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TWITTER / DOUG IMHOFF
Kamala Harris gave an impassioned speech at Iowa's Liberty and Justice Celebration. |
ANALYSIS
Kamala Harris had a very bad week. And then she had one very good night.
She delivered a fiery speech in front of the biggest audience she'll likely face in Iowa, 94 days before the state holds its caucuses.
"This is a moment where we have to be prepared to fight for the best of our country," Harris said at the 2019 Liberty and Justice Celebration on Friday (Nov. 1). "This is a moment where we need to fight for this country we love, for the rule of law, for our system of justice and for our very Democracy."
The event featured 12 of the Democratic candidates and gives them the opportunity to make a big impression on the voters who would be the first people to vote for their presidential preference.
Later in the evening, with half the audience gone after the top seven Democratic candidates had delivered their speeches, Andrew Yang gave a rousing speech of his own to his loyal and vociferous supporters.
After 18 months of running for president, Yang is now a seasoned politician despite never holding an elected position.
He talked about his most talked-about proposal of giving every adult in the US $1000 a month; a Universal Basic Incomee, or as he calls it, a Freedom Dividend by telling human stories of three of people his campaign is giving a UBC for a year.
One man bought a guitar and has returned to performing; a woman paid for her repairs to her automobile; and a 68-year old woman is going back to school.
He left a strong impression with the old political hands. He made sense. He spoke to the fears confronting the American worker although except for the UBC, he remained vague about actual solutions to the dilemma he describes.
"I am running for president because, like so many of you in this room, I'm a parent and I'm a patriot," Yang said. "I have seen the future that lies ahead for our children, and it is not something I'm willing to accept."
"I am running for president because, like so many of you in this room, I'm a parent and I'm a patriot," Yang said. "I have seen the future that lies ahead for our children, and it is not something I'm willing to accept."
A spokesman for Iowa's Democratic Party told CNN on Wednesday that in order to qualify to speak at the event, candidates were required to open at least two field offices in the Hawkeye State or purchase the state party's voter file.
"To our knowledge, the congresswoman did neither of those things," Jonah Hermann, the party's spokesman, told CNN.
Among the candidates, Harris had the most at stake. The week began her lowest poll numbers hovering around 3%, lagging fundraising in the crowded candidates' field, an announcement of her campaign cutting staff, closing almost of their campaign offices in New Hampshire and bringing in her additional staffers to Iowa in what appears to be an all-out push for state where doesn't need to finish first but a strong showing is absolutely necessary for her campaign.
Harris reminded the audience of her career as a prosecutor and then used that experience to deliver a dig at Elizabeth Warren, who many believe has surpassed former Vice President Joe Biden as the frontrunner.
"I have only had one client my entire life and that is the people. Unlike others, I have never represented a corporation," Harris said, in a reference to Warren's previous work representing corporations.
She used a new campaign song and literally danced onto the stage, updated her stump talking points and delivered an impassioned speech
She reminded the Iowans what brought her to the national stage and what it meant to be California's junior Senator. It "meant taking on Jeff Sessions, taking on Bill Barr, taking on Brett Kavanaugh," Harris said, mentioning many of the Trump administration confirmation fights where she displayed her prosecutorial skills. "And Iowa, I stand before you today, for the people, fully prepared to take on Donald Trump."
"This is a moment where we have to be prepared to fight for the best of our country," Harris said. "This is a moment where we need to fight for this country we love, for the rule of law, for our system of justice and for our very Democracy."
“Here’s the bottom line, Iowa. I do believe that when we overcome these injustices, we will unlock the promise of America and the potential of the American people,” she said. “And I do believe that this is what we want and need. That is the America I see. That is the America I believe in. That is the America I know us to be. And that is why I am running for president of the United States.”
"This is a moment where we have to be prepared to fight for the best of our country," Harris said. "This is a moment where we need to fight for this country we love, for the rule of law, for our system of justice and for our very Democracy."
“Here’s the bottom line, Iowa. I do believe that when we overcome these injustices, we will unlock the promise of America and the potential of the American people,” she said. “And I do believe that this is what we want and need. That is the America I see. That is the America I believe in. That is the America I know us to be. And that is why I am running for president of the United States.”
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