Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Campaign Event | Greensboro, NC
Greensboro Coliseum
Greensboro, North Carolina
6:30 P.M. EDT
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Good evening, North Carolina! (Applause.) Good evening, Greensboro! (Applause.) Good evening. (Applause.)
Yeah, we’re doing this. Yes, we’re doing this. (Applause.) We are doing this. (Applause.)
Good evening. Oh, it’s good to be back in Greensboro. Can we hear it for Jazmin, please? (Applause.) I’ll tell you, when I hear our young leaders such as Jazmin, I know the future of our country is so bright — so bright — so bright. (Applause.)
And it is so good to be back in Greensboro and to be with so many leaders. (Applause.) Thank you, everybody. Thank you. I want to thank the incredible governor, Roy Cooper. (Applause.) Thank you. Your next governor, Attorney General Josh Stein — (applause); Representative Manning — (applause); Mayor Vaughan — (applause); the Council of State candidates — (applause); and all the leaders with us today.
So, North Carolina, two nights ago, Donald Trump and I had our debate. (Applause.) You watched it? Did you watch it? (Laughs.)
And, look, I believe we owe it to have another debate, right? (Applause.) We owe it to the voters. Because here’s the thing, in this election, what’s at stake could not be more important.
On Tuesday night, I talked about issues that I know matter to the families across America, like bringing down the cost of living, investing in America’s small businesses, protecting reproductive freedom — (applause) — and keeping our nation safe and secure. (Applause.)
But that’s not what we heard from Donald Trump. Instead — you know, and I called it at the beginning of the debate: It was the same old show — same old, tired playbook we’ve heard for years, with no plan for how he would address the needs of the American people.
Well, folks, look, it’s time to turn the page. (Applause.) Turn the page. I see you. (Laughs.)
America is ready for a new way forward, and we are ready for a new generation of leadership that is optimistic — optimistic about what we can do for our country together. (Applause.)
And that is why Democrats, Republicans, and independents are all supporting our campaign, because we agree — we agree we have a duty as citizens to put country above partisanship and defend our Constitution — and defend our Constitution.
And that is my pledge to you: I will always put country above party. From the courthouse to the White House, I have always fought for the people. (Applause.) Always fought for the people.
From being a young courtroom prosecutor —
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Yes, USA. Go on. (Applause.)
From being a young courtroom prosecutor in Oakland, California, I stood up for women and children against predators who abused them. (Applause.)
As attorney general of California, I took on the big banks and delivered $20 billion for middle-class families who faced foreclosure. (Applause.)
I stood up for veterans being sued — being scammed by big for-profit colleges; for workers who were being cheated out of their wages — the wages they were due; for seniors facing elder abuse.
I will be a president for all Americans. (Applause.) And together — together, we will build a brighter future for our nation. Together.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible.)
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And we’re — all right, Nupe. (Laughs.)
We are going to build a future where we build what I call an “opportunity economy” so every American has an opportunity to own a home, to build wealth, to start a business. (Applause.)
And let me tell you, I love our small businesses. Are there small business leaders here? Raise your hand. (Applause.) That’s right. That’s right.
So, you know, growing up — growing up, my mother, she worked long hours. She often worked very long hours, my mother. And so, my sister Maya and I would go over to Ms. Shelton’s house.
Now, Ms. Shelton, we called her our second mother. She was the second mother to us. She actually was from Louisiana, and she would take care of us in the evenings and on the weekends when my mother was working. And she was a small-business owner.
And let me tell you what I learned from being a young child about a small-business owner, Ms. Shelton. Our small-business owners, you are business leaders and you are civic leaders. You are community leaders. (Applause.) You hire locally. You mentor. You are part of the fabric of our communities.
And you, like Ms. Shelton, are the backbone of America’s economy — (applause) — the backbone.
