United States President Joe Biden has appeared at a marketing campaign occasion with Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris for the primary time since dropping out of the presidential race.
The pair spoke at a rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Monday to mark the Labor Day vacation. They hope to shore up help from unions and blue-collar employees.
Pennsylvania is taken into account a key battleground within the November 5 election, wherein Harris will face off with former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump. The 81-year-old Biden was the presidential candidate till July when he abruptly dropped out of the race following a debate efficiency that raised considerations over his age.
Talking on Monday, Biden promised he would “be on the sidelines” and “do the whole lot I can to assist” within the closing stretch of the race. He condemned Trump as anti-union, saying, “He’d somewhat cross [a picket line] than stroll one.”
“I’ve no drawback strolling the picket line,” mentioned Biden, who turned the primary US president in historical past final yr to join striking workers on a picket line. “Neither does Kamala.”
“I do know her. I belief. The primary choice I made as nominee in 2020 was deciding on her as my vp,” he mentioned. “It was the only finest choice I made as president of america of America”.
Harris, in the meantime, led a chant of, “Thanks Joe” earlier than pledging to proceed Biden’s legacy as probably the most “pro-union administration in US historical past”.
Echoing Biden, she additionally mentioned she would work to maintain the nation’s metal manufacturing beneath US management.
In March, Biden mentioned industrial big US Metal Corp, which has agreed to a takeover by Japan’s Nippon Metal for $14.9bn, should stay a domestically-owned US agency.
“We’ll proceed to strengthen America’s manufacturing sector,” Harris mentioned.
“And on that time… US Metal is a historic American firm, and it is important for our nation to keep up robust American metal corporations. I couldn’t agree extra with President Biden: US Metal ought to stay American-owned and American-operated.”
Harris and Biden appeared collectively on the Democratic National Convention and at a White Home occasion on Medicare drug value cuts final month. Nevertheless, the occasion in Pittsburgh was their first joint look at a marketing campaign rally since Harris formally turned the nominee.
Earlier within the day, the vp held an occasion in Detroit, Michigan – one other key battleground state – the place she once more confronted protesters calling for Washington to right away shift its materials and political help for Israel amid its ongoing warfare on Gaza.
‘Thread this very advantageous needle’
Reporting from Pittsburgh, Al Jazeera’s Phil Lavelle mentioned that whereas Harris needed to learn from her association with Biden, she additionally needed individuals to know she was completely different from him.
“She has to string this very advantageous needle between being seen to be related to Joe Biden, being linked to his perceived achievement… as a result of Joe Biden, bear in mind, was the primary president to stroll a picket line. He’s seen as very pro-union,” he mentioned.
“On the similar time, she has to carve out her personal course and be seen as a change candidate, which is what she’s making an attempt to challenge herself as, a candidate for change,” Lavelle mentioned.
“Now that is one thing that, after all, the opposite aspect is saying shouldn’t be true. They’re saying that she is a component of the present administration. How can she be a modified candidate?”
Jeremy Zogby, an impartial pollster, mentioned will probably be notably vital for Harris to attract a distinction on the economy, which has been central to Republican assaults on the Biden administration.
Zogby added that whereas some polls recommend Harris is main Trump nationally and in key battleground states, a lot may change earlier than election day. Harris and Trump will face off of their first debate on September 10.
“Battleground states are known as battleground states as a result of the needle is at all times transferring,” he instructed Al Jazeera.
“Proper now, we’re sort of leaving this wave of the Kamala honeymoon, the place there’s been a deal with character.
“I sense that that’s coming to an finish and the problems are going to return again into the forefront. Between now and election day, you will have a whole lot of issues occur.”
