Speaking in between two pillars that said Vote Early and the Campaign Bus in the background at the Carpenters Local Union Hall in Phoenix, Democratic Presidential and Vice Presidential Nominees Joe Biden and Kamala Harris launched their Battle for the Soul of America Bus Tour and reminded Arizonans that the time to mail in your early ballot or vote in person is now.
The Nominees were introduced by small business owner Vanessa Montes-Cazarez.
Saying "Latina Small Businesses are the backbone of this community," Ms. Montes-Cazarez said “We know Biden and Harris understand the value of hard work…My business is part of who I am. (Biden and Harris know that the) Measure of how good an economy is doing depends on how workers are doing…can they get ahead…can their children do better.”
The event planner also reminded the audience that early voting started with lines waiting to cast their ballot.
She said "I am going to be a first-week voter to make sure my ballots are cast for Biden and Harris...I am doing this for my children and fellow Latinos...Together we will do back better."
Ms. Montes-Cazarez then introduced the former Vice President and California Senator.
Senator Harris, fresh off her strong debate performance at Wednesday's Vice Presidential Debate against Mike Pence spoke first.
She spoke of her and Joe Biden paying their respects to veterans and meeting with Native American leaders and Cindy McCain at the Herd Museum.
The Senator said that the tour would focus on speaking with workers and small business owners and that "this election will impact everyone and affect generations."
Telling the audience that the nation faces four crises, (the Coronavirus Pandemic, Health Care, Climate Change, and Economic,) Harris went after Trump for his poor mishandling of combatting COVID 19 and choices like fighting to take away Obamacare in the Supreme Court, saying his poor actions have "wrecked the economy."
She then said "we can overcome if Biden is elected" and "with his leadership, we will contain the virus, save lives, build the economy back better, save the soul of the nation, and work to unite the American People."
Saying "I plan on being right there by his side" and "We’ll be ready on Day One," she called voters in Arizona to action, asking them to "organize and vote like never before."
After doing a plug for Mark Kelly's Senate candidacy, Harris, with mail-in ballots being sent out yesterday along with early voting, asked people to "be a first-week voter" and either
- Vote by mail.
- Drop off the ballot at a drop box.
- Vote in-person early.
- Vote on November 3.
Harris then said, "Let's elect Joe Biden" and introduced the former Vice President.
Saying “Hello Arizona," Biden thanked the local Carpenters Union for hosting the event and Representative Ruben Gallego who was in attendance.
He told the audience that "labor brought me to the dance and the only reason I am here is because of labor. You are the backbone of America. You built America and will rebuild it back better."
After remarking that Senator Harris had a good performance at the Vice Presidential Debate, the Democratic Presidential Nominee spoke on the populist, progressive, and inclusive themes that he has been speaking about throughout the campaign with an Arizona slant.
Saying "local small businesses are more responsible for jobs that major corporations," he discussed the plight of small businesses and highlighted the struggles of Silvana Salcido Esparza, a restaurant owner suffering from a terminal illness who was forced to close one of her establishments and give up her health insurance "to make ends meet" for her staff.
He recounted his father's experiences and his saying "I don’t expect the government to solve their problems but I expect it to understand them." Biden said small business owners and other individuals were "not looking for a handout. They're looking for a fair shot."
Biden then recounted his friendship with the late Senato John McCain and how they would still be friends after arguing about legislation.
The rest of the speech was critical of how Donald Trump has been bad for Arizona and the United States.
The former Vice President said "we've paid too high a price for Trump," pointing out:
- "You need a President who cares and does not exasperate them or looks down on people like military members who he has reportedly called a sucker or losers like his son." He also ridiculed Trump for blaming Gold Star Families for giving him COVID 19.
- Citing Arizona statistics, Trump was responsible for the mishandling of combatting the Pandemic including what was happening with school reopenings.
- that Mr. Trump and Mitch McConnell failed the people "for not moving on new COVID 19 relief that the Democrats have passed."
- Trump has not tried to bring Democrats and Republicans together on a relief package. Biden said he had never seen that before during a crisis. The Democratic nominee also faulted Trump for walking away from stimulus negotiations and hurting small businesses (400,000 have closed), the unemployed, cities and states, schools, saying "the legislation has been passed (twice.) It’s there.” Biden also reminded the audience that he was the one that oversaw the American Recovery Act after the Great Recession and "America got through it with the longest economic recovery in American History."
- "Trump's trying to take away health care during the middle of a pandemic. Many have already lost their employer-based. Now he wants to take away the ACA with its provisions, protections for preexisting conditions making it possible to charge women more for healthcare than a man."
- Trump "vowed to take away the funding source for Social Security and it can bankrupt it by 2023. Retirement benefits for a million Arizonans will go away."
Biden said that Trump "only sees things from Park Avenue and forgot the people that he said he would help."
The former Vice President said "I know the working and middle class from my experiences in Scranton" and the problems people now have with paying for college, the rent or fixing the tires.
The Democratic Presidential Nominee, in his concluding remarks, said:
"We are focused on making things okay. We will combat the Coronvirus together. We will build back together. We need to bring the country together or we’re dead."
He talked about his Tuesday address in Gettysburg and reiterated that he would be an American President who would work for both the people that supported him and those that did not, saying "It is a duty (for a President) to care. We can not allow ourselves to be divided."
He, like Montes-Cazarez and Harris before him, on calling on people to vote, saying:
"You have the power to vote. The best thing you can do is turn in your ballot quickly and make sure your voice is heard. Your voice to your vote can overcome every challenge you can face."
After commenting on how Trump has made our world position worse (citing that more people trust Russia and China's leaders more than the current President) and going after him for encouraging the white nationalist militia fanatics that plotted to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer, the Governor of Michigan, he said: "We have to stop these people by going out and voting."
He finished by stating:
"I am just as optimistic about America as any time before... Let’s not quit. There is no quit in America. We need you to stand up now."
Stand up and vote this week. If you can not, make sure and vote by November 3, 2020.
No comments:
Post a Comment