Vice President Kamala Harris rallied thousands of voters in one packed Milwaukee arena as former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama energized thousands more in Chicago on behalf of Harris on August 20. the split-screen approach was designed to demonstrate the energy and breadth of the Democratic nominee’s evolving coalition.
Amidst the Democratic National Convention (DNC) held in Chicago, Harris brought her momentum to Milwaukee where she held a spirited rally at the Fiserv Forum. It was the same venue in the key battleground of Wisconsin where convicted felon Donald Trump had accepted the Republican nomination in July.
Joining the DNC virtually from her rally, Harris addressed the enthusiastic delegates gathered in Chicago. As the crowd in Milwaukee erupted, the delegates in Chicago raised signs reading “FREEDOM,” reflecting the fervor of Harris’s supporters in Wisconsin.
“Good evening, Milwaukee! And hello to everyone joining us from exciting Chicago. The delegates at the Democratic National Convention just completed their roll call and they have nominated Coach Walz and me to be the next vice president and president of the United States of America. And I thank everyone there and here for believing in what we can do together. We are so honored to be your nominees. This is a people-powered campaign, and together, we will chart a new way forward—a future for freedom, opportunity, optimism, and faith. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’ll see you in two days, Chicago,” said Harris to the DNC from Milwaukee.
The raucous night of events spanning two states underscored the diversity of the coalition that Harris’ campaign is working to stitch together in her bid to defeat Trump this fall. She is drawing on the party’s biggest stars, leaders from the far left to the middle, and even some Republicans to boost her campaign.
Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, shared the stage in Milwaukee. They made a powerful statement by rallying in the very arena where Trump had accepted his party’s loyalty.
During her speech, Harris did not shy away from addressing the contentious issue of abortion rights, criticizing Trump for showing no remorse over the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade. The ruling, which eliminated the federal protection for women’s right to abortion, was made possible by three Trump-appointed justices.
“I do believe that bad behavior should result in a consequence. Well, we will make sure he does face a consequence. And, that will be at the ballot box in November,” said Harris.
The DNC an unconventional approach with the side-by-side broadcast during the convention, juxtaposing the roll call of delegates in Chicago with the live, electrifying rally in Milwaukee.
Harris cast the election in dire, almost existential terms. She implored Americans not to get complacent in light of the Supreme Court decision carving out broad presidential immunity, a power she said Trump would abuse.
She has also seized on Trump’s opposition to a nationally guaranteed right to abortion.
“They seemingly don’t trust women,” she said of Trump and his Republican allies. “Well, we trust women.”
The vice president’s speech evoked some of the same themes that underlaid Biden’s case for reelection before he dropped out, casting Trump as a threat to democracy. Harris argued that Trump threatens the values and freedoms that Americans hold dear.
Trump said he would be a dictator only on his first day in office, a quip he later said was a joke, and has vowed as president to assert more control over federal prosecutions, an area of government that has traditionally been left to the Justice Department.
Someone with that record “should never again have the opportunity to stand behind the seal of the president of the United States,” Harris said. “Never again.”
Local Democratic voters in Wisconsin stressed the importance of Harris’s presence in the state, recognizing it as a decisive battleground. They noted that in the 2020 election, President Joe Biden won Wisconsin by a narrow margin, whereas in 2016, Trump edged out Hillary Clinton by just 22,700 votes.
Frequent visits by Harris are seen as crucial to securing these crucial votes, something Clinton failed to do in 2016 when she skipped campaigning in Wisconsin during the general election.
Harris and Walz aim to channel the energy from their rallies into a determined effort to mobilize voters, particularly in key areas like Milwaukee. They hope to build on their momentum, turning enthusiasm into votes and ultimately securing a victory in November.
