Speaking to a crowd of more than 300 in Fayetteville's Westover High School gym on Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris asked the crowd if they “believe in freedom.”
Harris, and those who introduced her, raised concerns about “Project 2025,” known as the Presidential Transition Project, organized by the Heritage Project to promote a conservative agenda with former President Donald Trump back in the White House.
“This is the most existential, consequential and important election of our lifetime, and there is so much at stake,” Harris said. “Last night was the latest example.”
Harris referenced Trump’s newly announced vice presidential pick, J.D. Vance, who spoke at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night.
“He talked about his life story growing up in southwest Ohio … It’s a compelling story, and it was not the full story,” Harris said. “Frankly, what is very telling is what he did not talk about on stage. He did not talk about Project 2025 … (the) 900-page blueprint for a second Trump term.”
Harris called the plan “extreme and divisive,” and said that while the Republican Party is trying to portray itself as the “party of unity,” it needs “to do more than just use the word.”
She said the party cannot say it is for unity while it's “intent on taking reproductive freedoms from people in America,” adding that the Project 2025 calls for restricting access to in vitro fertilization and contraception.
“You cannot claim to be for unity when your entire economic agenda is designed to prioritize billionaires and big corporations over the middle class,” Harris said.
She said the Nov. 5 presidential election comes down to voters asking themselves, “Who fights for you?"
Harris said President Joe Biden grew up in a middle-class family and every decision he makes in the Oval Office he considers how it will impact working Americans.
“The contrast between Joe Biden and Donald Trump is like night and day, but with the selection of his running mate this week, Donald Trump is also trying to distract people,” Harris said. “He wants to direct attention away from his record and his Project 2025 plan to suggest that he and his running mate are going to prioritize the middle class, but we are not buying it.”
Harris said that while “under Donald Trump’s America,” tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs were cut. She said she and Biden helped create 800,000 new manufacturing jobs.
“Last night we heard claims that Donald Trump is fighting for our seniors,” Harris said. “How the heck can you claim you fight for seniors when you intend to cut Social Security and Medicare?”
Harris said President Biden will always protect Social Security and Medicare and has fought to cap the cost of insulin for seniors at $35 per month.
Speaking ahead of Harris, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said the Biden administration helped expand Medicare access in North Carolina.
Harris said the Biden administration has worked to cancel student loan debt and is fighting for lower energy costs with clean energy.
With Wednesday’s crowd shouting "no" to her questions, Harris asked if rallygoers if they want to “live in a country of freedom and compassion,” or “chaos, fear and hate.”
“Do we believe in the promise of America, and are we ready to fight for it, and when we fight, we win?” the vice president asked to a cheering crowd that responded, "Yes!"
Harris’ visit marked what Cooper said was her “15th trip to the most military and veteran-friendly state in the country.”
Kelly Artist a Fort Liberty military spouse who introduced Harris, said that she believes the president understands the sacrifices of military families, because his late son, Beau Biden, died from what the president has said was a service-related illness.
“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris believe that we have a sacred obligation to prepare, equip and care for our troops, veterans and their families,” Artist said.
Artist referenced the president’s visit to Fort Liberty last summer, where he signed an executive order eliminating barriers and creating economic opportunity for the spouses of military service members and veterans, and for caregivers and survivors.
“President Biden and Vice President Harris have delivered for families and changed the lives of military spouses in North Carolina communities for the better,” Artist said. "I know, given another term, they’ll keep fighting for us.”
Businessman Scott Peoples, who described himself as a former Republican and 82nd Airborne Division vet, also took the stage ahead of Harris and said he now supports Biden.
"A second (Trump) term would be even worse … Project 2025 (would) cut veteran benefits," Peoples said. "It’s one reason why I changed to Democrat. To quote former president Reagan, 'I didn’t leave the Republican Party, the Republican Party left me.'
Following Harris’ remarks, Cynthia Mixon, a military mom and widow from Fayetteville, who was in attendance, said she was glad Harris came to visit.
Others with local ties also spoke before Harris took the stage, including Mayor Mitch Colvin and Sen. Val Applewhite.
Asked about Harris, Cooper and other speakers' remarks Wednesday about Project 2025, Mixon said it would be “disastrous for our country.”
“It's not about democracy, it's about authoritarianism,” she said.
Longtime Fayetteville resident Roberta Waddle said she thought Harris made “good points” and choices for the upcoming election.
Waddle said she hasn’t read all 900-plus pages of Project 2025, but said it “would be awful for our country.”
“I can not imagine anybody really voting for it,” she said.
Staff writer Joey Pierre contributed to this report. Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.
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