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Michelle Obama's Speech in Michigan. Kamala Harris Campaigns In Michigan With Michelle Obama. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired October 26, 2024 - 17:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[16:59:51]

MICHELLE OBAMA, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: So Michigan, do not buy into the lie that we do not know who Kamala is or what she stands for.

This is someone who understands you, all of you. Someone from a middle-class family raised mostly by her mom like so many of us, leaning on her neighbors, like we all do.

That's what you want in a president. Someone who gets you and will have your back. Take it from me. And I know good people.

Kamala Harris is an extraordinary human being. She is an extraordinary candidate and she will be an extraordinary president of the United States of America. Mark my words because I don't lie.

So Michigan, with all that being said, I got to ask myself, why on earth is this race even close. I lay awake at night wondering what in the world is going? And it's clear to me that the question isn't whether Kamala is ready for this moment because by every measure, she has demonstrated that she's ready.

The real -- the real question is, as a country are we ready for this moment? Are we willing to do what it takes to get her across the finish line, or are we going to let ourselves get distracted and fall for the scam?

Are we going to lose sight of the dire consequences if we come up short it? And right now folks, I have to be honest I am not completely sure of the answers to those questions.

You all give me great comfort in this arena.

But this is a big country and that's why all of my hope about Kamala is also accompanied by some genuine fear. Fear for our country, fear for our children, fear for what is coming our way if we forget the stakes in this election.

And you all, that's why I'm here today. And you all know, I hate politics. But I hate to see folks taken advantage of even more. So, I wanted to do everything in my power to remind the country that I love that there's too much we stand to lose if we get this one wrong. I am -- I'm deeply concerned -- and I'm talking to everybody out there that too many of us are still confused and buying into the lies and distortions from people who do not have our best interests at heart.

So I want to address some of these concerns head on. Because when you lay out the options, this choice isn't even close. But whether its online or in the media, or in our social circles, there are folks who say they're not sure about Kamala.

They accuse her of not providing enough policy detail. Some wonder, do we really know her? Is she too aggressive? Is she not aggressive enough? There are folks sowing seeds of doubt about whether she's who she appears to be.

Now, don't get me wrong. Voters have every right to ask hard questions of any candidate seeking office. But can someone tell me why we are once again holding Kamala to a higher standard than her opponent?

We expect her to be intelligent and articulate, to have a clear set of policies, to never show too much anger, to prove time and time again that she belongs.

But for Trump, we expect nothing at all. No understanding of policy, no ability to put together a coherent argument, no honesty, no decency, no morals. Instead too many people are willing to write off his childish, mean-spirited antics by saying, well, Trump's just being Trump.

[17:04:48]

OBAMA: Rather than question his horrible behavior, some folks think he's funny.

And if you remember, that's exactly how he got elected the first time. Folks gave him a pass and rolled the dice, betting that he couldn't possibly be that bad.

And then there were those folks who didn't think it really mattered who the president was, if you can believe that. And still others who thought it be a good idea just to blow up our entire democracy.

Let us not forget how badly that worked out for all of us. Let us not forget the incompetence and the corruption, the chaos that was the cornerstone of his entire four years in office.

Let's start with the pandemic. Remember how woefully unprepared he was? How he was sowing seeds of fear and confusion, endangering lives with his lies and ignorance, denigrating the doctors and scientists trying to help us.

You want to talk about plans? Well, my husband left him a very detailed pandemic plan. And you know what he did? He ignored it. He had no clue how to get us out of that crisis.

No ability to bring back the millions of jobs we lost so suddenly. No idea how to get our students back into school safely. No attempt to help stem the epidemic of loneliness and isolation that too many of our young people are still dealing with.

And his failures had real costs. America lost 7 million more jobs during the COVID downturn than the European Union. Among wealthy nations, the United States had one of the highest COVID death rates.

Again all of this occurred with Trump in charge. And sadly, this was just the tragic exclamation point on his disastrous presidency. Installing judges and justices who have now stripped away our reproductive freedoms.

