Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks at a Biden/Harris campaign event in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:
https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript
Stay Connected
Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: http://forbes.com
Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:
https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript
Stay Connected
Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: http://forbes.com
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00everyone, please have a seat. It's really good to be back in Michigan. I want to thank
00:05you all for the work you're doing. I want to thank Debbie Stabenow. Where are you? She's
00:09that extraordinary senator of yours. She's over there somewhere. There she is. Thank
00:15you, Senator. Every time I think I've come to this state, she's met me on the tarmac,
00:19including today. Thank you for your leadership always. Thank you. Before we begin our conversation
00:25today with these two extraordinary leaders, I do want to discuss briefly what happened
00:32on Saturday. I've not had a chance yet to publicly talk about it, but I will say a few
00:38words about the attempt on the life of former President Trump over the weekend. As we all
00:43know, it was a heinous, horrible and cowardly act. My husband Doug and I are thankful he
00:49was not seriously injured that day. As soon as we saw what was happening, we said a prayer
00:55for his well being and our thoughts immediately turned to Melania, who we have met and their
01:03family. The bottom line is no one should have to fear for the safety of a loved one because
01:09they serve in public office. Our heart goes out to the family of Corey Comparator, a true
01:18hero who died protecting his family. And Doug and I, of course, are holding them close
01:24in our hearts. We are also wishing those who were critically injured that day a swift and
01:29full recovery. And we are thankful to the United States Secret Service, the first responders
01:35and local authorities. The United States of America, I believe, is the greatest democracy
01:45the world has ever known. Yes. But in the aftermath of this weekend's shootings and
01:58shooting, excuse me, one of the questions we now confront the one of the questions we
02:02now confront is about the way we should engage with one another in this campaign. On Sunday
02:10evening, our President Joe Biden issued a call for unity, and there must be unity around
02:18the idea that while our nation's history has been scarred by political violence, violence
02:26is never acceptable. There can be no equivocation about that. At the same time, the hallmark
02:40of American democracy, the hallmark of any democracy, is a strong competition of ideas,
02:49policies and a vision for the future. And just as we must reject political violence,
02:56we must also embrace a robust discussion about what is at stake in this election. The surest
03:05way to reaffirm the strength of our democracy is by engaging in a vigorous and civil exchange
03:15of ideas. And one of the ideas and one of the principles that is at stake in this election
03:25is the issue of reproductive freedom. And that is why I am here today to discuss that
03:31topic, and I look forward to our conversation. Thank you all very much.
03:35All right, I get to kick this off. It's an honor. I'm here as a conservative, pro-choice
03:53woman. And I don't think ten, five or even maybe two years ago, we would have been talking
04:01about reproductive rights in elections, because it was seen as too controversial, not a winning
04:07issue. And frankly, it seemed like settled law. Clearly, the landscape has shifted 180
04:17degrees. How do you see this moment and how we got here?
04:23So first, I want to thank the two of you for your extraordinary courage and leadership
04:29on this issue. The voice that you each have carried and continue to carry is the voice
04:35of so many people who may not have the ability to do what the two of you have done so courageously,
04:42and I thank you for that. And we should applaud their courage. It takes a lot of courage to
04:48do what you two are doing. Extraordinary courage.
04:52So just over two years ago, the highest court in our land, and I think about it, the court
04:59of Thurgood Marshall and RBG, took a constitutional right that had been recognized from the people
05:10of America, from the women of America. And thereafter, in state after state, extremists
05:20proposed and passed laws that would punish health care providers. I mean, in a state
05:26like Texas, you know their law provides for life in prison for a doctor who administers
05:33care. Laws that would punish women, criminalize doctors, punish women. Laws that make no exception
05:40even for rape and incest. You know, many of you know I started my career as a prosecutor.
05:46You may not know one of the reasons why. When I was in high school, I learned that my best
05:53friend was being molested by her stepfather. And I said to her, you have to come stay with
05:59us. You have to come live with us. I called my mother. My mother said, of course she does.
