GREENSBORO, N.C. — Hours before her boss’s big news conference in the nation’s capital, Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged at a campaign rally that the Democratic nominee is under attack but made no mention of growing calls within her own party for President Biden to step down.
“Today marks 117 days until the election,” she told a crowd of about 700 people Thursday in James B. Dudley High School’s gym, which was two-thirds full, with one set of bleachers behind the stage empty.
“This is the last, most meaningful and most consequential election of our lifetimes. We always knew this election was going to be hard, and the last few days have really brought that home,” Harris acknowledged. “But one thing we know about President Joe Biden is that he’s a fighter.”
The vice president’s visit came the same week that first lady Jill Biden campaigned in the state, where her husband lost the 2020 presidential election to former President Donald Trump by fewer than 75,000 votes.
While most of Harris’ comments were predictable – she bashed the Trump-Pence administration on familiar issues like health care, gun rights and abortion – she made some puzzling remarks toward the end of the event.
The vice president praised his Republican predecessor, Mike Pence, who has become an unwelcome figure among many conservatives and Trump supporters.
Despite Pence delivering many of the Trump administration’s policy victories, Harris appeared to forgive Pence, saying, “The Supreme Court has said the law doesn’t apply to Donald Trump, extremists in Congress continue to bow to him, and there are no people like Mike Pence who will stand up to him. Our last line of defense is the ballot box.”
Other speakers at the battleground state event included North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughn and North Carolina Senate Deputy Minority Leader Gladys Robinson.
Robinson said the state “has to deliver” for Democratic candidates.
“President Biden and Vice President Harris have brought nearly 1 million jobs to our state,” she said.
“Trump is talking about something called ‘black jobs.’ What are those?”
Cooper and Vaughn also highlighted the wins the administration has brought to the Tar Heel State.
Both mentioned jobs, health care and infrastructure.
Event attendee Megan Colucci, 60, also addressed this last issue.
“The infrastructure bill has been extremely helpful for our county. Right next door in Davidson County, we’ve had three new businesses come in. One is a railroad, they do rebar. I don’t know of any others,” she told The Post.
Asked whether Harris should replace Biden as the top candidate, she said: “I would like her to stay, but I think the winds are blowing the other way and I’m OK with that.”
Of course, not all North Carolinians were happy about the vice president’s visit.
“As the Vice President tours the state, North Carolinians are still bearing the burden of ‘Bidenomics,'” said Tyler Voight, North Carolina director of Americans for Prosperity. “Inflation didn’t just fall from coconut trees, to quote Ms. Harris. The pain we’re feeling at the gas station and the grocery store, the anxiety felt by hardworking Americans living paycheck to paycheck, are the result of choices made by this administration. This is the very real economic situation North Carolinians are suffering from.”
“But Biden, Harris and their allies in the House and Senate are trying to run away from the consequences of their ‘Bidenomics’ policies while telling the American people that things are getting better.”
Anti-Israel protesters welcomed Harris outside the school, demanding that the Biden administration “end the blockade of Gaza now.”
Shortly after Harris’ speech began, several protesters were chased away after much of the crowd chanted “Four more years!”
The rally was Harris’ sixth visit to the battleground state this year and her 14th since taking office.