Cracking down on protesters marching to protect their sons from being shot because of the color of their skin. Rolling back protections for LGBTQ Americans. Fanning conspiracy theories, unleashing hatred in our communities.

And then when the American people fired him from a job that was too big for him to begin with, he tried to steal it, egging on a violent mob that breached our nation's Capitol. And when told that his own vice president was in danger, you know what he said? So what?

So what, you all. He said "so what" and after all of that -- after all of that, and there is more. There are still folks wringing their hands crossing their arms, tuning out, saying they plan to sit this election out to prove a point?

Well let me show you who isn't tuning out. Many of the folks who served closest to Trump and saw the danger firsthand. His former vice president, almost half of his former cabinet members, the growing list of four-star generals and Republican governors and senators and former House members -- all of whom are not publicly supporting his candidacy the second time around.

You all hear what I said? They are saying "no, thank you.

Many are speaking out. The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, for example, said -- and these are his words -- that Trump is fascist to the core. His joint chiefs of staff.

These folks know that nothing this man says or does is funny in any way. So I hope you'll forgive me if I'm a little frustrated that some of us are choosing to ignore Donald Trump's gross incompetence while asking Kamala to dazzle us at every turn.

I hope that you'll forgive me if I'm a little angry that we are indifferent to his erratic behavior, his obvious mental decline, his history as a convicted felon, a known -- a known slum lord, a predator found liable for sexual abuse.

[17:09:47]

OBAMA: All of this, while we pick apart Kamala's answers from interviews that he doesn't even have the courage to do, you all.

So I am praying that those of us contemplating voting for Trump or not voting at all, will snap out of whatever fog we are in. I am praying that we consider the decades of sacrifice and struggle by all of our ancestors, the folks who marched and sacrificed and shed their blood for us.

We have to ask ourselves, is a vote for Trump or no vote at all the way we honor their lives? And if that's the case well, that surely doesn't sound like freedom to me.

Because let me tell you, in any other profession or arena Trump's criminal track record and amoral character would be embarrassing, shameful, and disqualifying.

So I hope that you will forgive me if I am worried that we will blow this opportunity to finally turn the page on the ugliness once and for all. Because believe me, if Donald Trump is president again, at some point or another that ugliness will touch all of our lives.

And it will not matter what you look like, how you worship, who you love, or how you vote. If you don't make 6 or 8 or 12 figures, if you're not famous, if you criticize or disagree with him in any way, if he doesn't view you as his equal or relevant to his ambitions I promise you, he will not think about you when he gets into the Oval Office. And that will have real consequences for all of us.

If your town gets hit by a natural -- national -- natural disaster, who do you want looking out for? Is it Donald Trump, who's spreading so many lives and conspiracy theories about climate change and FEMA that the workers in North Carolina trying to help folks clean up after the last hurricane were fearing for their safety?

Or is it Kamala Harris who has been meeting with local officials, comforting the families in that state and doing everything she can to get folks the help they need.

If you're saving up to buy a house or pay off student loans, if you're caring for your kids or your parents or both, if you are a farmer, a factory worker, a paralegal, anyone whose job may be changed or replaced by technology who will actually be thinking about you?

Is it Donald Trump? Who's now allying (ph) with billionaires that want a puppet in the white house who will let him run unchecked?

Or is it Kamala Harris who has been fighting for working people her entire life?

If you're one of our service members, our veterans, or military families who is going to value your service and sacrifice? Is it -- is it Donald Trump who has called those who gave their lives for our country "suckers and losers"? Or is it Kamala Harris who I guarantee you will honor your commitment to the ideals we all share with every fiber in her being.

And if you are a mother who has lost sleep worrying if your son could be the victim of a nightmare traffic stop gone bad. If you've ever been out there marching and weeping for justice, who do you think is going to have your back?

CROWD: Kamala.

OBAMA: Is it Donald Trump who --

CROWD: No.

