By james art In jeans and a blue blazer, Vice President Kamala Harris took her final step in the tight presidential race for Northern Nevadans at a rally in downtown Reno on Thursday.
“It’s time for a new generation of leadership in America,” she said at the Reno Events Center.
The Democrat faces Republican and former President Donald Trump in an election where Nevada could play a huge role as a swing state. Average survey results show that the two are in a statistical tie.
She contrasted her approach with Trump’s.
“He’s not a do-it-yourself guy yours life better,” Harris said. “This is someone who is increasingly unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed by grievance and hungry for unchecked power.
“If elected, Donald Trump on day one will walk into this office with an enemies list – when I’m elected, I’ll walk in with a to-do list.”
That drew cheers and sign-waving from a crowd of about 6,000, according to her campaign. It also gave Harris a chance to review some of her plans. These include:
- Medicaid coverage of home health care for seniors
- Federal ban on corporate grocery price increases
- Making homes more affordable by building more — and “stopping corporate landlords from buying these properties and collecting rents”
- And raising the minimum wage and eliminating tip taxes for service and hospitality workers.
Trump first floated the idea of eliminating tip taxes at a June rally in Las Vegas, and it has since been picked up by the Harris campaign. A bill was introduced in Congress to make it a reality. Nevada’s two Democratic senators — Catherine Cortez Masto, who spoke at a rally in Reno Thursday, and Jackie Rosen, who is running for re-election — have signed it.
Protesters shout repeatedly during Kamala Harris rally in Reno
A handful of protesters tried to interrupt Harris’ speech by shouting their support for the Palestinians. They staggered their shouts for about 10 minutes and from different parts of the arena.
Lily Baran, a former ACLU of Nevada official and candidate for Reno City Council, was one.
“I’m a lifelong Democrat and I’ve voted in every election since I was 18 and now I’m 36,” she told the Reno Gazette Journal. “I have not yet voted for this candidate because I cannot ignore the reckless things this administration is doing in Palestine and Lebanon.”
Baran’s son joined her and was brought before her.
“He asked if he could participate,” she said, “and I always encourage the exercise of free speech and civil disobedience. But what I saw there (at the rally) was not freedom of speech.
Over the noise of the arena it was hard to hear what was being called. Some in the crowd started chanting “We love you Kamala” to counter the protesters.
For the most part, Harris kept the momentum of her remarks, but at one point she admitted embarrassment.
“It’s all right,” she said. “Democracy can be complicated. We are fighting for people’s right to be heard and not locked up for speaking their minds.
Protecting women whether they like it or not
Abortion is on the ballot in Nevada this election, a fact that Democrats hope will boost turnout for their candidates. Trump gave Harris a new reason to discuss the hot-button issue, even as he talked about serious crimes committed by migrants in the country illegally.
He said at a rally in Wisconsin on Wednesday that his campaign team told him he should stop saying he would stand up for women. Trump said he told them he wouldn’t stop.
“Well, I will, whether the women like it or not, I will protect them,” he said.
Harris shook his head in horror.
“This isn’t the first time he’s told us he doesn’t believe women should have power or choice over their own bodies,” she said. “This is the same guy who said women should be punished for their choices. This is a man who simply does not respect women’s freedom – or women’s intelligence – to make decisions about their own lives.”
Bringing people together
Approaching 25 minutes, Harris ended his speech by talking about a bright future for America.
“For the last many years, he’s had a way of trying to get people to point fingers at each other, trying to divide us, trying to make people feel alone.”
She urged people to rebuild their communities.
“Remind people that we have much more in common than what separates us, much more,” Harris said.
“We believe in America’s promise.”
Harris’ next stop on Thursday night was Las Vegas for another rally, this one with Jennifer Lopez.
Mark Robison is the state political reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal, occasionally dabbling in other topics. Email comments to [email protected] or comment on Mark’s Greater Reno Facebook page.