US Elections 2024: Michelle Obama called on men to support Kamala Harris in her campaign to become the first female president, warning at a Michigan rally that women's lives would be endangered if Donald Trump returned to power.
Also Read: US Election 2024 Live Updates: ‘Take our lives seriously,’ says Michelle Obama at Michigan rally
As reported by AP, Michelle Obama characterised the attacks on abortion rights as a precursor to harmful restrictions on women's healthcare.
Obama warned that while some men might consider voting for Trump out of frustration with slow progress, “your rage does not exist in a vacuum.”
“If we don’t get this election right, your wife, your daughter, your mother, we as women will become collateral damage to your rage,” Obama said. “So are you as men prepared to look into the eyes of the women and children you love and tell them you supported this assault on our safety?”
The rally in Kalamazoo marked Michelle Obama's first campaign appearance since her speech at the Democratic National Convention over the summer. Her remarks were intense and heartfelt in their support for Harris, the report noted.
“By every measure, she has demonstrated that she’s ready,” the former first lady said. “The real question is, as a country, are we ready for this moment?”
Obama added, “Do not buy into the lies that we do not know who Kamala is or what she stands for. This is somebody who understands you, all of you.”
While Obama has typically been a hesitant campaigner, she expressed no reservations on Saturday, blending political commentary with personal reflections in her speech. She shared her concerns for the country and expressed confusion about why the presidential race remains competitive.
“I lay awake at night wondering, 'What in the world is going on?'” she said.
With an emotional tone, Obama addressed the challenges women face in understanding and caring for their bodies, from menstrual cycles to menopause. She also highlighted the dangers of childbirth, emphasising how a split-second decision can be crucial for the lives of both mother and baby.
“I am asking y’all from the core of my being to take our lives seriously," Obama pleaded.
Following Obama, Harris took the stage and assured the crowd that she would prioritize their interests, contrasting herself with Trump, whom she accused of being solely self-interested.
“There is a yearning in our country for a president who sees the people, not just looking in the mirror all the time, but sees the people, who gets you and who will fight for you," she said.
After the rally, Harris went to Trak Houz Bar & Grill with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, where they drank a locally brewed beer.
“I want to have whatever she's having,” Harris said.
“We are looking at a health care crisis in America that is affecting people of every background and gender," Harris told reporters before visiting the doctor's office.
On Friday, Harris joined Beyoncé in Houston and campaigned with former President Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen on Thursday in Atlanta. This level of celebrity support far exceeds what Trump, the Republican nominee, has been able to gather this year. However, there's no assurance that it will aid Harris in the tight race for the White House, as Hillary Clinton also faced defeat in 2016 despite energizing her crowds with musical performances and prominent allies. Trump dismissed Harris's efforts to leverage star power for her campaign.
“Kamala is at a dance party with Beyoncé,” the former president said Friday in Traverse City, Michigan. Trump held a rally in Novi, a suburb of Detroit, on Saturday before a later event in State College, Pennsylvania.
Saturday marked the first day of early in-person voting across Michigan, with over 1.4 million ballots already submitted, accounting for 20% of registered voters. During Clinton's campaign against Trump, Michelle Obama motivated Democrats with the slogan, “when they go low, we go high.”
But this year, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, she adopted a more biting approach. She accused Trump of "doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies as a substitute for real ideas and solutions that will actually make people’s lives better.”
While Harris was with Obama in Michigan, President Joe Biden visited the Laborers’ International Union of North America in Pittsburgh. He mentioned that Harris once walked a picket line with the United Auto Workers — “she has a backbone like a ramrod” — while Trump has undermined organized labour, AP reported.
“He views unions as getting in the way of the accumulation of wealth for individuals," Biden said. “It’s in labor’s interest to defeat Donald Trump, more than any other race you’ve been in.”
Biden's remarks to the mostly male audience referenced the gender divide that has been a consistent feature of this year's presidential race.
Speaking on Trump, Biden said, "I’m just gonna say straight up, he’s a loser as a man.”
(With inputs from AP)