OBAMA: -- who once took out a full-page ad to demonize innocent, young black teenagers in New York City, who has dreamed openly about his own version of a purge where, in his words, he has said, for one day, one real rough, nasty day, he says he will allow cops to use violence indiscriminately, who I am sure has never spent a single second thinking about the lives on the other end of those batons.

Or is it Kamala Harris --

CROWD: Kamala.

OBAMA: -- who understands the anguish in these interactions, that it has the experience that shows us that, yes. It is possible to keep our community safe and keep innocent people out of harm's way.

[17:14:46]

OBAMA: And finally, you all, who could possibly think that this man would care more about our men and boys more than Kamala Harris? And while we're at it, I want to think about who do you think possibly would care more about our reproductive health?

And I just want to take a moment with this particular question. Because there is so much that gets lost in the conversation about women's reproductive rights.

And I want the men in the arena to bear with me on this. Because there's more at stake than just protecting a woman's choice to give birth. And sadly we as women and girls have not been socialized talk openly about our reproductive health.

We've been taught instead to feel shame and to hide how our bodies work. Some young girls in puberty, not knowing what to expect. Too many of us suffer with severe cramps and nausea for days on-in every single month.

And then on the other end of the reproductive timeline, too many women my age have no idea what's going on with our bodies as we battle through menopause and debilitating hot flashes and depression.

See fellows, most of us women, we suck up our pain and we deal with it alone. We don't share our experiences with anyone. Not with our partners, our friends, or even our doctors.

Look a woman's body is complicated business, you all. Yes, it brings life and that's a beautiful thing. But even when we are not bearing children, there is so much that can go wrong at it any moment.

Every woman here knows what I'm talking about. And unexpected lump, an abnormal pap smear or mammogram and infection or blockage, all of which could be early signs of a variety of life-threatening cancers.

And in those terrifying moments when something goes wrong, you all -- which will happen at some point to the vast majority of women in this country -- let me tell you, it feels like the floor falls out from under us.

In those moments, all we have to rely on is our medical system. In those dark moments, all we have to rely on is our faith in a higher power, and the experience of doctors to give us the care we need in a timely manner.

And look, I don't expect any man to fully grasp how vulnerable this makes us feel, to understand the complexities of our reproductive health experiences.

In all honesty, most of us, as women don't fully understand the breadth and depth of our own reproductive lives, you know.

And that's because our experiences are often neglected by science. There's a huge disparity in research funding for women's health. And if you happen to look like me and report pain, you're more likely to be ignored even by your own doctors, studies show.

So let me take a minute to help folks, especially the men in our lives to get a better sense of what could happen if we keep dismantling parts of our reproductive care system piece by piece as Trump intends to do.

I want folks to understand the chilling effect, not just on critical abortion care, but on the entirety of women's health. All of it.

There are good reasons why so many women and physicians are horrified by what's happened since Donald Trump's justices overturned Roe v Wade.

We're seeing women scrambling across state lines to get the care they need. Just this week a major medical journal reported that after Roe was overturned infant mortality in this country rose in large part because women are being forced to carry fetuses that won't survive to term. One woman spent 22 days in jail on murder charges after she miscarried in her own bathroom.

[17:19:49]

OBAMA: We are seeing doctors unsure if they can treat ectopic pregnancies. Doctors being told they can't treat a woman until she becomes so close to death that only a "life of the mother exception" will allow them to act.

So just imagine the profound effects for all of us if Donald Trump wins this election. In states that are already putting abortion bans into effect, his FDA could further outlaw patchwork systems or telehealth appointments and mail order pills thereby eliminating the last remaining protections for women in those states.

He could take actions that effectively ban abortion nationwide, which will put all of us in danger no matter what state we live in. We will see more doctors hesitating or shying away from providing lifesaving treatment because they are worried about being arrested. More medical students reconsidering even pursuing women's health at all.

more OB-GYN clinics without enough doctors to meet demand, closing their doors, leaving untold numbers of women and communities throughout this country without a place to go for basic gynecological care, which in turn will leave millions of us at risk of undiagnosed medical issues like cervical and uterine cancers.

