KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Michelle Obama delivered a scathing denunciation of Donald Trump on Saturday in Michigan and challenged voters to support Kamala Harris as the first female president of the United States.

“In every area, she demonstrated that she was ready,” the former first lady said. “The real question is, as a country, are we ready for this moment?”

It was Obama’s first appearance on the campaign trail since his speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this summer, and his remarks were strong and passionate, even vulnerable.

She said she fears for the country and struggles to understand why the presidential race remains close.

“I would lie awake at night wondering, ‘What’s going on?’ “, she said.

His voice vibrating with emotion, Obama warned that Trump’s potential return to the White House would harm women’s health and reproductive freedom.

“I ask all of you, from the depths of my being, to take our lives seriously,” she said.

The rally in Kalamazoo followed Harris’ visit to a local doctor’s office in Portage to speak with health care providers and medical students about the impact of abortion restrictions. One said she was seeing patients from other parts of the country where there are strict restrictions on abortion, and another said she was concerned that people would not want to practice in important areas of medicine due to fears of government intrusion.

“We are facing a health care crisis in America that affects people of all races and genders,” Harris told reporters before heading to the doctor.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden visited a union hall in Pittsburgh to promote Harris’ support for the labor movement, telling the audience to “go with your gut” and “do what’s right.”

Harris appeared with Beyoncé Friday in Houstonand she campaigned with former President Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen Thursday in Atlanta.

It’s a level of celebrity influence that surpasses anything imaginable. Donald Trumpthe Republican candidate, was able to mobilize this year. But there’s no guarantee it will help Harris in the tight White House race. In 2016, Hillary Clinton lost to Trump despite enthusing her crowds with musical performances and Democratic allies.

Trump rejected Harris’ attempt to harness star power for her campaign.

“Kamala is at a dance party with Beyoncé,” the former president said Friday in Traverse City, Michigan. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, is scheduled to hold a rally Saturday in Novi, a Detroit suburb, before a later event in State College, Pennsylvania.

Saturday is the first day that in-person early voting became available across Michigan. More than 1.4 million ballots have already been cast, representing 20% ​​of registered voters.

When Clinton was running against Trump, Michelle Obama inspired Democrats with the slogan “when they go low, we go high.”

But this year, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, she adopted a more biting approach. She accused Trump of “doubling down on his ugly, misogynistic and racist lies to replace real ideas and solutions that will actually improve people’s lives.”

At a campaign event in Pittsburgh, Biden spoke with the Laborers International Union of North America. He mentioned that Harris once picketed with the United Auto Workers — “she has a backbone like a baguette” — while Trump undermined the labor movement.

“He views unions as a barrier to the accumulation of wealth for individuals,” Biden said. “It’s in the unions’ interest to defeat Donald Trump, more than any other race you’ve been in.”

Biden’s remarks to a mostly male audience referenced the gender divide that has been a constant feature of this year’s presidential race.

Speaking on Trump, Biden said: “I’m just going to say bluntly, he’s a loser as a man.”

He also said that women deserve more opportunities than they have had in the past.

“They can do anything that anyone can do, including being president of the United States of America,” Biden said.

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Madhani reported from Pittsburgh and Megerian reported from Washington.