Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Campaign Event | Kalamazoo, MI
Wings Event Center
Kalamazoo, Michigan
5:33 P.M. EDT
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Can we hear it for Michelle Obama? (Applause.)
Good afternoon, Michigan! (Applause.) Good afternoon. Hi. Hi, guys. (Applause.) We’re doing this! We’re doing this! (Laughs.) (Applause.)
All right. Okay. Oh, it’s great to be in Kalamazoo. (Laughs.) (Applause.) Thank you, guys. Thank — okay. Okay. All right. Thank you. Okay. We got some work to do. We got some work to do. We got some work to do.
Can we please — can we please applaud my dear and incredible friend, the former first lady, Michelle Obama? (Applause.)
And I just have to say, you — I’ve known Michelle for years, and she is an inspiration. I know everybody here knows this. She is a truth — she is a truth-teller, and she motivates us to get to work, especially when the stakes are high because, as she reminds us, as my mother taught me, “Don’t just sit around and complain about injustice.”
AUDIENCE: “Do something!”
THE VICE PRESIDENT: “Do something.”
And there are so many incredible leaders here tonight, but I want to first just thank everybody because there is so much you could be doing with your time right now, and you are here and we are here as community, as coalition builders, because we love our country. And I thank you for being here, and I thank you for all your work. (Applause.) I thank you. I thank you. I thank you.
And I want to give a shout-out to Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist — (applause) — he’s over there somewhere; Senator Gary Peters. (Applause.)
And all the union, elected, and community leaders here today, I thank you. (Applause.)
I want to give a special thank you to former Republican Congressman Fred Upton — (applause) — who represented Kalamazoo for decades and has endorsed our campaign because, as he put it, ours is the team that will “bring people together, strengthen our economy, and get things done for the American people.” (Applause.)
So, Kalamazoo, listen, bef- — you all know, before I was vice president, I was a United States senator —
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Kamala-zoo!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — and before that, I was a —
I know you want to say “Kamala-zoo.” I heard you. (Laughter and applause.)
Okay. All right. Okay. We got that out of the way. Okay. (Laughs.)
So, listen, before I was vice president and — before that, I was a two-term attorney general of California. I was a senator, the two-term attorney general of California, and before that, a district attorney, and before that, a courtroom prosecutor. (Applause.)
And — and in those roles, I took on perpetrators of all kinds: predators, fraudsters, and repeat offenders. I took them on, and I won. (Applause.) Well, Michigan, in 10 days, it’s Donald Trump’s turn. (Applause.) (Laughs.) Yep. Yep.
So, listen, we’ve got just 10 days left.
AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Lock him up! Lock him up! Lock him up!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, you know, I hear your chant. But, listen, the courts are going to handle that; we’re going to handle November. Okay? (Applause.) (Inaudible.)
So, look, we’ve got just 10 days left in one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime. As you all know, voting has already started. (Applause.) And everybody here knows this is going to be a tight race until the very end, so we have a lot of work to do.
But we like hard work. (Applause.) Hard work is good work. Hard work is joyful work. And make no mistake, we will win. (Applause.) We will win. We will win. We will win. We will. Yes, we will.
AUDIENCE: We will win! We will win! We will win!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And I got something for —
AUDIENCE: We will win! We will win! We will win!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Or — or, as a certain former president would say, “Yes, we can.” (Laughs.) (Applause.)
So, yes, we can, and, yes, we will. And we will win because, together — and this is about all of us — we are fighting for America’s future.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: No more Gaza war!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And we understand —
AUDIENCE MEMBER: No more Gaza war! No more Gaza war!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — the opportunity we have before us —
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Have you no decency?
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — to turn the page —
AUDIENCE MEMBER: No more Gaza war!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — on the fear —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
Kamala! Kamala! Kamala!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Okay. Thank you all. Thank you all. Thank you all.
And, listen, on the topic of Gaza, we must end that war. (Applause.) And we must end the war and bring the hostages home. But now I am speaking about 2024. All right.
