Hollywood A-listers joined groups of everyday Americans ranging from model train enthusiasts to Dungeons & Dragons fans at a virtual event in Michigan to boost the presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris.
The event, dubbed “Unite for America 2024” and hosted by Oprah Winfrey, sought to highlight the broad support she is enjoying from diverse groups across the country.
It brought together nearly 70 “unity groups” purporting to show how Ms. Harris is energizing Americans across the country. Several of the pro-Harris groups were extremely niche including Train Lovers for Harris, Cat Ladies for Kamala, Poets for Harris, and Democracy & Dragons.
Members of those groups appeared virtually alongside Hollywood elite such as Bryan Cranston, Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Tracee Ellis Ross, Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lopez.
“I look around these screens,” Ms. Harris said. “I look at who’s in this room and this is America.”
Mr. Rock talked about how he wants to bring his daughters to the White House to meet Ms. Harris if she’s elected in November.
“I think, I think she would make a great president, and I just, I’m ready to turn the page, man,” Mr. Rock said.
Mr. Cranston was equally enthusiastic.
“I’m just smiling from ear to ear,” he said. “I have never felt this much joy and optimism in a campaign in a long time. I’m just so appreciative of Kamala to be able to bring back that sense of optimism and to squish the cynicism and the vitriol and rancor that seems to be floating all around Washington.”
Ms. Harris sat down with Ms. Winfrey for a fawning interview.
“It seems to us something happened to you the moment Joe Biden stepped aside and withdrew his candidacy that a veil or something drooped and you just stepped into your power. Literally,” Ms. Winfrey told the vice president, on whose behalf she delivered a rousing speech at last month’s Democratic National Convention.
Ms. Harris repeated previously announced campaign pledges such as signing a border security bill, codifying the right to abortion in federal law, and promising first-time home buyers a $25,000 down payment.
The Republican National Committee slammed Ms. Harris for parading Hollywood celebrities while Americans struggle with high prices and soaring inflation.
“Kamala Harris is campaigning in Michigan with an out-of-touch celebrity, further confirming that the Democrat party is not the party of hardworking Americans — it is a party of elitists,” said RNC chairman Michael Whatley.
Michigan remains a hotly contested battleground state.
Ms. Harris has the support of 50% of likely voters in the state, compared to 45% for former President Donald Trump, according to a Quinnipiac Poll released this week.
A separate poll from The Hill/Decision Desk HQ released Wednesday found that Ms. Harris has only a statistically insignificant lead, beating Mr. Trump in Michigan by less than a percentage point, far less than the poll’s error margin.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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