In an electrifying event at Temple University inPhiladelphia, Vice PresidentKamala Harris and her newly announced running mate,Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, launched their campaign with a powerful rally on Tuesday. The evening was marked by impassioned speeches. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, previously considered for the vice-presidential spot, delivered a stirring introduction that set the tone for the event.
Shapiro praised Harris and Walz for their unwavering commitment to public service and vision for America’s future. “Kamala Harris has always been a fighter for the people, from her days as a prosecutor to her role as vice president,” Shapiro said. “She’s taken on the toughest battles and has always stood up for what’s right.” He also highlighted Walz’s multifaceted career. "Tim Walz is not just a governor; he’s a teacher, a coach, a veteran, and a leader who has dedicated his life to serving others. Together, they form a team that truly understands the struggles and hopes of everyday Americans.”
Harris highlights Walz’s spirit of LGBTQ+ inclusivity
Harris and Walz took the stage shortly after Shapiro spoke, entering to Beyoncé’s “Freedom” to raucous cheers and applause. Harris emphasized Walz’s deep commitment to equality, recalling his impactful role as a high school social studies teacher and football coach going back to the 1990s.
“Tim wasn’t only a role model on the football field,” Harris said. “Around that same time, Coach Walz was approached by a student in his social studies class. The young man was one of the first openly gay students at the school and was hoping to start a gay-straight alliance at a time when acceptance was difficult to find for LGBTQ students. Tim knew the signal that it would send to have a football coach get involved. So, he signed up to be the group’s faculty advisor. And as students have said, he made the school a safe place for everybody.”
Harris elaborated on the significance of Walz’s actions, noting that in the high school yearbook, the students voted him the “most inspiring faculty member.” She added, “Tim Walz was the kind of teacher and mentor that every child in America dreams of having and that every kid deserves—the kind of coach who makes people feel like they belong and then inspires them to dream big. That’s the kind of vice president he will be. That’s the kind of vice president America deserves.”
Emphasis on middle-class families
Throughout the rally, both Harris and Walz emphasized their commitment to middle-class families. Harris praised Walz for his deep convictions in fighting for middle-class families, noting his background as a teacher and coach. Walz echoed this sentiment, highlighting his upbringing in a middle-class family and his commitment to public service. “When Vice President Harris and I talk about freedom, we mean the freedom to make your own healthcare decisions,” Walz emphasized. Their platform aims to build a broad-based economy where every American has the opportunity to own a home, start a business, and build wealth, they said.
Sharp critique of Trump and Vance
Walz did not hold back in criticizing former PresidentDonald Trumpand his Republican running mate,Ohio Sen. JD Vance. He accused Trump of self-serving behavior and undermining the country’s laws and economy. “Trump weakens our economy to strengthen his own hand,” Walz said. He pointed out Vance’s detachment from middle-class America, describing him as someone who had his career funded by Silicon Valley billionaires and then trashed his community in his memoir Hillbilly Elligy. Walz warned that a Trump-Vance administration would lead to higher costs for middle-class families, repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and gutting Social Security and Medicare. He emphasized the election's stakes, declaring, “Donald Trump’s not fighting for you or your family. He never sat at that kitchen table like the one I grew up at, wondering how we were going to pay the bills.”
Warning against Project 2025
Walz also criticized the Republicans’ Project 2025, a plan aimed at institutionalizing Trumpism across the government by decimating agencies and rolling back the rights of Americans. “If Trump gets a chance to return, he’s going to pick up exactly where he left off four years ago. Only this time, it will be much, much worse,” Walz warned. He detailed how Project 2025 would restrict freedoms and change the fabric of America. “Don’t believe him when he plays dumb,” Walz said. “He knows exactly what Project 2025 will do to restrict our freedom and rig the economy to help the super-rich.”
Doubling down on MAGA being “weird”
Walz also pointedly observed the Trump-Vance ticket's odd and unsettling demeanor. “These guys are creepy and, yes, just weird as hell. That’s what you see,” Walz said. He captured the sentiment of many in the audience who chanted of Vance, “He’s a weirdo.” Throughout the event, speakers rallied the crowd with the spirited cry, “We aren’t going back,” an appeal for a better future for all Americans.
The rally concluded with Harris and Walz's powerful call to action. They urged the crowd to fight for the middle class and the fundamental freedoms at risk in the upcoming election. “We need you, each and every one of you,” Walz declared, calling on supporters to get involved in the campaign. Harris echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of unity and collective effort. “When we fight, we win,” she proclaimed.
The Harris-Walz ticket continues on a five-day tour of battleground states, including Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, and Nevada, to rally support and build momentum for their campaign. As they kick off this crucial tour, the message from Philadelphia is clear: the fight for America is just beginning, and it is one that Harris and Walz are ready to lead with passion, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to the values that unite the nation.
Watch Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz’s Philadelphia rally below.
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