Vice Presidential Pool Reports of June 29, 2024

VP Harris pool report/Brentwood fundraiser

Vice President Kamala Harris gave a 22 minute speech at a Biden Victory Fund event hosted at the private residence of filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele in Brentwood.

In her speech, she addressed Biden's debate performance, his key legislative accomplishments and the stakes of the upcoming election -- including threats to LGBTQ+ rights, voting rights, civil rights and reproductive rights.

The fundraiser was billed as a Pride-themed garden party honoring the anniversary of the end of Proposition 8, which banned same sex marriage. Broadway singer Idina Menzel was slated to perform later this afternoon.

Kris Perry and Sandy Stier, plaintiffs in the lawsuit that successfully overturned Prop 8, attended the fundraiser. Harris married the couple while serving as California Attorney General in 2013.

Also in attendance were US Senator Laphonza Butler, D-CA, and US Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Van Nuys.

Harris began her speech by framing the election as a fight for the principles of America, including the promise of freedom, liberty, justice and equality. She said this is the same fight that overturned Prop 8.

"Because we've been in this fight before, I say with full confidence, we will win," she said. "We will know what we stand for, so we know what to fight for."

Harris then turned to the "elephant in the room" -- the presidential debate.

She acknowledged it wasn't the president's "finest hour," but said that if you put aside the "style points" the debate showcased a clear contrast between the candidates.

She also called former President Donald Trump "a threat to our democracy" who looks up to dictators and will weaponize the Department of Justice against his political enemies.

Harris emphasized that the stakes of the election are higher than ever and said "none of that changed because of a day in June," referencing the debate.

She shared that she has made over 60 trips in America this year, many to critical swing states such as North Carolina, which she has visited 14 times.

She said during these travels people thank her for the Biden administration's efforts to reduce the cost of medication such as insulin and forgive hundreds of thousands of dollars in student debt.

She also spoke about her national college tour and used the issues impacting Gen Z to once again emphasize the stakes of the election. This includes climate anxiety, the murder of George Floyd, isolation during the pandemic, gun violence in schools and the rollback of reproductive rights.

"On any one of these issues, the American people, when I'm in the streets, talk about their support for our perspective and their desire and need for us to fight for these issues," she said.

She spent time reminiscing about the day Prop 8 was overturned 11 years ago and the "heart and pain that for years went into this movement."

Harris said ongoing attacks on LGBTQ+ rights are closely intertwined with attacks on voting rights and reproductive rights.

"What we know in any movement about freedom and liberty is that we stand on broad shoulders of the folks who came before us and we are sitting here right now together because they passed us the baton in this relay race of history," she said while wrapping up her speech. "And the question is, while we are carrying the baton, what are we going to do with it?"