US Election 2024: Kamala Harris to protesters: ‘Right now, I am speaking’ – VP’s fiery rebuttal during rally disruptions

US Vice President Kamala Harris embarked on a high-stakes, multi-state campaign tour this Wednesday, aiming to energize voters in critical battlegrounds with a direct appeal on pressing issues including the economy, democracy, abortion rights, and health care. Despite facing vocal opposition from protesters at nearly every stop, Harris maintained her composure and turned interruptions into opportunities to underscore her campaign’s focus on unity and democratic engagement.

North Carolina rally: Unity over division

Harris began her day with a rally at Raleigh’s Coastal Credit Union Music Park in North Carolina, where she sought to draw clear contrasts between herself and former President Donald Trump. “Unlike Donald Trump, I don’t believe people who disagree with me are the enemy,” she told the crowd. Harris promised that, as president, she would pursue “common ground and common-sense solutions,” pledging to represent "all Americans" and prioritize country over party.

Amid chants from protesters, Harris responded calmly, saying, “We have so much more in common than what separates us.” She also took the opportunity to address key policy concerns, warning the crowd about a resurgence of restrictions on women’s rights in states across the country. “One in three women now lives in a state with a 'Trump ban' on reproductive rights,” she said, referring to North Carolina’s restrictive abortion laws.

Harris emphasized the critical role of young and first-time voters. “You, who grew up with active shooter drills, are fighting to keep this country safe. You, who have fewer rights than your mothers,” she said, speaking to a generation acutely aware of issues like gun violence and reproductive rights.

Echoing her previous statements, Harris addressed Trump’s divisive rhetoric, referencing his “enemies list.” In contrast, she said, “When I am elected, I will walk in with a to-do list.” “If he is elected, on day one, Donald Trump will walk into that office with an enemies list,” she said. “When I am elected, I will walk in with a to-do list.”

In her call to action, Harris cast her campaign as part of a broader generational shift in American leadership. “It is time for a new generation of leadership in America,” she said. “If you give me the chance to fight on your behalf as president, there is nothing in the world that will stand in my way of fighting for you.”

Pennsylvania stop: Economic and health care concerns

From North Carolina, Harris flew to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Here, Harris emphasized her economic policies aimed at supporting the middle class and criticized Trump’s economic proposals, particularly his tariffs and ongoing opposition to the Affordable Care Act. “We know that Donald Trump will try, like he has so many times, to get rid of the Affordable Care Act,” she warned, arguing that this would “throw millions of Americans off of their health care and take us back to when insurance companies could deny people with pre-existing conditions.”

The rally was briefly disrupted by a protester, a recurring theme of the day’s events. Harris responded firmly but respectfully, saying, “Everybody has a right to be heard. But right now, I am speaking. One of the biggest issues that folks want to talk about is how we are going to bring down the price of living for working people.”

As chants continued, Harris reiterated her commitment to a unified approach: “We are six days away from an election, and ours is about a fight for democracy and your right to be heard,” she told the crowd, reinforcing her message of inclusivity over division. “In Pennsylvania, we know what’s on the line. We have an opportunity in this election to turn the page on a decade of Donald Trump trying to keep us divided and afraid of each other. That is who he is. But Pennsylvania, that is not who we are.”

Wisconsin rally: A return to roots amid interruptions

The final rally of the day took Harris to Madison, Wisconsin, where she reconnected with personal roots; her parents were educators at the University of Wisconsin when she was a child. Speaking at a packed event, Harris urged voters to take advantage of early voting, which had just begun in the state. “Early voting has started, and we need you to vote early, Wisconsin,” she said.

As she took the stage, a few protesters began chanting “cease-fire now,” calling for an end to the conflict in Gaza. Harris responded directly, saying, “Listen, we all want the war in Gaza to end and get the hostages out as soon as possible, and I will do everything in my power to make it heard and known.” When chants persisted, she added, “Everyone has a right to be heard. But right now, I am speaking.” Her composed response was met with loud cheers from the crowd.

A closing argument

With just six days remaining before Election Day, Harris’s tour across North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin forms part of her final “closing argument” to voters, which she began with a major address at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday night.

As Harris travels between battleground states, her campaign aims to mobilize voters who are passionate about democracy, economic fairness, and civil rights, while countering Trump’s criticism and unifying a diverse coalition.