06:02And she did. So I decided I wanted to take on a career that was about protecting, in
06:09particular women and children, from violence. And the notion that these extremists would
06:14say to a survivor of such a crime of violence and a violation of someone's body, and to
06:21say to that survivor, and you have no right or authority to decide what happens to your
06:27body next, that's immoral. What has been happening in our state is that, you know, I've talked
06:37with so many women who have a similar story to what you have shared. Women who want to
06:45have children and have gone through the horrible experience of a miscarriage and need care,
06:54need medical care, and denied, denied access to an emergency room because the health care
07:00providers there believed they would be exposed to a criminal case if they helped. The number
07:08of stories that I've heard about women and their partners, their spouses, their families
07:14silently suffering. Think about what's happening in our country when you know that the majority
07:21of women who receive abortion care are mothers. Okay? Well, God help her if she's in a state
07:28with a ban. God help her if she has paid family leave or affordable child care. Think about
07:36it. You know, I say to my staff and my team for years, I say, you know, in public policy,
07:44always ask how does this impact a real human being? Right? So think about what we're saying
07:55to her, that she's going to, God help her if she's got extra money to buy a plane ticket
08:02and for a hotel room. And then what does that mean? She has to go to the airport standing
08:06line at TSA, get on a plane sitting next to a perfect stranger, go to a city where she's
08:12never been to receive this care to only get back as soon as she can because she's got
08:17to take care of those kids. Her best friend's not with her because her best friend's taking
08:20care of the kids. Think about what we're putting people through.
08:28The other thing, though, that I have experienced in these two years as I've traveled around
08:32our country, and I've taken almost 100 trips in connection with this issue. It's my sixth
08:38time since the Dobbs decision coming to Michigan. And one of the things I've found also are
08:44the stories of people who tell me about themselves. You know, I once felt very strongly about
08:51this. Didn't believe in abortion. Didn't believe in it. Right? And they are saying, but I didn't
09:02expect this would happen.
09:04That was the household I grew up in. That was me and my mom. We're conservatives. We
09:10grew up in a conservative Catholic household in Texas. Very Republican family. That was
09:15me. But we've evolved.
09:18I think that, first of all, on this issue, most people believe that one does not have
09:24to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree. The government should not be telling
09:32her what to do with her body. Right? If she chooses, she will talk with her priest or
09:40her pastor or her rabbi or her imam. But it shouldn't be the government telling her what
09:48to do. And I do believe the majority of us as Americans have empathy and don't will upon
09:56another suffering. I do believe that. And that's what I'm finding, to your point, about
10:05people who felt strongly before the decision came down, and now they're seeing how it's
10:08playing out, and they don't intend that people would have that experience.
10:19As I mentioned earlier, I have personally navigated the challenges of miscarriage and
10:23secondary infertility, which has deepened my understanding of the importance of having
10:27the right to make informed decisions about your own reproductive health. Miscarriage
10:32is extremely common, with one in four pregnancies ending in loss, yet it remains a topic that's
10:37rarely discussed openly. My experience highlights the critical need for women to have access
10:42to safe medical care. Like this conversation today, you've been intentional about speaking
10:49to folks across the political spectrum about what is at stake on this issue. You have traveled
10:55all across the country, including to traditionally conservative areas, to speak about the importance
11:01of reproductive freedom, and have shown up at the places where freedom is under attack.
11:06And now this is your seventh visit to Michigan as Vice President, and the second trip this
11:11year to Michigan to talk about reproductive rights. Why is it important for you to show
11:17up and bring this message?
11:21Again I thank you and both of you for being here. I think we, I'll repeat the point that
11:29I made earlier. I think that most of us agree that we shouldn't allow supposed leaders to
11:42do things that hurt people. You know, there's something very basic about this. I think that
11:50there is something that is very basic about this in terms of who we are as Americans and
11:56our founding principles, which include a founding principle that we believe in freedom.
12:02We believe in freedom. Freedom from the government telling us what to do about matters of heart
12:08and home. We believe in the right of people to make basic decisions like when and if they
12:16will start a family and how. You know, in traveling the country, part of what I point
12:23out, which is what we all know, regardless of your gender, think about this. If we in
12:31this year of our Lord, 2024, have a state of being where the government can tell you
12:37what to do with your body, I mean the most basic of things you should have control over,
12:45everybody better watch out about what other freedoms you're taking for granted.
12:54And you are right that this is something that in my experience traveling the country, going
13:03to so-called red and so-called blue and so-called purple states, is that you know, you look
13:08at when this issue was on the ballot, from Montana to, I don't know, Virginia, look at
13:17so-called red and blue states. Whenever it was on the ballot, the American people voted
13:22for freedom. The American people voted for freedom. So I think it's something that should
13:32also in this moment in our country where for the last few years we've seen such division
13:40and attempts to divide us, this is a very, very serious, pivotal, foundational issue.
13:47But what we have seen is when the American people are presented with this issue, regardless
13:52of what party they're registered to vote with, they stand for freedom. Yeah.
14:00In that vein, and thank you, by the way, for traveling, for all the travel that you've
14:05done to reach the more conservative areas, I think this is an incredibly important conversation
14:10and moment to have.
14:13The extremists. The extremists are not done. For me, and I think Amanda would probably
14:22say the same, this isn't the Republican party that I grew up with. This isn't the party
14:27that I supported. I have greater concerns about the things that I'm seeing that Donald
14:36Trump has implemented along the way, and I have greater concerns about what's to come.
