US elections 2024: Michelle Obama called on men to support Kamala Harris in her campaign to become the first female president, warning at a rally in Michigan that women’s lives would be in danger if Donald Trump returned to power.

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As AP reported, Michelle Obama called attacks on abortion rights a precursor to harmful restrictions on women’s health care.

Obama warned that while some men might consider voting for Trump out of frustration with slow progress, “your anger does not exist in a vacuum.”

“If we don’t succeed in this election, your wife, your daughter, your mother, we as women will become collateral damage to your anger,” Obama said. “So, as men, are you ready to look into the eyes of the women and children you love and tell them that you supported this attack on our security?”

The rally in Kalamazoo marked Michelle Obama’s first appearance on the campaign trail since her speech at the Democratic National Convention this summer. His remarks were intense and sincere in their support of Harris, the report noted.

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

Obama added: “Don’t buy into the lies that we don’t know who Kamala is or what she stands for. This is someone who understands you, all of you.

While Obama has generally been a hesitant campaigner, she expressed no reservations Saturday, mixing political commentary and personal reflections in her speech. She shared her concerns for the country and expressed confusion about why the presidential race remains competitive.

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

In an emotional tone, Obama addressed the challenges women face understanding and caring for their bodies, from menstrual cycles to menopause. She also highlighted the dangers of childbirth, highlighting how a split-second decision can be crucial to the lives of both mother and baby.

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

After Obama, Harris took the stage and assured the crowd that she would put their interests first, contrasting herself with Trump, whom she accused of being solely self-serving.

“There is a burning desire in our country to have a president who sees the people, not just looking in the mirror all the time, but who sees the people, who understands you and who will fight for you,” he said. she declared.

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After the rally, Harris went to Trak Houz Bar & Grill with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, where they drank locally brewed beer.

“I want to have everything she has,” Harris said.

“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.

Harris joined Beyoncé in Houston on Friday and campaigned with former President Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen on Thursday in Atlanta. This level of celebrity support far exceeds what Trump, the Republican nominee, was able to muster this year. However, there is no guarantee this will help Harris in the tight race for the White House, as Hillary Clinton was also defeated in 2016 despite energizing her crowds with musical performances and high-profile allies. Trump rejected Harris’ efforts to leverage star power for her campaign.

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

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Saturday marked the first day of in-person early voting across Michigan, with more than 1.4 million ballots already submitted, representing 20% ​​of registered voters. During Clinton’s campaign against Trump, Michelle Obama motivated Democrats with the slogan: “When they go low, we go high.”

But this year, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, she took 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.”

While Harris was with Obama in Michigan, President Joe Biden visited the Laborers International Union of North America in Pittsburgh. He mentioned that Harris once participated in a picket line with the United Auto Workers — “she has a backbone like a baguette” — while Trump undermined the labor movement, AP reported.

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“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.”