LANSING, Mich. Vice President Kamala Harris had no patience with a screaming protester at a Detroit Democratic fundraiser on Saturday night, sternly telling her it was the vice president’s moment to speak. The veep began her remarks at the Michigan Democratic Party Legacy Dinner, where tickets started at $200, by addressing the bloodshed in Gaza directly — intending to diffuse any tension.
However, this had the opposite effect as there were multiple outcries from the audience with one woman repeatedly shouting “It’s genocide!” Harris paused her speech to give the heckler a piece of her mind. For the past eight months, President Biden and I have been working every day to bring this conflict — I’m speaking right now. I value and respect your voice, but I’m speaking right now,” she said as security dragged the woman out of the room.
Harris seemed to get the message though. It’s time for this war to end,” she said from the microphone, adopting similar verbiage to that Biden has been using more often in recent weeks. These words seemed to placate the crowd, and Harris was able to move forward with her address.
However, this moment was a significant gut check not just for the vice president but her boss as well. Michigan’s Arab-American population is large, especially in and near Detroit. More than 300,000 residents of Arab descent — including thousands from Gaza — call the state home. The war between US ally Israel and Hamas’ terrorist forces is not theoretical to them. They are US citizens but have parents, friends and relatives who are living on the front lines.
They are in large measure scared, angry, educated and motivated. And they can vote.
Harris was able to finish her speech this weekend just fine. But as tensions remain sky high as the war rages on, the next Biden-Harris event in Michigan may not be so easy to quiet down.