So, listen, we have to understand the opportunity we have before us to turn the page on the fear and the divisiveness that have characterized our politics for a decade because of Donald Trump. We have an opportunity to turn the page and chart a new and joyful way — dare I say, joyful way forward — (applause) — where we tap into the ambition and the aspirations and the dreams of the American people.
And I’m going to tell you, as I travel around our country, there is an overwhelming call for a fresh start — (applause) — for a new generation of leadership that is optimistic and excited about what we can do together. (Applause.)
There is a yearning in our country for a president who sees the people, not just looking in the mirror all the time — (laughter) — but sees the people, who gets you, and who will fight for you. (Applause.) That is what this election is about.
And my whole career, I have put the people above partisanship. I never asked somebody, “Are you a Democrat or a Republican” before I offered help. Instead, the first and only thing I asked is, “How can I help you?” (Applause.)
And that is a major difference between Donald Trump and me and between the two extremely different visions that he and I have for our nation.
One, his, focused on the past and himself; the other, ours, focused on the future and you and your family. (Applause.)
And together, we will build a future where we bring down the cost of living, and that will be my focus every single day as president.
Because, look, while inflation is down and wages are up, prices are still too high. You know it, and I know it. And unlike Donald Trump, who had $400 million handed to him on a silver platter and then filed for bankruptcy six times —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — I grew up in a middle-class neighborhood with a working mother who kept a strict budget and did everything she could to make sure my sister and I had all that we needed.
I come from the middle class, and I will never forget where I come from. (Applause.) I will never forget where I come from.
And so, my commonsense plan is about lowering the prices you pay on everything from prescription medication to groceries to housing.
On the other hand, Donald Trump will raise costs on the families of America. In fact, independent economists — independent economists have analyzed our plans and found that mine will cut your costs and strengthen our economy, while his will increase inflation and lead to a recession by the middle of next year.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And his agenda is all laid out in Project 2025 —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — which, I still must say, I cannot believe they put that in writing. (Laughter and applause.) I mean, they put it in writing, they bound it, they handed it out. (Laughter.) And if you get your hands on it — google it — it’s a detailed and dangerous blueprint for what he will do if he is elected president.
Donald Trump will impose a 20 percent Trump national sales tax on everyday basic necessities, which will cost — the economists have measured it — will cost the average family nearly $4,000 a year.
On the other hand, I will take on an issue like corporate price gouging. (Applause.) I’ve done it before, and I will do it again.
Donald Trump will give massive tax cuts to billionaires and the biggest corporations, exactly like he did the last time he was president.
I will give middle-class tax cuts to 100 million Americans, including $6,000 during the first year of a child’s life that will also lift America’s children out of poverty. (Applause.)
Donald Trump — again, read his plan — will get rid of the $35 cap on insulin for seniors.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: He will cut Medicare and Social Security.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: In fact, recently, it was published, independent economists say he will bankrupt Social Security in the next six years.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And what everybody here knows: We have so many seniors whose only source of income is their Social Security check. (Applause.) And we believe that our seniors should be able to retire with dignity, not worried about whether they’re going to have a roof over their head. (Applause.)
And we believe that their families also should not be overwhelmed by the cost of home health care, which is why my plan includes ensuring that instead of you, who are taking care of your elder relative — you know, I took care of my mother when she was sick, and I know what that is like. It’s about trying to cook something that they feel like eating. It’s about trying to help them put on a sweater. It’s about trying to say something that maybe will bring a smile to their face and maybe make them laugh from time to time. It’s about their dignity.
But we have a lot of people right now living in what we call the “sandwich generation,” who are taking care of your kids while you’re taking care of your parents. (Applause.) And that’s a lot. It’s a lot.
And too many people either — well, either, if you are fortunate enough, you may have some extra money that you can hire somebody, but most people can’t. So, what that means is so many people have to think about leaving work, quitting their job, which means cutting a source of income, or spending down all of your savings to be able to qualify for Medicaid.
