There was an awkward silence during Vice President Kamala Harris’ rally in Ann Arbor after an unexpected request from the Democratic vice presidential candidate.
The vice president made her final stop in Michigan on Monday with a packed rally in the college town, along with her running mate Tim Walz and singer Maggie Rogers.
At one point in her speech, the crowd began chanting her name, “Ka-ma-la, Ka-ma-la, Ka-ma-la,” as the vice president attempted to turn the tables.
“Now I want each of you to call out your own name. Do that,” Harris said, laughing. ‘Because it’s about all of us.’
Some people began to mumble, but the vast majority of people in the crowd fell silent in confusion, lowered their signs and looked around.
The vice president quickly recovered and continued her speech: “I have fought my entire career to put people first.”
Vice President Kamala Harris arrives at her meeting in Ann Arbor, MI, on Monday. It was her third campaign stop of the day in the crucial swing state.
Harris was joined at her event by running mate Tim Walz, who also traveled to Wisconsin on Monday
Some people took notice of the moment on social media, calling it “cringe” and “awkward.”
But overall, Harris had a strong performance in the deep blue area. According to the campaign, 21,000 people attended the event.
The vice president largely stuck to her stump speech Monday and delivered an uplifting message.
She notably made no mention of the latest controversy surrounding her rival former President Donald Trump and the response from his rally in New York City, where a series of speakers made offensive comments on Sunday.
“Now is the time to vote, Michigan,” Harris said as the crowd chanted “vote, vote, vote.”
At one point, the vice president spoke directly to young people, with a large number of University of Michigan students in attendance.
“I love your generation, I really do,” she said, noting that they are “rightly impatient for change.”
Harris avoided the latest controversy surrounding Trump and the racist comments made during her speech at New York’s Madison Square Garden, instead sticking to her stump at her Ann Arbor event
Harris and Walz during their meeting in Ann Arbor. According to the campaign, 21,000 people attended
She said young people only know about the climate crisis and are taking the lead to protect the planet. She also praised them for fighting for school safety and standing up for reproductive freedom, as they have fewer rights than previous generations.
She asked people in the crowd to raise their hands if there was a first-time vote. A significant number of hands went up.
It comes as the vice president needs to galvanize young people to help her across the finish line, but questions remain about whether young people will show up, especially as some are frustrated with the ongoing war in Gaza and the response of the Biden administration.
Monday’s meeting was briefly disrupted by protesters, as has been the case at numerous Harris events.
“Hey guys, I hear you talking about Gaza,” Harris replied. ‘We all want this war to end as quickly as possible and for the hostages to be released. And I will do everything I can to make that happen.’
The vice president was joined in Michigan by her running mate, who also rallied the crowd to “vote blue,” similar to the university’s “go blue” cheer.
Bruce Springsteen performed at Harris’ rally in Philadelphia on Sunday
John Legend also performed at the rally in Philadelphia
Harris and Walz delivered their remarks under a sign that read “When we Vote We Win” in the blue and gold of the University of Michigan. Attendees carried blue and gold “vote” signs.
Before their remarks, Grammy-nominated singer Maggie Rogers performed. She took a break from her tour to make an appearance, saying, “Nothing is more important” than the election.
“I have to face the reality of what’s going to happen over the next eight days, and to tell you the whole truth, it’s terrifying,” Rogers told the crowd between songs.
“These are such wild and unprecedented times and the energy feels so high, and the future feels so uncertain,” she said.
“Voting is the key to the future,” Rogers added. “You can fight back against the fear of Donald Trump.”
The line of people getting in snaked around Burns Park and through the residential area. Some residents set up lawn chairs outside their homes to watch the gathering crowds and perhaps catch a glimpse of the motorcade. Most yards in the area had Kamala Harris signs.
Ann Arbor is a college town with a large Democratic population.
Former President Barack Obama, pictured in the middle of a crowd, also appeared at a rally for Harris in Philadelphia on Monday. There, he blasted Trump for holding a “racist, sexist, bigoted” event at Madison Square Garden the night before
Singer Maggie Rogers waves to the crowd during a rally for Kamala Harris where she performed. She said nothing is more important than the elections right now
Rogers performed several songs at the meeting, including “Light On.” She also wore a Harris-Walz pin and a blue tie
The crowd as Maggie Rogers performed in Ann Arbor at the Kamala Harris rally
The province voted overwhelmingly for Biden in 2020, with 72 percent. It was also deep blue in 2016, but a significant number of registered Democrats did not show up.
More than 45 million people have already voted in the 2024 election, including nearly 1.9 million Michigan.
People in the state have been mailing in ballots for weeks. In-person early voting began Saturday with wait times to cast a ballot of more than an hour.
Ann Arbor set the record for the most people in the state casting ballots on the first day of early in-person voting.
Harris’ rally in Ann Arbor was her third event of the day in the swing state, as polls show the race was nearly even in the so-called “blue wall” state.
While there were numerous University of Michigan students in attendance, there were also families and seniors from the area.
Brenda Cheek, 68, has never attended a political event before, but she wanted to witness what she believes is a historic moment she may not live to see.
She came straight to the meeting after voting in person and wore her “I Voted” sticker.
Cheek said she is concerned about her Social Security benefits and believes Trump is not qualified to even appear on the ballot.
“He’s trying to completely eradicate the middle class, regardless of whether you’re Republican, Independent or Democrat. He doesn’t care, he just wants to vote,” Cheek said.
Supporters listen as Harris addresses them at the rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Supporters cheer for Harris and hold up “VOTE” signs in the colors of the University of Michigan
Many of the people who attended Harris’ rally were students, but there were also some young families in the crowd and local seniors.
The view behind Kamala Harris as she spoke at her rally in Ann Arbor
Harris mingles with supporters after wrapping up her speech
A number of students waiting in line to attend the meeting told DailyMail.com that their main issue in the election was reproductive rights. Another top issue was climate change.
The latest Quinnipiac University poll shows Harris with a three-point lead among likely voters, with 49 percent to Trump’s 46 percent. According to CBS News’ battleground tracker, Harris is at 50 percent and Trump at 48 percent in the state.
The vice president started her day in Michigan with a stop at Corning’s Hemlock Semiconductor Next Gen Facility in Saginaw, where she walked the assembly line and met workers.
The facility received $325 million last week as part of the CHIPS and Science Act passed under the Biden administration.
Corning is making an investment to produce solar panel components using materials produced by Hemlock, which the Harris campaign says will create about 1,300 jobs in Saginaw.
From there, the Harrises stopped at a union training center in Macomb, Michigan, where she met with workers.