This is real. So do you think Donald Trump is thinking about the consequences for the millions of women who will be living in medical deserts? Does anyone think he has the emotional maturity and foresight to come up with a plan to protect us?

You all, we are teetering on the edge. Even before these state bans, America was already lagging behind every other wealthy nation on measures like maternal mortality and paid leave.

So we -- we could be right back to the days before Roe which many young people here don't even remember. The days when abortion wasn't as safe as it is today. The days when the number of mothers of color dying in childbirth was 30 to 40 percent higher than when it was under Roe.

So to the men who love us, let me just try to paint a picture of what it will feel like if America, the wealthiest nation on earth, keeps revoking basic care from its women and how it will affect every single woman in your life.

Your girlfriend could be the one in legal jeopardy if she needs a pill from out-of-state or overseas, or if she has to travel across state lines because local clinics closed up.

Your wife or mother could be the ones at higher risk of dying from undiagnosed cervical cancer because they have no access to regular gynecological care.

Your daughter could be the one too terrified to call the doctor if she's bleeding during an unexpected pregnancy.

Your niece could be the one miscarrying in her bathtub after the hospital turned her away.

And this will not just affect women. It will affect you and your sons. The devastating consequences of teen pregnancy won't just be borne by young girls, but also by the young men who are the fathers. They too will have their dreams of going to college. Their entire futures totally upended by an unwanted pregnancy.

If you and your partner are expecting a child, you will be right by her side at the checkups, terrified if her blood pressure is too high. Or if there's an issue with the placenta, or if the ultrasound shows that the embryo was implanted in the wrong place. And the doctors aren't sure that they can intervene to keep the woman you love safe.

If your wife is shivering and bleeding on the operating room table during a routine delivery gone bad, our pressure dropping as she loses more and more blood or some unforeseen infection spreads, and her doctors aren't sure if they can act, you will be the one praying that it's not too late? You will be the one pleading for somebody, anybody to do something.

And then there is the tragic but very real possibility that in the worst-case scenario, you just might be the one holding flowers at the funeral. You might be the one left to raise your children alone. See, these are just some of the ways women die during childbirth.

[17:24:46]

OBAMA: And I don't want to be a downer, you all but in many cases, there is no warning and things go bad very quickly. And when it happens, every second of hesitation or delay can lead to devastating outcomes.

So I am asking you all from the core of my being to take our lives seriously. Please do not -- do not put our lives in the hands of politicians mostly men who have no clue or do not care about what we as women are going through, who don't fully grasp the broad-reaching health implications that they're misguided policies will have on our health outcomes.

The only people who have standing to make these decisions are women with the advice of their doctors. We are the ones with the knowledge and experience to know what we need.

So please, please do not hand our fates over to the likes of Trump who knows nothing about us, who has shown deep contempt for us. Because a vote for him is a vote against us, against our health, against our worth.

And let me tell you all, to think that the men that we love could be either unaware or indifferent to our plight is simply heartbreaking. It is a sad statement about our value as women in this world. It is both a setback in our quest for equity and a huge blow to our country's standing as a world leader on issues of women's health and gender equality.

So fellows, before you cast your votes ask yourselves what side of history do you want to be on?

Now I recognize that there are lot of angry, disillusioned people out there upset with the slow pace of change. And I get it. It is reasonable to be frustrated.

We all know we have a lot more work to do in this country. But to anyone out there thinking about sitting out this election or voting for Donald Trump or a third-party candidate in protest because you're fed up. Let me warn you 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. So are you men prepared to look into the eyes of the women and children you love and tell them that you supported this assault on our safety?

And to the women listening, we have every right to demand that the men in our lives do better by us. We have to use our voices to make these choices clear to the men that we love. Our lives are worth more than their anger and disappointment. And we are more than just baby-making vessels.

