party has nominated a Black woman for the most powerful post in the world.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, a civil rights leader and MSNBC host, was youth director for Chisholm’s campaign. On Thursday, he put Harris’ nomination in the context of Chisholm and a change in American attitudes on race and gender that she helped foment.

“To see this fulfilled is a long time coming,” Sharpton said. “It shows a growth in the country and in the Democratic Party, not only for Black, but for a woman — it’s a victory over misogyny, institutional misogyny and racism.”

Feelings of pride and patriotism swelled within many of the Black women at Thursday’s session of the convention.

Cathleen Trigg, founder and CEO of iWomanTV, said she had come to Chicago from New York to do everything in her power to help Harris win.

“I can’t really describe the feeling of being at this place in life where we do have our potentially first female, first Black female, first — so many firsts — that could be leading our country, the greatest country in the world,” said Trigg, 56. “It’s a miracle. It’s a blessing. It is an opportunity for change that is much needed in our country.”

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., who was the highest-ranking Black lawmaker when he was the Democratic whip in the House, referred to the preamble of the Constitution in explaining the importance of Harris’ nomination.

“It means that we have taken another step toward a more perfect union,” Clyburn said. “It means that a significant, and I hope a majority, segment of this country wishes to continue moving forward, not interested in going backwards, not interested in reliving the past, but charting out a new way forward for our children and grandchildren.”

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said: “From President Biden, you had this [message of] ‘Oh, my gosh. Democracy is at stake! We can’t let this happen! Kamala Harris brought the joy back into this.”

Speaking from Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, before the convention began, Warner said that “every politician is passing through and people are almost giddy!”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said in an interview: “Americans like an upbeat, optimistic, joy-filled personality, which is what she’s conveyed.”

Ann-Marie Herod, a Black woman who lives in Chicago and is originally from Mississippi, said it was difficult to put the significance of the night into words.

“When Obama ran, I was a young girl. Now, I’m actually able to go out and be active within this process: canvassing, doing these different things,” said Herod, who was watching Harris’ acceptance from Soldier Field. “I have parents, I have friends, who never could have imagined a Black woman could be in the White House. It is amazing.”