Michelle Obama advocates for Kamala Harris in Michigan

KALAMAZOO, MI —

Michelle Obama sharply condemned Donald Trump on Saturday in Michigan and urged voters to support Kamala Harris as the first woman president of the United States.

“By all accounts, she’s shown she’s ready,” the former first lady said. “The real question is, are we as a country ready for that moment?”

It was Obama’s first campaign appearance since her spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago over the summer, and her remarks were strong and passionate, even vulnerable.

She said that she is afraid for the country and is trying to understand why presidential race remains close.

“I lay awake at night thinking, ‘What in the world is going on?’ she said.

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

“I’m asking all of you to take our lives seriously,” she said.

The rally in Kalamazoo came after Harris visited a doctor’s office in Portage to speak to medical professionals and medical students about the impact of abortion restrictions. One said they were seeing patients from other parts of the country with strict abortion restrictions, while another said she worried people would not want to practice in important areas of medicine because of fears of government interference.

“We are witnessing a health care crisis in America that affects people of all backgrounds and genders,” Harris told reporters before visiting a doctor’s office.

Meanwhile, President Biden went to a union hall in Pittsburgh to promote Harris’ support for organized labor, urging the audience to “follow your gut” and “do what’s right.”

Harris starred with Beyoncé on Friday in Houston, and she campaigned with former President Obama and Bruce Springsteen on Thursday in Atlanta.

That’s a level of celebrity influence that surpasses anything Trump, the Republican nominee, has been able to demonstrate this year. But there’s no guarantee that will help Harris in his continued race for the White House. In 2016, Hillary Clinton lost to Trump despite firing up her crowds with musical performances and Democratic allies.

Trump brushed off Harris’ attempt to use star power for his campaign.

“Kamala is at a dance party with Beyoncé,” the former president said Friday in Traverse City, Michigan. Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, held a rally in Nova, a suburb of Detroit, on Saturday, during which he once again defamed Michigan’s largest city.

Saturday was the first day early in-person voting became available in Michigan. More than 1.4 million ballots were cast, representing 20% ​​of registered voters.

When Clinton ran 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 took a more strident approach. She accused Trump of “doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies instead of real ideas and solutions that will actually improve people’s lives.”

At a pre-election event in Pittsburgh, Biden spoke with the International Labor Union of North America. He recalled that Harris once picketed with the United Auto Workers — “she has a bone like a ramrod” — while Trump undermines organized labor.

“He believes that unions prevent the accumulation of wealth for individuals,” Biden said. “Labour is more interested in beating Donald Trump than any other race you’ve been in.”

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

Speaking of Trump, Biden said: “I’ll just say it straight, he’s a failure as a person.”

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

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

Associated Press writers Superville reported from Kalamazoo, Madhani from Pittsburgh and Megerian from Washington.