And if you are a woman who lives in a household of men that don't listen to you or value your opinion, just remember that your vote is a private matter. Regardless of the political views of your partner, you get to choose. You get to use your judgment and cast your vote for yourself and the women in your life.

Remember women, standing up for what is best for us can make the difference in this election.

So let us use our voices in these final days to make it plain to the men in our lives that we need to stand not with Trump, but with us.

We need them to vote for the only candidate in this race who will protect our lives. We need them to vote for Kamala Harris.

[17:29:47]

OBAMA: Kamala -- she will fight to restore our reproductive freedoms and defend our health. Kamala will fight for our access to lifesaving emergency care and maternal care in every state. Kamala will veto any abortion ban or bill that restricts access to contraception or IVF. Kamala will expand access to birth control and abortion pills, and she will do all of this not because she's a woman, but because she's a decent human being.

She will do this because she cares about the lives of people other than herself. And that's really what this election is about, Michigan. This isn't just about what we have an obligation to say no to, it's about what we have the opportunity to say yes to.

And we can elect someone who has the experience, the character and the strength to look at all these challenges and still see a brighter day on the other side. Kamala Harris will see us, all of us. Kamala Harris will listen to us, all of us. She will protect our freedom. She'll stand up for all of our lives. She will have our backs for the folks trying to get ahead and those just trying to get by. And in doing so, she will usher in a new generation of American leadership and send the ugliness of Donald Trump and his politics back where it belongs, the past.

But, Michigan, she cannot do any of this alone. So I'm asking you one last time, let us not just sit around and complain, let's do something. If your brother or your son or boyfriend needs to hear your perspective, are you willing to talk to them? Are you willing to send a video of what I've just said? Are you willing to do something?

If you have an aunt who's thinking about sitting this one out or voting for a third party, are you willing to have an uncomfortable conversation? Are you willing to do something? If you have an extra hour or extra weekend, are you willing to knock on doors and talk to your neighbors? Are you willing to do something? Look, Michigan, we've just got 10 more days to make it happen, 10 more days to wave goodbye to the incompetence and hatred, and division, 10 more days to welcome in a leader with the character and the heart, and the strength worthy of the office she seeks and worthy of the country that we all love.

Michigan, let's give Kamala everything we've got. Can we get this done? Can we get this done, Michigan? We need you, every last one of you, get this done. Get this done. And now, it is my pleasure to welcome to this stage the next president of the United States, Kamala Harris.

(MUSIC)

KAMALA HARRIS (D), US VICE PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Can we hear it for Michelle Obama? Good afternoon, Michigan. Good afternoon. All right, we're doing this. We're doing this.

[17:35:02]

All right, OK. Oh, it's great to be in Kalamazoo. Thank you. OK, OK. OK, all right. Thank you. OK, we got some work to do. We got some work to do. We got some work to do.

Can we please -- can we please applaud my dear and incredible friend, the former First Lady Michelle Obama. And I just have to say, I've known Michelle for years, and she is an inspiration. I know everybody here knows this. She is a truth -- she is a truth teller, and she motivates us to get to work, especially when the stakes are high. Because as she reminds us, as my mother taught me, don't just sit around and complain about injustice.

And there are so many incredible leaders here tonight, but I want to first just thank everybody. Because there are so much you could be doing with your time right now, and you are here. And we are here as community, as coalition builders, because we love our country. And I thank you for being here and I thank you for all your work. I thank you. I thank you. I thank you.

And I want to give a shout out to Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist, he's over there somewhere, Senator Gary Peters. And all the union elected and community leaders here today, I thank you. I want to give a special thank you to former Republican Congressman Fred Upton, who represented Kalamazoo for decades and has endorsed our campaign because, as he put it, ours is the team that will bring people together, strengthen our economy and get things done for the American people.

So, Kalamazoo, listen, you all know, before I was vice president, I was the United States senator. And before that, I was -- I know you want to say Kamala-zoo, I heard you. OK, all right. OK, we got that out of the way. OK.