So, I have a plan for you, and my plan is to give a $50,000 tax deduction for start-up businesses. (Applause.) Because I understand not everybody, like the person that was on the stage with me the other night, gets handed $400 million on a silver platter and then files for bankruptcy six times. (Applause.) Come on. Come on.
I know what — because, look, my mother, she worked hard, she saved up, and it wasn’t until I was a teenager she was able to buy our first home. I know the challenges that Americans and working people and families are having right now in terms of affordable housing. And we need to build more housing in America. (Applause.)
So, part of my plan — part of my vision for an opportunity economy is we are going to cut red tape and work with the private sector to build 3 million new homes by the end of my first term. (Applause.)
And I have a plan to lower the cost of living for America’s families on everything from health care to groceries, including taking on price gouging — (applause) — and those corporations when they take advantage of people in need.
Under my plan, more than 100 million Americans will get a tax cut. (Applause.) Thousands of dollars of your hard-earned money will go back in your pockets, including $6,000 during the first year of a child’s life — (applause) — for young parents, knowing in that critical stage of your child’s development, you might need a little help, not just to get by but to get ahead. (Applause.)
And I will always put the middle class and working families first. I know where I came from. (Applause.) I know where I came from. I’m clear about that.
Now, Donald Trump — well, he has a different plan. Just google “Project 2025.”
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: I see you have. (Laughs.)
It is a detailed and dangerous blueprint for what he will do if he is elected president. Donald Trump will give billionaires massive cuts — massive tax cuts and cut corporate taxes by over a trillion dollars —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — even as they pull down record profits.
He intends to cut Social Security and Medicare.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And he wants to impose what I call a “Trump sales tax” on everyday basic necessities, which will cost the average American family nearly $4,000 a year.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Some of the top economists in our country and in the world have reviewed these plans. Goldman Sachs, for example, has said that my plan would grow our economy and his plan would shrink the economy — (applause) — that his plan would reignite inflation and send us into a recession by the middle of next year.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: On top of this — on top of this, Donald Trump intends to end the Affordable Care Act.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Now, think about that. Think about that. Think — we remember what it meant when insurance companies could deny you for a preexisting condition. Remember what that was?
So, he wants to get rid of it. And as he said in the debate, he made clear he has no plan to replace it. In fact — you remember? “Concept.” (Laughter.) Do you remember? He has, quote, “concepts of a plan.” Concepts of a plan.
I mean, we’re 54 days from this election. “Concepts of a plan,” which means no actual plan — (laughter) — which means no actual plan.
And 45 million Americans are insured through the Affordable Care Act. So, understand what that means. He’s going to end it based on a concept and take us back when folks were suffering.
Well, we’re not going back. We are not going back. We are not going back. (Applause.)
We’re not going back. No, we’re not going back.
No, we — we, together, will move forward, because ours is a fight for the future. (Applause.) And — and ours is a fight for freedom — (applause) — 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 we remember how we got here. Donald Trump hand-selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — with the intention that they would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade — with the intention they would undo the protections. And they did exactly as he intended. And now, more than 20 states have a Trump abortion ban, including North Carolina —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — and every single state in the South except Virginia, many with no exceptions even for rape and incest. It is immoral — immoral.
And I know everyone here understands. Let us agree: One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government should not be telling her what to do with her body. (Applause.) Come on. Come on.
And when — and when he was asked on Tuesday night, Donald Trump refused to say that he would veto a national abortion ban.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well — well, when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom, as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law — (applause) — proudly sign it into law. We are not playing around.
And across our nation, we are witnessing a full-on attack on hard- fought, hard-won fundamental rights and freedoms, like the freedom to vote; the freedom to be safe from gun violence — (applause); the freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water — (applause); and the freedom to love who you love openly and with pride. (Applause.)
And here’s the thing that I know about all of the North Carolinian leaders who are here. You know this so well as part of your DNA. Generations of Americans before us led the fight for freedom. Generations of Americans before us, many from right here —
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Get a medic!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — led the fight for freedom. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Medic! Medic!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Let’s get a medic. Let’s get a medic.
