HOUSTON — On a star-studded night in front of an excited crowd of tens of thousands of supporters, Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday defended freedom for women and men and called 11 in a rejection of former President Donald Trump. I appealed to them to vote on the 5th of the month. President Trump’s policies.
“Texas, what we are experiencing here is a health care crisis, and Donald Trump is the architect of that crisis,” Harris said.
“We know that freedom is not given. It cannot be bestowed. It is rightfully ours and we are ready to fight for it,” she said. added. “We have to be loud. We have to organize. We have to mobilize. We have to give energy.”
The biggest event of Harris’ abbreviated presidential bid featured cameos from Houston native Beyonce Knowles-Carter and Texas legend Willie Nelson.
Beyoncé took the stage with Kelly Rowland, who was also a member of the group Destiny’s Child, and sent the stadium into a frenzy. The superstar, whose “Freedom” has become Harris’ campaign anthem, did not perform. She said she was there not as a celebrity or politician, but as a mother.
“Imagine our daughters growing up with no ceilings, no limits, thinking about what is possible,” she said, adding, “My children, and all of our children, , a world where we have full control over our own bodies, where we are not divided.”
“It’s time for America to sing a new song. Our voices sing a chorus of unity. They sing a song of dignity and opportunity. Are you ready to add your voice to the song of a new America? ” she said to cheers before introducing Harris on stage.
With 11 days left in the campaign and Democrats and Republicans competing to attract voters, Harris’ team saw Friday’s rally as a way to capture the attention of voters across the country.
At the same time, the vice president used the event to highlight what she said were critical choices for Americans at the polls, including the passage of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. This included sending a message to former President Donald Trump to push for more. The choice of the red state of Texas for the event was meant to highlight that the state has some of the strictest abortion laws in the nation.
The evening was partly sombre, with an emphasis on reproductive rights and first-person accounts of how restrictive laws nearly caused, or were causing, women’s deaths. At one point, a group of doctors in white coats took to the stage and claimed they were on the front lines of reproductive medicine.
They said women’s health was at stake and urged the crowd to vote. In between speeches, a video of Trump taking credit for Roe’s ouster was played, prompting boos.
Beyoncé spoke at Harris’ campaign rally in Houston. Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP – Getty Images
Harris’ team believes the focus on reproductive rights also appeals to men, citing campaign ads that have had positive results for men.
On Friday, Harris specifically called out to men, saying they do not want to see the lives of their daughters and wives at risk because of limited medical options.
“Look at the men here, thank you!” Harris said. “American men don’t want this.”
Harris said at one point that Trump has refused to release her medical records, but after Roe was overturned, some places, like Texas, require women to report if they have an abortion or miscarriage. He pointed out that he would like to establish a requirement that the government must do so.
“Simply put, they have lost their minds!” Harris said.
Part of the night was aimed at highlighting Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, who is running a close race against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.
Chants of “Down with Ted Cruz!” Defeat Ted Cruz! ” The explosion occurred after a lawmaker asked the crowd to vote.
“Everything is big in Texas, but Ted Cruz is too small for Texas,” he said to the erupting crowd again.
Tens of thousands of people streamed into the arena for hours, turning the venue into a massive dance party as DJs played. It is estimated that around 30,000 people participated in the campaign.
In the crowd, Vicki Lewis wore a red, white and blue shirt with the word “Vote” written in large letters. Lewis said her message to other voters is to vote early.
“You have no right to stand on the fence. You already know that. You should vote for who represents you and your future,” said Lewis, who had already voted for Harris. She cited concerns about health care, reproductive rights and retirement. “I need someone to fight for me and represent me.”
She took issue with Trump bashing Harris and calling her “stupid.”
“She has a resume. He needs to see her resume,” she said. “He’s an unqualified person. She serves people. She’s a humane person and he’s not. It’s all about him and his cronies.”
Austin Baldestap said he worked specifically to uplift women.
“A big reason I’m here is to support women and make sure they continue to have what they deserve and their rights, which I think are under threat right now here in Texas. That’s extremely important,” Baldestap said.
Another attendee, Michael White, said he was tired of President Trump’s outrageous behavior.
“Some of the things he’s going to get done are, if I said what he said, if Obama said what he said, and if Harris said, do you think we’d get it done? ?” White said he was particularly concerned about Trump’s “disrespect to women.”
Correction (October 26, 2024, 11:13 a.m.): An earlier version of this article incorrectly listed who appeared on stage with Beyoncé. The person Beyoncé called her sister was Kelly Rowland, not her actual sister.
