AMBLER, Pa. — Democratic governors from two of the country’s biggest swing states descended on the Philadelphia area Monday to make their case for likely presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer have been floated separately as potential vice presidential picks for Harris, but the two leaders joined together to rally more than 1,000 supporters at a high school gymnasium in Shapiro’s native Montgomery County.
The two leaders seized the opportunity to rail against former President Donald Trump while touting their own records with a simple, vulgar tagline: “Get s–t done” (or “GSD” for short).
Taking the stage first, the self-dubbed “Big Gretch” Whitmer launched a passionate defense of some key Democratic issues, such as abortion rights and the “freedom to get ahead, not just get by.”
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — who said she is not part of the vetting for Harris’ running mate earlier in the day — also made time to endorse Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) for re-election. ZUMAPRESS.com
“We are the party, as Governor Shapiro likes to say, of ‘real freedom’ for Americans,” Whitmer said, drawing a smile from her counterpart.
Whitmer — who said she is not part of the vetting for Harris’ running mate earlier in the day — also made time to endorse Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) for re-election, and thank “Scranton’s own” President Joe Biden for his 50 years of service.
She also took a shot at Trump’s chosen vice presidential candidate, JD Vance — invoking the Ohio senator’s now-infamous “childless cat lady” comments from back in 2021.
“As Democrats, we want everyone to have a seat at the table — even cat lovers and dog lovers alike,” Whitmer quipped of Vance, drawing big applause.
Whitmer then sarcastically praised Vance’s “efficiency,” arguing he has “insulted women, black people and Jewish people” all in the same sentence.
Taking the stage after “Big Gretch,” Shapiro struck a similar chord by lighting into Trump’s record of “chaos.”
The hometown governor accused the former president of “packing” the Supreme Court with “hand-picked extremists” while disparaging America with his rhetoric.
“I got a message to Donald Trump: Stop s–t talkin’ America,” Shapiro said. “This is the greatest country on the face of the earth. Let’s start acting like it!”
Both Whitmer and Shapiro praised Harris’ record as a prosecutor during their speeches, with the latter saying Biden chose Harris because he “wanted to govern with her.”
The veep is fully ready to take over as president upon her election, Shapiro concluded.
“I want a future where I can look the 47th president of the United States in the eye and say, ‘Hello Madame President,’” Shapiro said to conclude his speech.
The event marked Shapiro’s third stump speech for Harris in the last four days, as the governor spoke in Philadelphia on Friday and central Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Attendees at Monday’s joint rally praised both governors as “strong” speakers.
Both Whitmer and Shapiro praised Harris’ record as a prosecutor during their speeches. AP
Some, like local resident Mark Perner, told The Post they were motivated by their opposition to the political polarization they believe Trump created.
“I want to be able to have that conversation [with friends who disagree], and you can’t right now. You just can’t,” said Perner, noting this election is “not political but personal” to him. “And that’s part of our freedom, you should be able to talk about anything.”
Ahead of the rally, a small but not insignificant group of Trump supporters gathered outside the high school gym, waving flags protesting the two governors’ event.
Two local women — who did not want to give their names — criticized Shapiro when speaking to The Post.
They said they “do not trust” the Pennsylvania governor to look out for the interests of people “like us.”
Source link : https://nypost.com/2024/07/29/us-news/josh-shapiro-gretchen-whitmer-stump-for-kamala-harris-in-pennsylvania/
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Publish date : 2024-07-29 20:54:00
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