Oprah Winfrey hosted a virtual rally with Kamala Harris in Michigan on Thursday evening, aimed at energizing voters and spreading her campaign message. The event featured a studio audience in Farmington Hills, mirroring the format of “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” where Harris tackled various pressing issues such as immigration, abortion, and the rising cost of living while avoiding any major gaffes.
Among the celebrity guests was Meryl Streep, who humorously referred to Harris as “President Harris” before correcting herself. Harris playfully acknowledged the countdown to the election, stating, “47 days.”
Winfrey embraced Harris as she took the stage and inquired about her feelings when President Biden announced he would not seek re-election. Harris expressed a profound sense of responsibility, emphasizing the stakes of the upcoming election.
The discussion covered personal and heart-wrenching stories about gun violence and abortion, including a testimony from the family of Amber Nicole Thurman, a woman who tragically died in Georgia from complications during her pregnancy. Harris criticized the notion that life-saving abortions should only occur at the last moment, questioning the requirement for a doctor to declare imminent danger before providing aid.
In a surprising moment, Winfrey prompted Harris to reveal that she personally owns a gun, to which Harris responded, “If somebody breaks in my house, they’re getting shot,” eliciting laughter from the audience.
Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer introduced Harris, emphasizing the competitiveness of the upcoming race. Jen O’Malley Dillon, chair of the Harris campaign, echoed this sentiment by mentioning that polls show the race is tight across battleground states.
Viewers were entertained by other celebrity appearances, including Bryan Cranston, Chris Rock, Ben Stiller, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jennifer Lopez, and Julia Roberts, with around 300,000 viewers tuning in through the Harris campaign’s YouTube channel. Rock reminisced about supporting Harris from her early days as a district attorney and expressed a desire for his daughters to meet a Black woman president.
Roberts spoke to the importance of restoring America’s image on the international stage, expressing a desire for travelers to receive a warm reception abroad.
The event, named “Unite for America,” brought together various grassroots groups that mobilized following Harris’s campaign launch in July, including initiatives like Win With Black Women and Comics for Kamala.
Despite the support from celebrities, Harris has faced criticism from some Republicans and the media for her limited unscripted appearances. Following the event, the Trump campaign released a fundraising email attacking Harris for her ties to Hollywood figures and alleging reliance on “far-left billionaires.”
Winfrey concluded the event with an appeal to “all decent people,” urging them to rise above divisive rhetoric and conspiracies, and to strive for a better future together.