Six days before the highly anticipated general election, the man who could become the first second gentleman of the United States visited State College on Wednesday to energize supporters of the Democratic ticket.
Doug Emhoff, the husband of vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, spoke to a masked and socially distanced crowd of about 100 people near Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on the Penn State campus.
Introduced by state Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, 12th District congressional candidate Lee Griffin and Penn State College Democrats President Jacob Klipstein, Emhoff visited State College after a stop in Allentown earlier in the day to stump for his ‘beloved wife,’ Harris, and presidential candidate Joe Biden.
‘I’m not doing it because I love my wife, I’m doing it for my country,’ Emhoff said. ‘I’m doing it for Joe and I’m doing it so we can have change. I do love her. But I’m doing it for our country, like you’re doing it. Because I love my country and I can’t stand what’s happening to it right now. I want to leave it a better place for my kids and everyone else’s kids.’
Doug Emhoff, husband of Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris, speaks during a Biden-Harris campaign event on Oct. 28, 2020 near Medlar Field on the University Park campus. Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com
Emhoff’s visit came a week after Donald Trump Jr. stopped in Benner Township on behalf of his father’s re-election bid.
Pennsylvania is one of the nation’s most critical swing states for both tickets, and both campaigns have spent significant time in the state in the weeks leading up to the Nov. 3 election. President Donald Trump won Pennsylvania by just 44,000 votes in 2016.
Drawing contrasts between the incumbents and the Democratic challengers throughout his remarks, Emhoff said ‘We are a country in pain right now,’ describing the struggles of those worried about health care, small business owners, working families, senior citizens and essential workers.
When President Donald Trump in his 2017 inaugural address referenced the ‘American carnage’ that preceded him, he ‘was making it up,’ Emhoff said.
‘But now it’s actually here. American carnage is here, caused by him, caused by this failure of an administration for the last four years. And we cannot trust the same people who so miserably messed this up to fix it,’ he said.
State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, gave introductory remarks prior to a speech by Doug Emhoff on Oct. 28, 2020 near Medlar Field on Penn State’s campus. Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com
Four crises are unfolding simultaneously, and ‘were caused or exacerbated by the failures of this administration,’ Emhoff said, adding that for each Biden and Harris have a day one plan.
For two of them — the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change — Emhoff said they will be guided by science on masking, testing, contact tracing and a vaccine while promising free and effective treatment. On climate change, the Biden-Harris plan would transition to clean energy over time, creating infrastructure and new jobs, he said.
Addressing the economic crisis ‘will be based on jobs, not based on wealth,’ with investments in communities, small businesses and educational opportunities, he said.
The fourth crisis, Emhoff said, is one of racial injustice.
‘Joe and Kamala are going to bring us together and they are going to make an equal society and root out racism in all forms wherever it exists,’ he said.
Emhoff urged supporters that if they want change, they need to vote.
‘Elections matter and that’s why people are fired up. Because your vote is your voice and when you vote things change,’ he said. ‘We don’t like the way things are and we’re going to vote and we’re going to change things. We are going to take our country back.’
Doug Emhoff, husband of Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris, shows off a Penn State mask prior to a campaign event on Oct. 28, 2020 near Medlar Field on the University Park campus. Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com
Like Emhoff, Griffin said Pennsylvania will turn on swing districts outside of the major cities.
‘I’m running for Congress because this year, we all know, is the most important election of our lives, and we know what’s at stake,’ said Griffin, who is looking to unseat Republican Rep. Fred Keller. ‘Beating this virus, rebuilding our economy and the middle class, fixing health care, tackling climate change and fighting for racial justice — that’s what’s on the ballot.
‘This election isn’t going to be decided in California or New York. It’s going to be decided in Pennsylvania. And Pennsylvania isn’t going to be decided in the cities. It’s going to be decided here in the rural counties. This is where we make our stand. This is where we win — not Pittsburgh, not Philadelphia, State College.’
Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania’s 171st state House district Peter Buck, left, and 12th congressional district candidate Lee Griffin conversed before Doug Emhoff spoke on Oct. 28, 2020 near Medlar Field on Penn State’s campus. Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com
Doug Emhoff, husband of Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris, speaks during a campaign event on Oct. 28, 2020 near Medlar Field on the University Park campus. Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com
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