14:43What do you think is next?
14:47We have 111 days to determine that. Because therein also, in the midst of those who are
15:01trying to take individual freedoms, including the power to make basic decisions about your
15:06own life, we should remember the power of the people to make a decision about who sits
15:11in these offices. And that power rests with us, each one of us. And in these moments,
15:19we should not become dispirited. This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time
15:25to roll up our sleeves. But you're right. I mean, so the former president, first of
15:34all, listen, he hand-selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the
15:40intention that they would do exactly what they did. And he's told us over and over
15:46again who he is on this subject. And then now, well, you know, there's a bit of a gas
15:51lighting going on where, oh, well, no, I just believe it should go to the states. Okay.
15:56So first of all, any of the historians here will know what that means when we start pushing
16:00states' rights. But let's put that aside. Okay, so you believe it should go to the states.
16:07Well, the way I look at it is then let's look at all the, I think it's now 21 or 22, Trump
16:14abortion bans in those 21, 22 states, which again make no exception some for rape or incest,
16:24which have contributed to IVF clinics and care being stifled, which have contributed
16:32to women having, I mean, awful experiences around miscarriage, which have contributed
16:40to people who are doctors and nurses and health care providers being afraid they might go
16:45to jail for administering care. And, you know, and then recently the former president selected
16:54his running mate, the Senator Vance, J.D. Vance, understanding that, you know, that
17:01banned. This is a fellow who in the United States Senate participated in blocking protections
17:06for IVF. This is an individual who has said he is for a national and has made every indication
17:14that he is for a national abortion ban. And so, again, this is where the power is with
17:20the people. We have an election coming up. Don't, listen, in contrast to the former president,
17:26Joe Biden has been very clear, has been very clear. If there were any attempt at a national
17:34abortion ban, he would veto it. And if we have the right people in Congress, people
17:38like Debbie Stabenow and others, and they put back in law the protections of Roe v.
17:44Wade, our president, Joe Biden, will sign it into law.
17:49So pivoting a little bit, this is an issue that I personally very much care about. I've
18:03worked on a lot, especially having a family member that experienced gun violence. As you
18:09mentioned in your opening remarks, gun violence in America is top of mind for so many people
18:15right now. And there is no place for political violence or gun violence in our nation. Last
18:22year, I was proud to advocate for new laws that were passed here in Michigan. I advocated
18:27as a gun owner, a responsible gun owner, including a red flag law, universal background checks,
18:37expanding them, and a safe storage law. But we know that we still need additional reasonable
18:42gun safety laws at the federal level. How are you and President Biden working to address
18:48gun violence in America?
18:50So Olivia, you've been a great leader on this, and I'm sorry for the personal tragedies that
18:57you've experienced. Gun violence in America today is the number one cause of the death
19:04of children in America. Think about that. The number one cause of the death of children
19:12in America is gun violence. Not car accidents, not some form of cancer, gun violence. Today
19:21in our country, one in five Americans has a relative, a family member who was killed
19:27by gun violence. And it doesn't have to be this way. And it's a false choice for people
19:35to say, well, you're either in favor of the Second Amendment or you want to take everyone's
19:38guns away. I'm in favor of the Second Amendment. I'm also in favor of the assault weapons
19:44ban, of universal background checks, red flag laws. Right? And to your point, the leadership
19:57here in Michigan has been extraordinary on this. And we need people in Washington, D.C.
20:02to watch what you all have done and how you've done it, because you've also pulled together
20:07coalitions of people, Democrats and Republicans and Independents. That bull don't care who
20:14you registered to vote with. Think about this. And then think about it in terms of the trauma.
20:23So last fall I started a college tour. By the way, I love Gen Z. You know, if you have
20:30Gen Z in your life, maybe it's complicated for you, but they're really great. They're
20:35really great. And among the many things that I would ask, you know, these auditoriums full
20:43of these young leaders, I would ask them, raise your hand if at any time between kindergarten
20:49and 12th grade you had to endure an active shooter drill. It was bone chilling. Almost
20:56every hand went up. Think about that. You know, when I was growing up, I'll speak for
21:01some of us here, I think, we had fire drills. But this is a whole other thing. And our young
21:12people think they should be in the classroom experiencing the wonders of the world and
21:18some part of their brain is concerned that someone will bust through that classroom door.
