Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Campaign Event | Grand Rapids, MI
Riverside Park
Grand Rapids, Michigan
2:38 P.M. EDT
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, Michigan! Good afternoon. Can we hear it for Brian? (Applause.)
Good afternoon, Michigan. It is good — (applause) — oh, it is good to be back. It’s good to be back. (Applause.) Good afternoon. Oh — (laughs) — oh, my god. Okay. (Applause.) Okay. Thank you.
Okay, let’s get to business. Let’s get to business. Thank you. Thank you. I am very touched. (Applause.) Thank you all. Oh, it’s good to be back. Thank you all very much. Thank you. Thank you.
Okay, let’s get to work. Let’s get to work. Let’s get to work. Let’s get to work.
So, let me first thank all of you for taking time out of your very busy lives for us to all be here together this afternoon. I thank you so very much for all you do, all you have done, and all you will do over these next 18 days. Thank you all so very much. (Applause.) Thank you.
This is an incredible group of incredible leaders, and your voice matters so much right now. And I think there is so much about our campaign that is about the spirit of reminding everyone that we’re all in this together. We are all in this together. (Applause.) So, thank you.
And to all the governors who are here with us today — (applause) — I’m telling you, they’re riding thick. They’re riding thick. Oh, and they are all — each one of them — such incredible leaders, both for their state and our nation, and such dear friends. And I thank you all, including, of course, Michigan’s own Governor Whitmer — (applause) — who we love as “Big Gretch.” (Applause.)
And to the governors, I want to say you’ve been traveling the country for our campaign, and I’m so deeply grateful for your support.
I also want to recognize Senator Stabenow — (applause) — a champion for Michigan; Representative Scholten, who we will reelect to the United States Congress. (Applause.) And while we’re at it, let’s send Representative Slotkin to the United States Senate. (Applause.)
All right, so we got work to do. Eighteen day — eighteen days left in one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime. And as you know, everyone here knows, this election is truly about two very different visions for our nation: Ours that is focused on the future; Donald Trump’s that is focused on the past. Ours, that is focused on bringing down the cost of living for working families, investing in small businesses, and entrepreneurs. Ours, that is about protecting reproductive freedom. (Applause.)
But none of that is what we hear from Donald Trump. Instead, it is just the same old, tired playbook. He has no plan for how he would address the needs of the American people, and he is, as we have seen, only focused on himself.
And now he is ducking debates and canceling interviews.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Come on.
Check this out. His own campaign team recently said it is because of exhaustion. (Laughter.) Well, if you are exhausted on the campaign trail, it raises real questions about whether you are fit for the toughest job in the world. (Applause.) Come on. Come on.
So, for all these reasons and more, we are here because we know it is time to turn the page. (Applause.) It is time to turn the page because America is ready to chart a new way forward. (Applause.) America is ready for a new and optimistic generation of leadership that is all of us — (applause) — all of us, which is why Democrats, Republicans, and independents are supporting our campaign. (Applause.)
In fact, earlier this week, over 100 Republican leaders from across the country joined me on the campaign trail, including some who even served in Donald Trump’s own administration — (applause) — the people who know him best, right?
And I believe all of this shows that the American people want a president who works for all the people. (Applause.) And that has been the story of my entire career. In my career, I’ve only ever had one client: the people — the people. (Applause.)
As a young courtroom prosecutor, I protected women and children. As attorney general of California, I fought for students and veterans. As vice president, I have stood up for workers and seniors. And as president, I will stand up for all Americans — all Americans. (Applause.)
And together, we will build a brighter future for our nation. Yes, we will. (Applause.) Because, by the way, we will win. (Applause.) We will win. We will win. Come on.
AUDIENCE: We will win! We will win! We will win!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.) Yes, we will.
AUDIENCE: We will win! We will win! We will win!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: We will win. We will win. And we will win.
And one of the reasons that we know we are working hard toward that win is because we believe together in building a future — in what we can do together as a nation — and a nation of people who see what we have in common more than what separates us.
