Kamala Harris Formally Launches Presidential Campaign With Oakland Rally
Kamala Harris, who recently announced her 2020 presidential run, firmly positioned herself as a candidate "for the people."
OAKLAND, CA – JANUARY 27: U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) waves to her supporters with her husband, Douglas Emhoff and her niece, Amara Ajagu, 2, during her presidential campaign launch rally in Frank H. Ogawa Plaza on January 27, 2019, in Oakland, California. Twenty thousand people turned out to see the Oakland native launch her presidential campaign in front of Oakland City Hall. (Photo by Mason Trinca/Getty Images)
Presidential hopeful Kamala Harris had some strong words on Sunday, as she formally launched her campaign for the White House at a rally of some 20,000 people in her hometown of Oakland, California.
In her speech, Harris spoke about her concern about the current state of American democracy, noting that “We are at an inflection point in the history of our nation.’
“We are here because the American Dream and our American democracy are under attack and on the line like never before” she added.
She scathingly slammed current policies backed by the current White House administration, without ever calling the current president by name.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6kfCTkIQ7I
“When we have leaders who lie and bully and attack a free press and undermine our democratic institutions, that’s not our America. When white supremacists march and murder in Charlottesville or massacre innocent worshipers at a Pittsburgh synagogue, that’s not our America. When we have children in cages crying for their mothers and fathers, don’t you dare call it border security, that’s a human rights abuse and that’s not our America,” she said.
“And guys lets understand what is happening here: People in power are trying to convince us that the villain in our American story is each other,” the 2020 hopeful added. “But that is not our story. That is not who we are. That’s not our America.”
In contrast, Harris positioned herself as a candidate of the every day, working person.
“I’m running for president because I love my country. I love my country. I’m running to be president, of the people, by the people, and for all people,” She stressed. “I’m running to fight for an America where the economy works for working people. For an America where you only have to work one job to pay the bills, where hard work is rewarded and where any worker can join a union.”
“I am running to declare, once and for all, that health care is a fundamental right, and we will deliver that right with Medicare for All! I am running to declare education is a fundamental right, and we will guarantee that right with universal pre-k and debt-free college! I am running to guarantee working and middle-class families an overdue pay increase. We will deliver the largest working and middle-class tax cut in a generation. Up to $500 a month to help America’s families make ends meet,” she continued, listing off her positions. “And we’ll pay for it by reversing this administration’s giveaways to big corporations and the top one percent. I’m running to fight for an America where our democracy and its institutions are protected against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
Harris also used her time to touch on gun violence, both at schools, as well as at the hands of police.
“I’m running to fight for an America where no mother or father has to teach their young son that people may stop him, arrest him, chase him, or kill him, because of his race,” she said. “An America where every parent can send their children to school without being haunted by the horror of another killing spree.”
The Democratic presidential candidate ended her speech on a positive note, one filled with hope for the future.
“Let’s remember in this fight we have the power of the people. We can achieve the dreams of our parents and grandparents. We can heal our nation,” Harris insisted while wrapping up her speech. “We can give our children the future they deserve. We can reclaim the American Dream for every single person in our country. We can restore America’s moral leadership on this planet. So let’s do this. And let’s do it together. And let’s start now.”
