GLENDALE, Ariz. — Vice President Kamala Harris took a moment to address anti-Israel protesters who disrupted her rally in Arizona on Friday, telling them, “I respect your voices.”
The interruption came about five minutes into Harris’ speech to a packed house at Desert Diamond Arena outside Phoenix, and the 59-year-old’s response to the protesters marked a stark change in tone from her approach in Michigan on Thursday, where she silenced and berated anti-Israel hecklers.
“Wait a second. Wait, wait, wait, everybody,” Harris said as her supporters chanted “USA, USA” in an attempt to drown out the protesters.
“We’re here to fight for our democracy, and that includes respecting the voices that I think we hear,” the Democratic presidential candidate continued.
“And let me say this – on the subject of what I think I’m hearing there – let me talk about it for a moment, and then I’ll get back to the subject at hand.
“I have been clear: Now is the time to reach a ceasefire agreement and to conclude the hostage deal,” Harris said, adding that she had “worked around the clock” with President Biden, 81, to reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
“So I respect your voices, but we’re here to talk about this race in 2024,” she said, returning to her prepared remarks.
Harris was far more eager to engage with her critics in Phoenix than in Detroit, where opponents of Israel chanted “Kamala! Kamala! You can’t hide! We will not vote for genocide!” during her speech.
“You know what? If you want Donald Trump to win, say so. If you don’t, I’ll do the talking,” she said Thursday after a series of disruptions, stopping to look at the protesters.
Despite the momentary disruption, the massive crowd that Harris and her new running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, drew to Arizona on Friday was overwhelmingly joyous.
About 15,000 supporters packed into the arena, according to the Harris campaign, which is considered a record for a Democratic political event in the Grand Canyon State.
“It’s not like anybody cares about the size of the crowd or anything,” Walz joked after taking the stage to chants of “Coach, Coach, Coach” before Harris’ speech.
“You came here for one simple reason: You love this democracy,” the Minnesota governor and former congressman told the cheering crowd, praising them for braving the 106-degree heat to attend the rally.
Walz brought up his military service, which has been questioned by Republicans and veterans since he was named Harris’ running mate, five minutes into his speech.
“Two days after I turned 17, my father took me to join the National Guard. And for 24 years, I proudly wore that uniform,” he said.
“I’m proud of that service, but what my nation gave my father, and millions of others, and me, was the opportunity to use the GI Bill to get a college education,” Walz added, referring to his father, a Korean War veteran.
Rally attendees were overwhelmingly positive about Harris’ choice as his running mate, though a few admitted they had never heard of him before Tuesday.
“I was surprised, but I’m really happy,” Tony McMurray, a Central Valley resident who works in construction, told the Post of Harris reaching out to Walz.
“I had never heard of him,” he acknowledged, noting that he “hoped and thought” Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly would be the choice, but when he read about Walz, he was “happy to hear” he had been selected.
“I like the vibe of it,” said Isabella, of Phoenix, also admitting she had “never heard it before” on Tuesday.
“I think he’s more personable than J.D. Vance,” she added, referring to the Ohio senator and Republican vice presidential candidate.
“He seems like, you know, someone I should go camping with,” said Daniel, of North Phoenix.
When chants of “Lock him up” erupted after Walz accused former President Donald Trump of serving “no one but himself,” the animated governor half-heartedly tried to calm the crowd before shouting, “Better yet, beat him up at the ballot box.”
Trump, 78, beat former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Arizona by 3.5 percentage points in 2016, but lost the state to Biden by less than a percentage point in 2020.
The 2024 race is shaping up to be just as close as it was four years ago.
An average of polls by FiveThirtyEight shows Trump leading Harris by a razor-thin margin of 0.4 percentage points, 44.8% to 44.4%, in the state where 11 Electoral College votes will be at stake in November.
Immigration is one of the top issues for Arizonans this election cycle, and Harris briefly touched on the topic during her speech.
“We know our immigration system is broken, and we know what it takes to fix it,” she said. “Comprehensive reform that includes stronger border security and an earned path to citizenship.”
Harris criticized Trump for opposing congressional legislation earlier this year aimed at improving border security and immigration reform, saying the former president “talks a lot about border security” but doesn’t “walk the talk.”
