Kamala Harris Voter Mobilization Event Speech Transcript in Nevada October 2

Dina Titus: (00:00) ... here on the campus where I've taught for 35 years. Thank you UNLV. Welcome to all of you. Thank you for being here. I want us to start first by wishing the president and the first lady a full and speedy recovery. Our thoughts are with them, but they are also with all the patients and their families who are tying to deal with this virus through no fault of their own. Now is a good time to remind all of us to wear these masks, do social distancing, wash your hands as much as possible, and we'll come out stronger on the other side if we are in this together. So thank you for doing that. And thank you to the Biden-Harris campaign for following those kinds of rules for the good not of themselves, but for all of us. So that's why we're doing this. Dina Titus: (01:05) I love the campaign season. I love going out there, shaking hands, kissing babies, seeing friends around the district. So this is a new approach, this drive-in rally. But I guess it just gives new meaning to the notion of riding with Biden. That's what we're doing. Riding with Biden all the way to the White House. It's been a very difficult time in this community. Whenever the economy is hit nationally, Las Vegas gets the worst of it. We've seen just recently that more hotels and the airlines are laying off people, small businesses are closing. I get about a hundred calls in my office every day of people who want help with unemployment, where to get rent and mortgage assistance, what about food banks. People are suffering right now. But those of us who've lived here for a while know that in Las Vegas, we're tough, we're Vegas strong, and we are resilient. We have proven it before and we'll prove it again. Dina Titus: (02:24) So thank you for all of you who are on the front lines helping us get through this. We'll come out stronger on the other side because we're going to have new leaders who will help us build back better, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Just think how many lives and jobs could have been saved if we'd have had a comprehensive plan from the beginning and wouldn't have had to go through all of this for such a long time. Fortunately here in Nevada, we had Governor Steve Sisolak, who listened to the science. He had to make some very hard decisions, but because of his leadership, we are getting through this. And now he's taken time to be with us today because he knows how important this election is. Thank you, Governor Sisolak. Thank you, Steve. Dina Titus: (03:32) This election is not just about getting the virus under control or bringing back our jobs, it's about giving our essential employees the pay that they deserve and the protection that they need to be on the front lines for us. It's about ensuring that the symbol of the United States is the Statue of Liberty and not some broken down wall that's going to not keep people out anyway. This election is about honoring the people who we lost on October the 1st by taking action against gun violence, not just with empty thoughts and prayers. And this election is about confronting climate change because we just don't have enough time to put this off and pretend like it doesn't exist. And this election is about addressing systemic racism, not giving marching orders to white supremacist groups. Dina Titus: (04:39) That is what is at stake. I was one of the first members to endorse Joe Biden back when no votes had been cast and there were enough Democratic candidates, they couldn't even get all on one stage. But I made that decision because of who Joe Biden is. I know Joe Biden and Joe Biden knows us. He has the depth of knowledge, the breadth of experience, and the strength of conviction to bring this country back together. He has a plan to address the virus and restore our economy. He knows what it's like to suffer a personal hardship, and has the empathy for those of us who go through it too. And he agrees with me that being progressive means making progress and getting things done. And that's what I see in him. And I think he is the man for the hour. And thank you for supporting him for president. Dina Titus: (05:45) But he can't get there without your help. We've all got to pitch in. You keep hearing the most important election of your lifetime. Well, this time it really, really, really is the most important election. So we've got to all get out. However you want to vote, vote early, vote by mail, drop off your ballot, go on Election Day. However you want to do it, make a plan and go and vote. And take your neighbors, take your family, take your Sunday school teacher, take your hairdresser. Drag anybody you can to the polls because casting that vote is so important. And you can start right now by texting Joe, easy to spell, J-O-E, text Joe to 30330. Get out those cell phones and text Joe to 30330. That's how we're going to make a change and that's how we're going to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Dina Titus: (06:52) And speaking of Kamala Harris, we have a very special, wonderful guest with us here in Nevada today. I want you to help me welcome her. Give her a warm, warm welcome, because she is exactly the kind of dynamic, exciting partner that Joe Biden needs to get this done, both in the election and in the government. She has never hesitated to take on powerful people or powerful interest. She is wicked smart, deeply compassionate, and has proven to be a force in the Senate. She comes from California and has a affectionately said we're close by so Nevada's like her first cousin. Doesn't get any better than that. She's already making history. She's going to be an outstanding vice president. She is a friend of ours. She is a great partner to Joe Biden. Give her a warm welcome, Senator Kamala Harris. Kamala Harris: (07:59) What's up, Nevada? Oh, honk if you love Joe. Oh, it's so good to be with you all. Congresswoman, thank you for that introduction and all you do. What a fighter we have in Congresswoman Titus. Thank you all. Thank you everybody. Oh wow. Okay. First of all, there are so many incredible leaders who are part of this afternoon and who have been a part of this campaign from the beginning. And we're going to count on them to lead us through these next 32 days to victory, but I want to thank them. [Shelby Parks 00:00:09:08], our field organizer. The great Governor Steve Sisolak. I was just hanging out with him behind the stage. Of course, Congresswoman Titus for all that she does. She