The crowd went wild at Kamala Harris’s largest campaign rally yet, and the Democratic candidate lost her cool as the situation spiraled out of control.
On Wednesday night in Detroit, the raucous crowd chanted to Beyoncé and shouted to “lock up” Donald Trump as speakers spewed obscenities and expletives while speaking in support of Harris, pausing only to give instructions to medics after several people fainted from the heat.
Even vice presidential candidate Tim Walz was affected.
‘Holy shit! Can you guys throw a party here in Michigan?’ he said.
The mood became even more tense when he introduced Harris. She came out to a sustained ovation that lasted a minute, but then struggled to regain control of the rally.
There were 15,000 people streaming out of a hangar at the Detroit airport, the largest crowd so far in Harris’ presidential campaign.
And when a group of Gaza protesters started shouting at him, Harris lost his patience.
“If you want Donald Trump to win, say so. If not, I’ll do the talking,” she told them as her supporters cheered her on.
“If you want Donald Trump to win, say so. Otherwise, I’ll do the talking,” Kamala Harris told a group of pro-Gaza protesters
Harris encountered the first pro-Gaza protesters of her presidential campaign when a group of them crashed the event to boo her from the sidelines.
“Kamala Kamala, you can’t hide, we don’t want any genocide,” they chanted.
Harris initially downplayed the interruption in her speech. “Everything’s fine,” she said.
The crowd shouted “Ka-ma-la, Ka-ma-la” to drown them out.
But as protests against Israel continued, Harris became more blunt: “I’m here because we believe in democracy. Everybody’s voice matters, but I’m speaking now.”
It was the toughest rally yet for Harris and her running mate, who are touring several states. The war in Israel is a big issue in Michigan, which has a large Muslim population. Harris, as a member of Joe Biden’s administration, has faced criticism for not doing enough to help civilians in Gaza.
But the event was raucous from the start, beginning with Harris’ rock-star entrance.
She stole a move from Donald Trump’s playbook for the event and arrived at the campaign event in his Air Force plane.
She and Walz arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport on Air Force Two, landing as Beyoncé’s “Run the World” played.
“Who rules the world? Girls,” boomed from the speakers as the plane descended down the runway.
Harris disembarked to Beyoncé’s “Freedom,” which has become her signature campaign song, walking from the plane to the airport hangar where a crowd of 15,000 awaited her — a crowd so large it spilled onto the tarmac.
During the 2020 election, Trump repeatedly used Air Force One as a backdrop for his campaign speeches. He held his rallies at airports across the country, delighting the crowds when the blue-and-white plane pulled up right into the hangar, allowing the then-president to make a dramatic entrance.
Air Force Two arrives at Kamala Harris and Tim Walz rally in Detroit
‘Oh my God! You can host a party here in Michigan?’ Tim Walz said.
From there, the crowd grew rowdier, encouraged by the speakers, who spouted off multiple four-letter words.
United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain began the day by criticizing Trump for his treatment of the industry. The powerful union group endorsed Harris for president two weeks ago.
“Trump talks about taking back the auto industry. Donald Trump knows nothing about the auto industry,” Fain shouted.
“And he doesn’t give a shit about the working class of this country.”
As Fain continued speaking, he let it all out: “I’m fucking angry.”
Other speakers maintained the tone, including Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is seen as a future presidential candidate.
“We need a strong woman in the White House and it’s time,” she said in her remarks.
Walz commented on the mood.
‘Holy shit! Can you throw a party here in Michigan?’ he said.
He unleashed during his remarks. He praised Whitmer for knowing how to “fix the damn roads” and told the crowd, “You guys have a treasure here in Michigan.”
And he acknowledged how crazy his life has been over the past two days, ever since Harris called him Tuesday morning and offered him the job as her running mate.
“We’re 91 days away from the election,” he told the crowd. “Ninety,” they replied.
“90. Oh my God, I haven’t slept in 24 hours,” he said, rubbing his face.
It was full of crowd-pleasing lines.
And he had plenty of witty comments ready to throw at Republicans.
“The one thing I won’t forgive them for is trying to steal the joy from this country. But you know what? Our next president will bring joy. She exudes joy,” Walz said.
Supporters cheer on Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
Harris and Walz walk down the runway of Air Force Two toward the rally site.
The crowd of 15,000 people emerged from the hangar.
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz disembark from Air Force Two
It wasn’t just rhetoric that was fashionable.
All speakers had to stop their remarks to direct medical personnel to the necessary location in the crowd as several people fainted.
At least six people needed medical attention during the demonstration. Volunteers were on hand with water and Fig Newton candy.
Shouts of “water, water” and “doctor, doctor” could be heard from the crowd as people collapsed.
Walz also had to stop to give instructions to doctors.
“Thank you for caring about your neighbors,” Walz said as the crowd made room for medical personnel. “Look, we share a lot of things. That’s one of them. We’re neighbors and we’re not weirdos.”
He introduced Harris, who remained faithful to her usual speech.
Kamala Harris takes photos with the crowd after her remarks
The crowd went wild when Air Force Two arrived; Donald Trump also used his Air Force plane to get to rallies when he was president
Kamala Harris speaks with Air Force Two behind her
But Harris also included an addendum she added on Wednesday.
He stopped supporters chanting “lock him up” against Trump, his Republican rival. He did the same earlier in the day at his rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
She had been giving her usual speech where she described her experience as a prosecutor, arguing that it meant she knew how to deal with men like Trump, when the crowd began chanting “lock him up.”
Harris jumped to Trump’s defense.
“Wait,” he said. “The courts will take care of that. We’re going to beat him in November.”