It’s just not right. So, part of my plan says that we’re going to make sure that Medicare covers the cost of home health care for our seniors. (Applause.)
It’s about dignity. It’s about dignity. It’s about seeing people where they are and understanding the burdens people face and lifting folks up instead of trying to beat people down, which is exactly what we see on the other side. (Applause.)
On top of that, my plan will bring down the cost of housing, because we know housing is too expensive. And for so many people — you know, generations ago, folks could kind of count on the American dream, but it’s out of reach for far too many people. And so, we’re going to bring down the cost of housing, including creating incentives for more home building, and we are going to create a $25,000 down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers — (applause) — just to get your foot in the door. Because the way I see, it’s not enough that you’re just able to get by. I want you to be able to get ahead. (Applause.)
We’re going to cut taxes for small businesses, because small businesses are the backbone of America’s economy. (Applause.)
Do we have any small-business owners here? (Applause.) Right. I love our small businesses.
We’re going to lower health care costs, because, look, I believe health care should be a right and not just a privilege of those who have the money to afford it. (Applause.)
On the other hand, we’ve got Donald Trump —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — who intends to end the Affordable Care Act — or, as we like to call it, Obamacare — (applause) — and he would take us back to when insurance companies had the power to deny people with preexisting conditions. You remember what that was like?
Well, we are —
AUDIENCE: Not going back!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — not going back. We are not going back, because we are about moving forward — (applause) — and it is time to turn the page.
So, ours is a fight for the future, and it is a fight for freedom, like the fundamental freedom of a woman to be able to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do. (Applause.)
And remember how we got here. Donald Trump hand-selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention that they would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade. They did as he intended. And now, one in three women in America lives in a state with a Trump abortion ban —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — many with no exceptions for rape and incest.
And the idea that somebody who survives a crime of a violation to their body would not have the right to make a decision about what happens to their body next, that is immoral.
And let us agree, one does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree that the government shouldn’t be telling her what to do. (Applause.) Not the government. Not the government. If she chooses, she will talk with her priest, her pastor, her rabbi, her imam, but not the government. Come on. Some folks up in a state capitol telling you what’s in your best interest, like you don’t know?
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Not in Michigan!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Not in Michigan, but, look, if there’s a national — if — if — look, if there’s a national abortion ban, nobody is safe. And that’s why I so thank everybody for being here, knowing this is at stake for everybody and fighting for everybody’s rights. (Applause.)
And I’ll tell you, so, I was in — I — I actually just got in from Texas. And I did an event in Texas last night, in Houston. And — (applause) — and if you saw it, you probably saw some of the stories about what has been happening in our country — the suffering — the suffering.
And, you know, Donald Trump still refuses to even acknowledge the pain and suffering he has caused. He insists that, and I’m going to quote, “everybody” wanted Roe v. Wade to be overturned.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Come on. Everybody wanted this? Women are being denied care during miscarriages, some only being treated once they developed sepsis. They didn’t want this.
Couples just trying to grow their family who have been cut off from IVF treatments. They didn’t want this.
The men of America seeing their daughters, wives, sisters, and mothers put at risk because their rights have been stripped away. The men of America don’t want this.
AUDIENCE: Noo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Women have died because of these bans. How could anybody say that they wanted this?
And you have heard me say, I do believe Donald Trump to be an unserious man, but the consequences of him ever being president again are brutally serious — brutally serious. (Applause.) And what I mentioned are just some of the consequences of what he has done.
And I will tell you, I pledge to you, when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom nationwide, as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law. (Applause.) Proudly. Proudly, with your help.
And so, look, we are — and I’m traveling our country. And I’m going to tell you, across our nation, we are witnessing a full-on assault on other hard-fought, hard-won freedoms and rights, like the freedom to vote.
You know, in Georgia, they got a law that makes it illegal to give people food and water for standing in line to vote. The hypocrisy abounds. What happened to love thy neighbor?