is just a fighter in Washington. Senators Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto. They were going to be here but they wanted to stay in D.C. because they're fighting to bring home relief to Nevada. And they are waging a good fight. They are fighting to make sure we take care of working people in America. Kamala Harris: (09:47) I want to thank UNLV for hosting us today, [Mariachi Tierra 00:00:09:51], [Jay Masino 00:09:53], everybody for the work that you do. All right, so here. Is this working? There we go. There is so much at stake in this election. There is so much at stake and we've got 32 days to get this done. And we're going to get it done. And here's the thing, this campaign, our campaign, as Joe says, is about fighting for the soul of our nation. And when we talk about, when Joe talks about fighting for the soul of our nation, it's about fighting for working people. It's about fighting for families. It's about fighting for children. It's about fighting for healthcare. It's about fighting for good union jobs. It's about fighting to preserve our climate and clean air and clean water. It's about fighting for a pathway to citizenship for our brothers and sisters and renewing protections under DACA. There is so much on the line in this election and there is not a thing we can take for granted, not a thing we can take for granted. Kamala Harris: (11:06) We are here fighting for the soul of our nation, saying yes, we can get criminal justice reform and policing reform. Yes, we can do what is necessary to bring healthcare to everybody because we believe access to healthcare should be a right and not just a privilege of those who can afford it. These are the things that are on the line in this election, and we've got 32 days to get it done. And I don't need to tell my cousins in Nevada about the change we see coming with the work we are doing. The change we see coming when we know here in Nevada, we have the highest unemployment of any state in the country. When there has been incredible devastation because of a failure of an administration to take seriously a public health crisis and then do what is necessary to support working people. But we see the change coming, but we know it will not come without our investment in this fight. We have a vision of the future. Kamala Harris: (12:23) Our campaign and the work, the hard work, the sacrifice we will make over the next 32 days is born out of knowing what is possible. And that is so much bigger than fighting against something. It's about the fight we're in for something, for the people, all the people. That's what our fight is about. And the thing about it, and this is what I love about Joe. You can talk about how you measure strength. Some people say, "Well, look at my muscles." Yeah, that might be one way. But the thing that I love about Joe, he could also say, "Yeah, look at my muscles," but the thing about Joe is that he understands the greatest strength that any of us, that any human being has is displayed when we lift up the condition of other people. That's the strength of who we are. The strength of who we are. And therefore the power of the people is knowing then when we are together, when we are joined, when we are unified, when we don't allow people to try and divide us and turn on each other, we are strong. We are strong. Kamala Harris: (13:51) And so in spite of all we've been experiencing, folks, don't let anybody make you feel alone. Don't let any circumstance make you feel isolated because we are all in this together. We are all in this together. But to achieve the change we can see coming, we got to vote. We got to vote. And so what do we want to do? Honk if you're going to vote early. Honk if you're going to vote by mail. Honk if you're going to make sure at least five people you know are going to vote. 10 people you know. And here's the thing, none of us are immune. We've been reading it. We know what's going on around the country. There's some powerful people in our country that are trying to make it difficult for folks to vote. Did you guys see what happened in Texas yesterday? The governor of Texas, the Republican governor of Texas basically started getting rid of the drop boxes in Texas. Yeah. That's what they're doing. Kamala Harris: (15:20) So here's the thing, the right to vote, the right to vote was a hard fought and a hard won right. In fact, one of the biggest events that I attended before the pandemic struck was to walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama with now the great ancestor, John Lewis, who shed his blood on that bridge for the right for folks to vote. We honor the ancestors when we vote. Just last month, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, when those suffragettes, those powerful women marched and fought for the right for women in America to vote. We also recognize that it wasn't until 1965 that black women could vote. So we know there is still work to do in that we are a country of work in progress. But this is the history of our right to vote. Our right to vote was a hard fought and won right which we will never let anybody take from us. Kamala Harris: (16:34) But we know there are obstacles around the country being put in our way. We know there are powerful people trying to suggest that you can't trust the process, trying to suggest it's rigged or it's this or it's that, but we know better. We know better. And here's the thing I want to also point out. At some point, in addition to voting, it's got to be about honoring the ancestors. And in addition to voting, it has to be about knowing what's at stake. And also we got to just sit back sometimes and ask, why are so many powerful people trying to mess with our right to vote? Just sit back and ask that for a minute. Why are so many powerful people going through such difficulty to try and mess with our right to vote? And here's what I believe the answer is. Because they know when we vote, things change. They know when we vote, things get better. Kamala Harris: (17:41) And so Nevada, never let anybody take your power. We will not let anybody take our power. We will use our power. We will vote. We know our vote is our voice. We know what is at stake. And we know we are all in this together in this fight for the soul of our nation. And it is a fight born out of love of our country, knowing what can be unburdened by what has been. Thank you, Nevada. Thank you. Speaker 4: (18:15) (singing) Steve Sisolak: (18:15) Bring this home. Let's hear everybody. Speaker 4: (18:15) (singing)