On turning the page on Donald Trump and offering America a new generation of leadership:
Vice President Harris: “We have to understand the opportunity we have before us to turn the page on the fear and the divisiveness that have characterized our politics for a decade because of Donald Trump. We have an opportunity to turn the page and chart a new and joyful way, dare I say, joyful way forward. Where we tap into the ambition and the aspirations and the dreams of the American people. And I’m going to tell you, as I travel around our country, there is an overwhelming call for a fresh start. For a new generation of leadership that is optimistic and excited about what we can do together. There is a yearning in our country for a president who sees the people, not just looking in the mirror all the time, but sees the people who gets you and who will fight for you. That is what this election is about.”
On the suffering caused by Trump abortion bans and the brutally serious consequences a second Trump term would have:
Vice President Harris: “I did an event in Texas last night in Houston. And if you saw, you probably saw some of the stories about what has been happening in our country. The suffering, the suffering, and you know, Donald Trump still refuses to even acknowledge the pain and suffering he has caused. He insists that, and I’m going to quote, ‘everybody wanted Roe v. Wade to be overturned.’
Come on. Everybody wanted this? Women are being denied care during miscarriages, some only being treated once they develop sepsis. They didn’t want this. Couples just trying to grow their family who have been cut off from IVF treatments. They didn’t want this. The men of America seeing their daughters, wives, sisters and mothers put at risk because their rights have been stripped away. The men of America don’t want this. Women have died because of these bans. How could anybody say that they wanted this? And you have heard me say, I do believe Donald Trump to be an unserious man. But the consequences of him ever being president again are brutally serious. Brutally serious.”
On what a second Trump term would mean for everyone – not just women:
Former First Lady Michelle Obama: “So to the men who love us, let me just try to paint a picture of what it will feel like if America, the wealthiest nation on Earth, keeps revoking basic care from its women, and how it will affect every single woman in your life. Your girlfriend could be the one in legal jeopardy if she needs a pill from out-of-state or overseas—or if she has to travel across state lines because the local clinic closed up. Your wife or mother could be the ones at higher risk of dying from undiagnosed cervical cancer because they have no access to regular gynecological care. Your daughter could be the one too terrified to call the doctor if she’s bleeding during an unexpected pregnancy. Your niece could be the one miscarrying in her bathtub after the hospital turned her away. And this will not just affect women. It will affect you and your sons.”
“So I am asking y’all, from the core of my being, to take our lives seriously. Please, do not, do not put our lives in the hands of politicians, mostly men, who have no clue or do not care about what we, as women, are going through, who don’t fully grasp the broad-reaching health implications that their misguided policies will have on our health outcomes. The only people who have standing to make these decisions are women with the advice of their doctors. We are the ones with the knowledge and experience to know what we need.
“So please, please, do not hand our fates over to the likes of Trump, who knows nothing about us, who has shown a deep contempt for us. Because a vote for him is a vote against us, against our health, against our worth. And let me tell you all: to think that the men that we love could be either unaware or indifferent to our plight is simply heartbreaking. It is a sad statement about our value as women in this world. It is both a setback in our quest for equity and a huge blow to our country’s standing as a world leader on issues of women’s health and gender equality. So fellas, before you cast your votes, ask yourselves: What side of history do you want to be on?”
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