21:24And think about the trauma that gun violence has exacted not only on our young people,
21:31who are afraid of what might happen in the context of a mass shooting. Think of the trauma
21:36in terms of everyday gun violence that happens in places around our country. That trauma
21:43being undiagnosed and untreated. There are so many permeations and ramifications of this
21:49gun violence. In fact, we just announced a couple days ago under the president and our
21:56administration, we created 988. In fact, I'd encourage everyone here to know about it and
22:02pass it on. And it's basically a crisis line where people who are in crisis, it's not only
22:10a talk line, but there are mental health professionals who answer it 24 hours a day, seven days a
22:16week anonymously. So people can text or call when they're experiencing crisis to bring
22:24it down and also to know where to get help. But these are all the ramifications of this.
22:30And the solutions don't really require that much creativity. What they do require is people
22:36in the United States Congress have courage to act and do what we know is the right thing
22:43to do and not cower based on special interests and powerful lobbyists who are encouraging
22:51them to do something that actually is contrary to what is the health and well-being of our
22:55nation on such a specific issue.
23:01I've been sharing my personal story with the hope of encouraging women across the country
23:05to vote for candidates who support the right to choose because I firmly believe that politicians
23:11have no place in family planning, especially when it doesn't go as planned. Here in Michigan,
23:16we worked hard two years ago to pass Prop 3 to protect reproductive freedoms, reflecting
23:23the belief of 57% of Michiganders that every person has the fundamental right to reproductive
23:29freedom. However, with the upcoming presidential election, there's still so much at stake if
23:34Republicans gain control and are allowed to implement a nationwide abortion ban. With
23:39the election just four months away and the potential implications for reproductive rights,
23:44how are you planning to engage and mobilize voters and what strategies do you think will
23:48be most effective in reaching and inspiring people to take action?
23:55Thank you, Amanda, for that. One piece of this is to really remind people that they're
24:03not alone. I think there's something that has happened, I mentioned it earlier, that
24:10is making people feel like, you know, are people there for me? And we have to remind
24:19people we're all in this together. I think this is a moment that we have to be very intentional
24:23about building community, about reaching out to the folks we know, relatives, neighbors,
24:31coworkers, and reminding them that we're all in this together and that we can make sense
24:37of it if we try. And part of making sense of it is reminding everyone in an election
24:44year their power to determine very important issues through their vote. And so that means,
24:53you know, reminding people to register to vote, reminding people to go online. There's
24:59Iwillvote.org and to make sure you know where you're registered because sadly in so many
25:05states in our country right now they're intentionally passing laws to make it more difficult for
25:09people to vote. They're passing laws that allow, you know, for political reasons that
25:13they'll reduce the number of polling sites so that people won't know where to go vote
25:18or because there are reduced polling sites the lines will be longer which will deter
25:22people from standing in line, especially if they're working two and three jobs, they don't
25:25have the time. So let's remind people about the connection between their lives and their
25:32vote, between their power and the outcome of this election. Let's organize people building
25:40coalitions. You know, again, there are forces trying to divide us. We've got to remember
25:46in our hearts and help people remember the vast majority of us have so much more in common
25:52than what separates us. We've got to remember that, right?
26:00I think that's critically important. You know, sometimes these kinds of moments have a tendency
26:08if not an intention to make people feel small and make them feel alone and disempower people.
26:14I was saying to we had a brief conversation earlier, you know, I think it's there's this
26:21perversity that has taken place over the last several years to suggest the measure of the
26:26strength of a leader is based on who you beat down. When in fact the true measure of
26:32the strength of a leader, I think we all agree, is based on who you lift up, right?
26:43That the character, the character and the strength therefore of a real leader, I'm looking
26:50at a room full of leaders. You wouldn't be here if you weren't. The character is such
26:56that that individual has some level of concern and care about the well-being of other people
27:02and then does something about it to lift them up. So let's remind people of all of that
27:08and let's organize and let's energize and let's mobilize. I mean literally call up and
27:14text and email folks you know and just bug them. Just bug them. It's okay. It's election
27:20time. They'll expect it coming from you. They'll still invite you over for Thanksgiving and
27:30Christmas. It's okay. But let's just stay on people and in that way let them know that
27:38they matter and that we're all in it together.
27:41So well speaking of elevating people as we come to the close of the program though, I
27:48think what you're doing is incredible. I think this is exactly the way forward. I think extending
27:53the grace that you have to have Amanda and I on stage as two Republicans or recovering
28:00Republicans as I said earlier, I think this is an example of how we come together and
28:07how we build this coalition. Like you said, I think it's about empowering each other and
28:13I also think it's a sign of that women are going to support women. We're going to stand
28:19by other women. So I hope that that's a message that carries forward and thank you for providing
28:27that avenue for us to come together. I do think that this is a big moment in time for
28:38our political system and what's at stake and so I hope that this serves as an example for
28:43others to have these types of conversations with each other and to extend that grace and
28:48understand that we're going to stand by each other. They don't get to win when we're together.
28:58And with that, thank you all.