Do we have a medic? Get — no — let’s get a medic over there, please. Let’s get a medic a- — over there.
AUDIENCE: We’re not going back! We’re not going back! We’re not going back!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Yeah. But let’s make sure — see — see, this is who we are. We look out for each other. That’s what leaders do: looking out for each other. (Applause.)
Okay, we’ve got a medic. Okay.
So, generations of Americans before us led the fight for freedom, and now the baton is in our hands. (Applause.) The baton is now in our hands.
And we who believe, then, in the sacred freedom to vote will finally pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. (Applause.)
And we who believe in the freedom to live safe from gun violence will finally pass an assault weapons ban, universal background checks, and red flag laws. (Applause.)
So much is on the line in this election —
AUDIENCE MEMBER: You got this, Kamala!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And — we got this. (Applause.) We got this.
But look — but look, here’s the thing. This is not 2016 or 2020. The stakes are even higher, because two months ago, the United States Supreme Court basically told the former president that he will effectively be immune no matter what he does in the White House.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well — well, here’s the thing, the courts will take care of that. Let’s take care of November. How about that? (Applause.) All right? (Laughs.)
But imagine — imagine what that court ruling means. Imagine what that means. Because before, there might have been at least the — the belief that there would be the threat of consequence, but now there’s an explicit ruling from the court that suggests he would be immune.
Imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Imagine what that would look like. He who has vowed, if reelected, he will be a dictator on day one.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: He who called for the, quote, “termination” of the Constitution of the United States.
And let us be very clear: Someone who suggests that 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. (Applause.)
And put that all in the context of people who have been talking about how he was when they served with him in the White House, people who saw him every day — his national security advisor, his defense secretary, his chief of staff, and his vice president — all — all of whom have warned America Donald Trump is not fit to be president of the United States — (applause) — and should never occupy our nation’s highest office again.
So, North Carolina, I believe it all comes down to this. We are here together. We are here together because we love our country. We love our country. (Applause.) And we together understand the awesome responsibility that comes with the greatest privilege on Earth: the privilege and pride of being an American. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: It’s an awesome responsibility.
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: That’s right. That’s right. That’s right.
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: That’s right.
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And I do believe — I do believe it is the highest form of patriotism to fight for the ideals of our country and to fight to realize the promise of America. (Applause.)
And so, North Carolina, we have 54 days until Election Day — (applause) — 54 days until Election Day and just 35 days until early voting begins. (Applause.)
And it’s not only the presidency that’s on the ballot. There are many, many important races, like Josh Stein running for governor — (applause) — whose — whose opponent — whose opponent was handpicked by Donald Trump because he wants a total ban on abortion in this state.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And that is just one of the many stakes that are at play in this election.
But see, we know the power is with the people. The power is with the people. (Applause.) Your voice is your vote, North Carolina. (Applause.) And you are going to make all the difference in the outcome of this race.
And look, we know ours will be a very tight race until the very end. We are the underdog. Let’s be clear about that. We are the underdog. And so, we have hard work ahead of us, but we like hard work. (Applause.) Hard work is good work. Hard work is good work.
And with your help, we will win. We will win. (Applause.)
And so, I ask you today, North Carolina, are you ready to make your voices heard?
AUDIENCE: Yes! (Applause.)
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Do we believe in freedom?
AUDIENCE: Yes! (Applause.)
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Do we believe in opportunity?
AUDIENCE: Yes! (Applause.)
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Do we believe in the promise of America?
AUDIENCE: Yes! (Applause.)
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And are we ready to fight for it?
AUDIENCE: Yes! (Applause.)
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And when we fight —
AUDIENCE: We win!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — we win. (Applause.) (Laughs.) There you go.
God bless you. And God bless America. (Applause.)
END 6:55 P.M. EDT