We will w- — build towards a future where we have an economy that works for all Americans. We will build what I call an “opportunity economy” so that every American has an opportunity to own a home, buy a car, build wealth, and start a business. (Applause.)
In fact, do we have any small-business owners here? (Applause.) I love our small businesses. I got a plan for you. I love our small businesses. Our small businesses are part of the backbone of America’s economy. Bless you all for the work you are doing.
So, under my plan, we will also bring down the cost of housing — (applause) — and we will help entrepreneurs start and grow small businesses.
My plan will expand Medicare to cover the cost of home health care for our seniors — (applause) — so that more of our seniors can live with dignity.
And, you know, I’ll just give you a little background i- — in terms of a personal story. So, I took care of my mother when she was sick. And for any of you who have taken care of an elder relative, you know what that is, right? It’s about trying to cook something that they can eat. It’s about trying to find clothes that they can — they can handle on their skin. It’s about trying, from time to time, to think about something that will put a smile on their face or maybe just make them laugh. It’s about dignity.
But under the current system, and especially for those in the sandwich generation who are raising young kids while you’re taking care of your parents, it’s difficult. And under the current system, to get help for taking care of your seniors, unless you got the extra money sitting around, you’d have to leave your job or pay down all your savings to qualify for Medicaid. That’s not right. That’s not right.
So, my plan is about saying, let’s have Medicare cover the cost of home health care for our seniors — (applause) — which is a matter of understanding how real people are living and understanding the importance of everyone being entitled to dignity. (Applause.)
Our plan, in terms of an opportunity economy, will lower costs on everything from health care to groceries. I’ll take on corporate price gouging, because I’ve done it before and I will do it again. (Applause.)
My plan will also give middle-class tax cuts to 100 million Americans, including $6,000 tax credit for the first year of a child’s life so that our young parents — (applause) — can do what they naturally want to do, which is parent their children well, but they don’t always have the resources to be able to do it. So, let’s help them out so that they can buy a car seat, so that they can buy a crib, so that they can take care of that baby’s needs during that critical phase of their development.
We all benefit from it. We all benefit from it. (Applause.)
Dignity.
My plan also invests in American manufacturing and innovation, because I will make sure America, not China, wins the competition for the 21st century. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: That’s right. That’s right.
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And so, to that point and with pride, we all say: We must and we will invest in the industries that built America, like steel, iron, and the great American auto industry. (Applause.) And we will ensure that the next generation of breakthroughs, from advanced batteries to electric vehicles, are not just invented but built right here in America by American union workers. (Applause.)
And, Michigan, I know I’m going to tell you what you already know, but let us be clear for folks who are watching from different parts of the country. Contrary to what my opponent is suggesting, I will never tell you what kind of car you have to drive, but here is what I will do. I will invest in manufacturing communities like Kent County. (Applause.)
Together, we will retool existing factories, hire locally, and work with unions to create good-paying jobs — (applause) — including jobs that do not require a college degree, because here’s where I come from. I know a college degree is not the only measure of the skills and experience of a qualified worker. (Applause.)
And I intend to reexamine federal jobs, when you all elect me president — (applause) — to assess those jobs that should not have that requirement, and then I intend to challenge the private sector to do the same. (Applause.)
Now, all of this is to say Donald Trump has a different approach. He makes big promises — (laughs) — and he always fails to deliver.
So, remember he said he was the only one — you know how he talks. (Laughter.) He — the only one who could bring back America’s manufacturing jobs.
Then, America lost almost 200,000 manufacturing jobs when he was president.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Facts. Including tens of thousands of jobs right here in Michigan. And those losses started before the pandemic, making Donald Trump one of the biggest losers — (applause) — of manufacturing jobs in American history.
And his track record for the auto industry was a disaster. He promised workers in Warren that the auto industry would, and I’m going to quote, “not lose one plant” during his presidency. Those were his words, “not one plant.”