So listen, before I was vice president, and before that, I was a two term attorney general of California, I was senator, a two term attorney general of California, and before that, a district attorney, and before that a courtroom prosecutor. And in those roles I took on perpetrators of all kinds, predators, fraudsters and repeat offenders. I took them on and I won.

Well, Michigan, in 10 days, it's Donald Trump's turn. So, listen, we've got just 10 days left. Well, you know, I hear your chant but listen, the courts are going to handle that, we're going to handle November, OK?

So look, we've got just 10 days left in one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime. As you all know, voting has already started, and everybody here knows this is going to be a tight race until the very end so we have a lot of work to do. But we like hard work. Hard work is good work. Hard work is joyful work.

[17:40:02]

And make no mistake, we will win. We will win. Yes, we will.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS (in unison): We will win! We will win! We will win! We will win! We will win!

HARRIS: And I got something for it -- or -- or as a certain former president would say, yes we can. So yes we can and yes we will. And we will win because together, and this is about all of us, we are fighting for America's future, and we understand the opportunity we have before us to turn the page on the fear --

OK. Thank you all. Thank you all. Thank you all.

And listen on the topic of Gaza, we must end that war, and we must end the war and bring the hostages home. But now I am speaking about 2024, all right. So listen, we have to understand the opportunity we have before us to turn the page on the fear and the divisiveness that have characterized our politics for a decade because of Donald Trump. We have an opportunity to turn the page and chart a new and joyful way, dare I say, joyful way forward, where we tap into the ambition and the aspirations, and the dreams of the American people.

And I'm going to tell you, as I travel around our country, there is an overwhelming call for a fresh start, for a new generation of leadership that is optimistic and excited about what we can do together. 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. That is what this election is about.

And my whole career, I have put the people above partisanship. I never asked somebody, are you a Democrat or a Republican before I offered help. It's the first and only thing I asked is, how can I help you?

And that is a major difference between Donald Trump and me. And between the two extremely different visions that he and I have for our nation, one his focused on the past and himself. The other ours focused on the future and you and your family. And together, we will build a future where we bring down the cost of living, and that will be my focus every single day as president. Because, look, while inflation is down and wages are up, prices are still too high, you know it and I know it. And unlike Donald Trump, who had $400 million handed to him on a silver platter and then filed for bankruptcy six times, I grew up in a middle class neighborhood with a working mother who kept a strict budget, and did everything she could to make sure my sister and I had all that we needed. I come from the middle class, and I will never forget where I come from. I will never forget where I come from.

[17:45:00]

And so, my common sense plan is about lowering the prices you pay on everything from prescription medication to groceries, to housing. On the other hand, Donald Trump will raise costs on the families of America. In fact, independent economists have analyzed our plans, and found that mine will cut your costs and strengthen our economy, while his will increase inflation and lead to a recession by the middle of next year.

And his agenda is all laid out in Project 2025, the which I still must say, I cannot believe they put that in writing. I mean, they put it in writing. They bound it, they handed it out. And if you get your hands on it, Google it, it's a detailed and dangerous blueprint for what he will do if he is elected president.

Donald Trump will impose a 20 percent Trump national sales tax on everyday basic necessities, which will cost, the economists have measured it, will cost the average family nearly $4,000 a year. On the other hand, I will take on an issue like corporate price gouging. I have done it before and I will do it again.

Donald Trump will give massive tax cuts to billionaires in the biggest corporations, exactly like he did the last time he was president. I will give middle class tax cuts to 100 million Americans, including $6,000 during the first year of a child's life that will also lift America's children out of poverty.

Donald Trump, again read his plan, will get rid of the $35 cap on insulin for seniors. He will cut Medicare and Social Security. In fact, recently it was published, independent economists say he will bankrupt Social Security in the next six years. And what everybody here knows we have so many seniors whose only source of income is their Social Security check. And we believe that our seniors should be able to retire with dignity, not worried about whether they're going to have a roof over their head.

