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Kamala Harris promises to end war in Gaza, protect abortion rights at MSU rally
Vice President Kamala Harris swapped out her usual Democrat blue signage for Michigan State University’s green and white.
Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, delivered a stump speech on Sunday evening to a nearly at-capacity crowd inside Jenison Field House on MSU’s campus. In a 30-minute speech, Harris promised to end the Israel-Hamas war and defend reproductive rights while selling students on her “fight for freedom.”
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, U.S. Senate candidate Elissa Slotkin and U.S. House candidate Curtis Hertel also delivered remarks at the event. Slotkin in particular emphasized the importance of college students’ votes in this cycle and apologized for the “toxic and polarized and angry” era of politics students find themselves in.
In recent weeks, reaching voters on college campuses has become a key goal for the Harris campaign, particularly in Michigan where she and Donald Trump remain neck and neck in recent polls. Earlier this week, Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, rallied in Ann Arbor, just outside of the central campus of the University of Michigan.
After a thunderous entrance to Beyoncé’s “Freedom,” Harris immediately delved into the Israel-Hamas war, delivering a series of promises that attempted to appease Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestinian supporters.
Harris also promised to sign a bill restoring abortion rights nationwide, which the crowd responded to with chants of “we’re not going back,” which has become one of the campaign’s most salient slogans.
Harris’ goal to rhetorically contrast herself with Trump’s reliance on fear as a motivator culminated in her closing remarks, where she embraced community-building and togetherness as an antidote to the fear that has characterized “this last decade.”
Harris’ visit, which marked her 11th trip to Michigan, came on the final day of early voting in Michigan. Claiming that “it all comes down to this,” Harris encouraged students to have their voices heard on Election Day and to encourage their friends to do the same. Only by doing that, she argued, could students secure a future with “freedom, opportunity and dignity for all Americans.”
MSU community lines up for VP Harris’ rally on campus
With the MSU community preparing for Harris’ rally at Jenison Fieldhouse on Sunday, lines stretched as far as Wells Hall to the doors of Jenison, with supporters eagerly awaiting the person they hope will be elected president today.
Two of those people, Frank Brooks and Rachel Carlson, said they were excited about Harris’ visit to campus to hear what she will say just before the election.
Rachel, who graduated from MSU in 2006, was looking forward to seeing the “first female president.”
The two described themselves as “excited” and “hopeful.”
Business and acting freshman Zachary Barker said today’s election is the first one he will vote in.
“She appeals to my generation by being open about her experiences,” Zachary said. “We both come from a middle-class family and her, as a Black woman, my mother is a Black woman, seeing what she’s accomplished, it’s very inspiring that first of my ethnicity and complexion can get to her heights of success.”
Zachary saw the rally as a place that could provide a “sense of community,” and a great opportunity.
He encourages other students to “vote for what you believe in” today.
Civil engineering freshman Marvin Den called Harris’ visit “a very, very great thing.”
“MSU has a history of a lot of people having a lot of boldness in their voices, so I feel like it’s a great opportunity for not only students to be here and see her in person, but students from other states to be here as well,” Marvin said.
MSU students, faculty worry about foreign politics in the face of the election
As almost every publication in the nation has said for weeks, the stakes couldn’t be higher in today’s presidential election. MSU students aren’t only worried about their own democracy, but politics on the world stage.
Sociology sophomore Maggie Frost said she has a lot of fears for her own agency if Trump is reelected.
“I am afraid of losing the right to my own body and my autonomy,” Maggie said. “I also am afraid of the government becoming an autocracy.”
Psychology freshman David Falade said he fears Project 2025 the most, but he also said he knows Trump “is not for him.”
And while these domestic policies seem to matter deeply to a lot of students, issues overseas may be the deciding factors of this race.
Mohammad Khalil is the director of MSU’s Muslim Studies Program and a professor of religious studies and an adjunct professor at MSU’s College of Law.
He said a significant number of Muslim constituents are not planning on voting for Harris strictly because of the current administration’s dealings with the Israel-Hamas war.
Mohammad said U.S. Muslims, including those living in the battleground state of Michigan, are engaged in serious discussions on changing the population’s longstanding record of voting blue.
MSU associate professor of comparative politics Erica Frantz specializes in a variety of topics including, but not limited to, authoritarian politics and democratization.
Erica said she believes America is in a unique position to set the standard for a high-functioning, multi-party democracy across the world.
She said this means whoever wins this presidential election will be responsible for either crafting foreign policy that de-escalates global war or puts the country in the middle of it, regarding conflicts like the Israel-Hamas war, the Russo-Ukrainian war and the Sudan Civil war, amongst others.
Based on original reporting by Emilio Perez Ibarguen, Demonte Thomas and Mallory Stiles.