Then American automakers announced the closure of six auto plants when he was president, including General Motors in Warren and Stellantis in Detroit. Thousands of Michigan autoworkers lost their jobs. And Donald Trump’s running mate recently suggested that if they win, they would threaten the Grand River Assembly plant in Lansing. Okay?
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: The same plant our administration protected earlier this year, saving 650 union jobs — (applause) — 650 union jobs. His running mate called those “table scraps.”
So, we fought hard for those jobs, and we believe that you deserve a president who will protect them and not insult them. (Applause.)
And make no mistake, Donald Trump is no friend of labor. Let’s be really clear about that. No matter what the noise is out there, he is no friend of labor. Just look at the record. Instead of his rhetoric, look at the record. And let’s not fall for the okey-doke. (Laughter.)
Seriously. He encouraged automakers to move their plants out of Michigan so he could pay — they could pay their workers less. Understand what that was about: so they could pay their workers less.
And when the UAW went on strike to demand the higher wages they deserved, Donald Trump went to a nonunion shop —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — and attacked the UAW, and he said — he said, striking and collective bargaining don’t make, quote, “a damn bit of sense” — “a damn bit of difference” is what he said exactly. That it doesn’t make a, quote — pardon my language — “a damn bit of difference,” is what he said.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: He don’t make a damn bit of sense. (Applause.)
THE VICE PRESIDENT: All right, brother. (Laughs.)
So, Michigan, you know better. Strong unions mean higher wages — (applause) — better health care, and greater dignity for union members and for everyone, whether or not you are part of a union. (Applause.) Get that straight. Get that straight.
Which is why, when I am president, I will sign the PRO Act into law and make it easier for workers to join a union and negotiate for better pay and working conditions. (Applause.)
And now Donald Trump is making the same empty promises to the people of Michigan that he did before, hoping — hoping you will forget how he let you down the last time. But we will not be fooled, because we know how to read Project 2025. For those who haven’t seen it, just google it.
You know, I just have to keep repeating, I can’t believe they put that thing in writing. I cannot beli- — they — they put it in — they put it in writing. They bound it. They — they published it, and they handed it out. (Laughter.) And now they’re trying to run from it. Come on.
And so, we’ve read it. It’s a detailed and dangerous blueprint for what Donald Trump intends to do if he were elected president. So, that’s why we know — not only because it’s what he did before — that’s why we know Donald Trump will give billionaires and corporations massive tax cuts, attack unions, cut Social Security and Medicare —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — get rid of that hard-fought, hard-won $35 cap on insulin for our seniors.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Check out what’s in it. It will make it easier for companies to deny overtime pay for workers —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — and impose what I call a “Trump sales tax,” which is basically — he’s talking about at least a 20 percent tax on everyday necessities, which economists have measured will cost the average family nearly $4,000 more a year.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And on top of this, Donald Trump intends to end the Affordable Care Act — okay? — and has no plan to replace it.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: “Concepts”!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: You watched the debate. (Laughs.) So, you remember, he has, quote, “concepts of a plan.”
AUDIENCE: “Concepts of a plan!”
THE VICE PRESIDENT: “Concepts of a plan.”
So, he’s going to threaten — he’s going to threaten the health insurance of 45 —
AUDIENCE MEMBERS: (Inaudible.)
THE VICE PRESIDENT: We need a medic over here. We need a medic over here. Let’s — let’s clear a path so they can come through, please.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Don’t forget he’s out on bail!
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Espionage! (Laughter.)
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And we got jokes over here, grounded in reality. (Laughter.)
We okay? Okay. We’re okay. Thank you all.
So — (applause) — we’re good. Okay.
So, you know, where I was going with that is many of you may have heard me say, I do believe that Donald Trump is an unserious man, and the consequences of him ever getting back into the White House are brutally serious — brutally serious.
So, on that point about “concepts of a plan,” it’s funny. We thought it was ridiculously hilarious when we first heard it. But here’s the thing about that. He is basically going to threaten the health insurance of 45 million people based on a concept and take us back to when insurance companies could deny people with preexisting conditions. You remember what that was like?