And we believe that their families also should not be overwhelmed by the cost of home health care, which is why my plan includes ensuring that instead of you who are taking care of your elder relative. You know, I took care of my mother when she was sick, and I know what that is like. It's about trying to cook something that they feel like eating. It's about trying to help them put on a sweater. It's about trying to say something that maybe will bring a smile to their face and maybe make them laugh from time to time.

It's about their dignity. But we have a lot of people right now living in what we call the sandwich generation, who are taking care of your kids while you're taking care of your parents. And that's a lot, it's a lot, and too many people either, well, either, if you are fortunate enough, you may have some extra money that you can hire somebody, but most people can't.

So what that means is, so many people have to think about leaving work, quitting their job, which means cutting a source of income, or spending down all of your savings to be able to qualify for Medicaid. It's just not right. So part of my plan says we're going to make sure that Medicare covers the cost of home health care for our seniors. It's about dignity. It's about dignity. It's about seeing people where they are and understanding the burdens people face, and lifting folks up instead of trying to beat people down, which is exactly what we see on the other side.

On top of that, my plan will bring down the cost of housing because we know housing is too expensive. And for so many people, you know, generations ago, folks could kind of count on the American dream. But it's out of reach for far too many people. And so, we're going to bring down the cost of housing, including creating incentives for more home building, and we are going to create a $25,000 down payment assistance for first time home buyers, Just to get your foot in the door.

Because the way I see it, it's not enough that you're just able to get by, I want you to be able to get ahead you. We're going to cut taxes for small businesses, because small businesses are the backbone of America's economy.

Do we have any small business owners here? Right? I love our small business group. We're going to lower healthcare costs because, look, I believe healthcare should be a right and not just a privilege of those who have the money to afford it.

On the other hand, we've got Donald Trump who intends to end the Affordable Care Act, or as we like to call it, Obamacare, and he would take us back to when insurance companies have the power to deny people with pre-existing conditions. You remember what that was like? Well, we are not going back. We are not going back because we are about moving forward. And it is time to turn the page.

So ours is a fight for the future, and it is a fight for freedom, 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. And remember how we got here, 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. They did as he intended, and now one in three women in America lives in a state with a Trump abortion ban, many with no exceptions for rape and incest.

And the idea that somebody who survives a crime of a violation to their body would not have the right to make a decision about what happens to their body next, that is immoral. And let us agree, one does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree that the government shouldn't be telling her what to do. Not the government, not the government. If she chooses she will talk with her priest, her pastor, her rabbi, her Imam, but not the government, come on. Some folks up in a state capitol telling you what's in your best interest, like you don't know. Not in Michigan but, look, if there's a national if - look, if there's a national abortion ban, nobody is safe and that's why I so thank everybody for being here, knowing this is at stake for everybody and fighting for everybody.

And I'll tell you. So I was in -- I actually just got in from Texas, and I did an event in Texas last night, in Houston. And if you saw it, you probably saw some of the stories about what has been happening in our country, the suffering, the suffering. And, you know, Donald Trump still refuses to even acknowledge the pain and suffering he has caused. He insists that, and I'm going to quote, everybody wanted Roe v Wade to be overturned. Come on, everybody wanted this.

Women are being denied care during miscarriages, some only being treated once they developed sepsis. They didn't want this. Couples just trying to grow their family who have been cut off from IVF treatments, they didn't want this. The men of America seeing their daughters, wives, sisters and mothers put at risk because their rights have been stripped away. The men of America don't want this.

Women have died because of these bans, how could anybody say that they wanted this? And you have heard me say, I do believe Donald Trump to be an unserious man, but the consequences of him ever being president again are brutally serious, brutally serious.

JESSICA DEAN, CNN ANCHOR: You are listening to Vice President Kamala Harris speak at a rally in Michigan. We're going to take a quick break. We'll have more on the other side.

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