Attacks on the freedom to be safe from gun violence, the freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water, the freedom to love who you love openly and with pride. (Applause.)
All of these things are at stake. And generations of Americans before us led the fight for freedom, and now the baton is in our hands. (Applause.) Now the baton is in our hands.
And on that point, I want to speak, in particular, to all of the young leaders who are here today. Can I see Gen Z? (Applause.) I love you guys. I love you. Let me tell you — (laughs) — see? And of the many things that I just think are so great about you, you are rightly impatient for change. (Applause.) I love that. I love that.
You, who have only known the climate crisis, are leading the charge to protect our planet and our future. You, who grew up with active shooter drills, are fighting to keep our schools safe. (Applause.) You, who now know fewer rights than your mothers and grandmothers, are standing up for reproductive freedom.
And for you all, these issues are not theoretical, they’re not political; they’re your lived experience. And I want to tell you, I see you, and I see your power. (Applause.)
And I know many of you are voting for the first time. Who’s voting for the first time? (Applause.) Can we hear it for our young leaders and first-time voters? (Applause.)
Yeah. There we go. That’s what this is about, right? That’s why we’re all here together. It’s about our future.
So, listen, so much is on the line in this election. You all know that.
And this is not 2016 or 2020. The stakes are even higher because, over the last eight years, Donald Trump has become more confused, more unstable, and more angry. And it is clear he has become increasingly unhinged, but the last time at least there were people who could control him. But notice they’re not with him this time.
And then a few months ago, the Supreme Court told the former president he is effectively immune no matter what he does in the White House.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: It’s not 2016 or 2020 when you think about that, because just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails. He who will claim unchecked and extreme power if he is reelected. He who has vowed he will be a dictator on day one. He who has said he wished he had generals like Hitler’s.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Who calls — who calls Americans who disagree with him, “the enemy from within.” You know what that harkens back to? And he says he would use the American military to go after them.
Donald Trump has even called for the, quote, “termination” of the Constitution of the United States of America.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And let us be very clear, someone who suggests we should terminate the Constitution of the United States should never again stand behind the seal of the President of the United States. (Applause.) Never again. Never again. Never again. No.
So, there is a huge contrast in this election, and I’m going to ask everyone to just imagine the Oval Office in three months. So, you can picture it. So — but here’s what I say to the folks who are watching: It’s either Donald Trump in there stewing over his enemies list, or me, working for you, checking off my to-do list. (Applause.) And you have the power to make that decision. You have the power to make that decision.
And this is the beauty of our democracy, as long as we can hold on to it: The power is with the people. The power is with the people to make that decision.
And so, Michigan, it all comes down to this: We are all here together because we know what is at stake, and we are here together, most importantly, because we love our country. We love our country. (Applause.) We love our country.
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And to love our country — to love our country is to know that one of the highest forms of patriotism, I believe, is to then fight for the ideals of our country. And that’s what we are all here together to say, “We love our country, and we are prepared to fight for our country and to fight to realize the promise of America.” (Applause.) The promise of America, that’s what this is about.
So, Election Day is in 10 days. (Applause.) And early voting has already started. (Applause.) And you can vote early, starting today, through Sunday, November 3rd. (Applause.) So, we need you to vote early, Michigan. (Applause.)
And now, then is the time to make your plan to vote. And you can go to IWillVote.com to get all the information you need.
And if you have received your ballot in the mail, please do not wait, fill it out and return it today — (applause) — because, folks, the election is here. It is here, and the choice is truly in your hands. And your vote is your voice, and your voice is your power. (Applause.) It’s your power.
So, Michigan, today, I ask you, are you ready to make your voices heard? (Applause.)
Do we believe in freedom? (Applause.)
Do we believe in opportunity? (Applause.)
Do we believe in the promise of America? (Applause.)
And are we ready to fight for it? (Applause.)
And when we fight —
AUDIENCE: We win!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — we win.
God Bless you. And God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)
END 6:05 P.M. EDT