Well, we are —
AUDIENCE: Not going back!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — not going back. We are not going back. We’re not going back.
AUDIENCE: We’re not going back! We’re not going back! We’re not going back!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: We are not going back. We’re not going back.
AUDIENCE: We’re not going back! We’re not going back! We’re not going back!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And we are not going back because we intend to move forward — (applause) — because ours is a fight for the future, and it is a fight for freedom — (applause) — like the fundamental freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do. (Applause.)
And we here remember how we got to this place, because then-President Donald Trump hand-selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention that they would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade, and they did as he intended.
And now, in America, one in three women lives in a state with a Trump abortion ban, many of these with no exception even for rape and incest, which means you’re telling a survivor of a violation to their body that they don’t have a right to make a decision about what happens to their body next?
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: That’s immoral. That’s immoral.
And I think we all know one does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government should not be telling her what to do — (applause) — not the government. If she chooses, she will talk to her priest, her pastor, her rabbi, her imam but not the government — not some — some people up in a state capitol — not Donald Trump.
AUDIENCE: No!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: No.
So, let me tell you, when Congress passes a bill to restore the reproductive freedoms nationwide, with your help, as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law. (Applause.) Proudly. Proudly. Proudly.
And across our nation, we are witnessing a full-on assault on other hard-fought, hard-won freedoms and rights — fundamental freedoms and rights. I’m traveling our country. I mean, attacks on the freedom to vote.
You know, in the state of Georgia, they passed a law that makes it illegal to give people food and water for standing in line to vote. You know, the hypocrisy abounds. What happened to “love thy neighbor”? Right?
Attacks on the freedom to join a union, attacks on the freedom to be safe from gun violence, attacks on the freedom to love who you love openly and with pride. (Applause.)
So much is on the line in this election, and you all are spending your precious time here together because we know this is not 2016 or 2020. The stakes are even higher this time for many reasons, including because, just months ago, the United States Supreme Court basically told the former president he is effectively immune no matter what he does in the White House.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Right. Because we know — just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails. Just imagine. He who has vowed he would be a dictator on day one. He who calls Americans who disagree with him the “enemy from within.” You know where that language comes from? The “enemy from within,” talking about Americans. He who says he would use the military to go after them — American citizens. He who has called for the, quote, “termination” of the Constitution of the United States of America.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And we are clear: Someone who suggests we should terminate the Constitution of the United States should never again have the privilege of standing behind the seal of the president of the United States. (Applause.) Never again. Never again. Never again. Never again.
AUDIENCE: Never again! Never again! Never again!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Never again.
So, Michigan, it all comes down to this. We know why we’re here together. We know what’s at stake. And we are here together for one of the most important of all the reasons: We are here together because we love our country. (Applause.) We love our country.
We love our country, and we know that it is one of the highest forms of an expression of love of our country, of patriotism, to then fight for our ideals, to fight to realize the promise of America. That’s what our campaign is about.
And Election Day is in 18 short days. Okay? And here in Michigan, early voting starts on Saturday, October 26th, which is one week from tomorrow. (Applause.)
So, now is the time to make your plan to vote. Make a plan. Make a plan. And if you have received your ballot in the mail, please do not wait. Fill it out and return it today.
Because, folks, the election is here. The election is here right now. And like I know everybody here knows to do, we’ve got to energize and organize and mobilize and remind our neighbors and our friends that their vote is their voice and your voice is your power.
In a democracy, while we can hold on to it, our vote is the power that each of us as an individual has. It’s an extraordinary power, and we will not give it away, and we will not let anyone suppress or silence our power. Don’t ever let anybody take your power from you. (Applause.)
So, Michigan, today I ask you, then, are you ready to make your voices heard? (Applause.)
Do we believe in freedom? (Applause.)
Do we believe in opportunity? (Applause.)
Do we believe in the promise of America? (Applause.)
And are we ready to fight for it? (Applause.)
And when we fight —
AUDIENCE: We win!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — we win.
God bless you. And God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)
END 3:07 P.M. EDT
