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Vice President Kamala Harris began her speech by making clear that she backed President Joe Biden in the face of mounting speculation that she will be moved to the top of the ticket.
Harris, the first Asian American vice president in US history, took the stage at the Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote Presidential Town Hall in Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon, denouncing Donald Trump and boosting Biden.
The November election is “the most existential, consequential and important election of our lifetime,” she warned the crowd.
“We always knew this election would be tough and the past few days have been a reminder that running for president is tough. And it should be,” Harris continued.
Biden is a “fighter,” his vice president said. “We will continue to fight.”
“In November, we will win,” she added.
At one point, the crowd began to chant: “Four more years!”
The vice president’s clear support for the 81-year-old president comes at a crucial time for the Biden-Harris campaign as a growing list of celebrities, donors, and lawmakers have called for Biden to step aside mere weeks before the Democratic National Convention.
While the vice president has strongly supported the president, even after his disastrous debate performance, Harris is believed to be one of the top candidates to replace Biden.
On Friday, Biden reiterated his unmoving position, telling the Detroit crowd that he wasn’t going to quit the race: “I am running, and we’re going to win.”
The Trump campaign reportedly fears that the former president-slash-convicted felon will face a younger candidate in the fall. Republicans seem to fear that Harris in particular will make the ticket, as their targeted attacks against her have increased after the first debate.
Harris told the crowd on Saturday: “President Biden and I fight for the American people. Donald Trump does not.”
Trump “incites hate,” uses “vile language” toward immigrants, Harris said. She added that he bragged about seating three Supreme Court justices to overturn Roe v Wade.
Restoring reproductive rights across the country has been a fixture of the Biden-Harris re-election campaign, as nearly half of the states have abortion bans in effect since the fall of Roe.
“One does not have to abandon their faith to agree that the government should not be telling her what to do with her body,” the vice president passionately told the crowd. She warned that if he were to return to the White House, he would sign a federal abortion ban.
“There is so much at stake at this moment,” the vice president said. “Last week we were again reminded of that fact,” referring to the Supreme Court’s immunity decision.
“If the Supreme Court says the laws do not apply to Donald Trump...If people like Mike Pence are not around to stand up to him, our last line of defense is the ballot box,” Harris said.
The Republican National Convention begins on Monday in Milwaukee, where Trump is expected to announce his running mate.
Harris’ remarks came hours before Trump’s rally in the western part of the state.
