Moment Kamala Harris suffers Joe Biden-style gaffe while taking to rally stage with VP pick Tim Walz in Arizona
KAMALA Harris stumbled up the steps of her Friday night campaign rally, drawing comparison to President Biden.
Throughout his presidency, Biden has been captured multiple times struggling up and down staircases.
When walking onto the stage of her Phoenix, Arizona rally, Harris stumbled as she ascended the stairs but caught her footing, narrowly avoiding a trip in front of 15,000 spectators.
Biden has been heavily criticized for his multiple stair-related gaffes, including on Air Force One.
However, Harris didn’t appear phased by the stumble, greeting her new running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and the crowd before delivering her remarks.
Harris and Walz’s rally coincided with Donald Trump’s Montana rally, which was delayed due to an emergency landing the former president’s plane made after a mechanical failure.
Walz greeted the 59-year-old as she walked on stage, but the pair were interrupted by pro-Palestine protestors.
Harris silenced the crowd and allowed the protestors to continue speaking their minds.
“Hold on a second,” she said.
“Let me just say this, on [the] topic of what I think I’m hearing over there.
“I have been clear, now is the time to get a ceasefire deal and get the hostage deal done.”
The presidential candidate said she and Biden are actively working “around the clock every day to get that cease-fire deal done and bring the hostages home.”
“I respect your voices, but we are here to now talk about this race in 2024,” she said, turning her attention towards the election.
Harris’s response on Friday differed from her reaction during the Detroit rally earlier in the week when she talked over Gaza protestors.
The vice president snapped at the protesters as they became unruly with their chants.
“If you want Donald Trump to win then say that,” said Harris.
“Otherwise, I’m speaking.”
The former prosecutor went on to boast about her record, citing the drugs and gangs she put away.
“I prosecuted them in case after case, and I won,” Harris said.
“So I know what I’m talking about.”
Border security and immigration are often hot topics for those living in Arizona, a border state.
“We know our immigration system is broken and we know what it takes to fix it: comprehensive reform,” Harris said.
“That includes strong border security and an earned pathway to citizenship.”
Harris’ comments about border security follow scrutiny from Republicans about her role as the “border czar.”
She was tasked to investigate the root cause of the migration issue by the Biden administration.
What's next as Kamala Harris picks running mate
Kamala Harris' presidential campaign is preparing for a whirlwind week after she officially named Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate - just weeks after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race.
Here’s what’s next for the duo as they hit the campaign trail together:
Both Harris and Walz will appear for their first campaign rally together in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, August 6.
It will be the first of seven swing states Harris is expected to travel to over five days – five of which she and Biden flipped blue in 2020.
These states include:
- Pennsylvania
- Wisconsin
- Michigan
- Georgia
- Arizona
- North Carolina
- Nevada
The stretch is set to be one of the heaviest weeks of campaign-related travel this election cycle.
After her week-long tour around the country, Harris and Walz will hit the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, from August 19 to 22.
It is here that Harris is expected to officially accept the party’s nomination and outline exactly where she and her running mate stand on a plethora of issues affecting the American people.
During her speech, Harris doubled down on her commitment to border safety.
She said she would “hire thousands more border agents and crack down on fentanyl and human trafficking”
She then turned her attention to GOP nominee Trump.
“Donald Trump does not want to fix this problem,” Harris said.
“Be clear about that: He has no interest or desire to actually fix the problem.
“He talks a big game about border security, but he does not walk the walk.”
She reminded her supporters that, despite the large turnout, they still have a long way to go.
“We are the underdog,” she said.
Kamala Harris' full statement on her VP pick
Kamala Harris confirmed her running mate in a text blast to supporters, then shared a lengthy post on Instagram explaining her decision.
“I am proud to announce that I’ve asked @walzforgovernor to be my running mate,” Harris wrote in the Instagram post.
“One of the things that stood out to me about Tim is how his convictions on fighting for middle-class families run deep. It’s personal.
“He grew up in a small town in Nebraska, spending summers working on his family’s farm. His father died of cancer when he was 19, and his family relied on Social Security survivor benefit checks to make ends meet. At 17, he enlisted in the National Guard, serving for 24 years. He used his GI Bill benefits to go to college, and become a teacher. He served as both the football coach and the advisor of the Gay-Straight Alliance.
“I share this background both because it’s impressive in its own right, and because you see in no uncertain terms how it informs his record. He worked with Republicans to pass infrastructure investments. He cut taxes for working families. He passed a law to provide paid family and medical leave to Minnesotan families.
“He made Minnesota the first state in the country to pass a law providing constitutional abortion protections after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and as an avid hunter, he passed a bill requiring universal background checks for gun purchases.
“But what impressed me most about Tim is his deep commitment to his family: Gwen, Gus, and Hope. Doug and I look forward to working with him and Gwen to build an administration that reflects our shared values.
“Whether you are a supporter, a volunteer, a donor, a member of our staff, or your name is on the ticket: you are part of the people-powered campaign that is going to defeat Donald Trump.
“We are going to build a great partnership. We are going to build a great team. We are going to win this election.
“So let’s get to work. Join our campaign at the link in my bio.”