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By Jesus Mesa and Gabe Whisnant
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Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden co-headlined a campaign event on Monday in Pennsylvania, a critical battleground state, as they celebrate labor unions while reinforcing Biden's legacy with workers.
The pair attended Pittsburgh's Labor Day parade and delivered remarks, marking the first time they have shared a speaking slot on the trail since the surprising election shakeup that injected fresh enthusiasm into the 2024 race some six weeks ago.
Harris and Biden also attended an event at a local union hall alongside Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Senator Bob Casey, who is seeking re-election. Local and national leaders from major unions, including the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the A.F.L.-C.I.O., and the United Steelworkers, were present.
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Both Harris and former President Donald Trump have claimed to be on the side of working Americans while vying for the White House, a reflection of the important role union voters could play in securing states like Pennsylvania and Michigan, which have some of the highest union densities in the country, according to the Center for American Progress Action Fund.
Biden, a Scranton, Pennsylvania native, was met with big cheers and chants of "Thank You, Joe!" as he prepared to speak at the Labor Day rally at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 5. The president was also loudly applauded when he said, "Wall Street didn't build America. The middle class built America, and unions built the middle class!" His remarks included several references to "Kamala and I."
The president said choosing Harris to be vice president was the "single best" decision of his presidency then told the union members that electing her will be "the best decision you will ever make."
In a spirited endorsement of Harris at the end of his remarks, Biden said the Vice President "Had the backbone of a ramrod, and the moral compass of a saint."
Harris used Monday's joint campaign in the industrial city of Pittsburgh to say that U.S. Steel should remain domestically owned and operated — coinciding with the White House's earlier opposition to the company's planned sale to Nippon Steel of Japan.
"U.S. Steel should remain American-owned and American-operated," Harris said to the Pittsburgh crowd.
Biden has previously said he opposes U.S. Steel's would-be sale to Nippon in order to better "maintain strong American steel companies powered by American steel workers."
Harris said that even non-union American workers should "thank" unions and union members.
"You better thank a union member for the 5-day work week. You better thank a union member for sick leave. You better thank a union member for paid leave. You better thank a union member for vacation time," she told the crowd.
Although they recently appeared together at a White House event highlighting Medicare drug savings and were both present on the first day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Monday will mark their first joint appearance on the campaign trail—an effort some political analysts have called a "risky move" as Harris seeks to maintain daylight with her unpopular boss.
Harris seems unconcerned, aiming to bolster Biden's pro-union legacy in Pittsburgh on Labor Day. Biden has declared himself the most pro-union president in history and became the first sitting president to walk an active picket line. Monday's visit holds particular significance for the president due to his long-standing connection with Pittsburgh, where he has participated in events for over 15 years and launched his 2020 campaign at a Teamsters union hall.
Harris, meanwhile, will make her first appearance in Steel City as the Democratic nominee as part of her campaign's broader Labor Day push.
As September begins and the campaign season crosses into the home stretch, Pennsylvania has emerged as a key battleground crucial for both parties. Recent polls show a close race between Trump and Harris, with Pennsylvania's 19 electoral votes up for grabs.
Harris has been actively campaigning in Pennsylvania in recent weeks, while Trump visited the Keystone State on Friday. His visit, intended to focus on energy and fracking, ended with an extended defense of his campaign's actions leading up to an altercation between a Trump 2024 staff member and a cemetery official at Arlington.
Harris told the crowd Monday, "This will be a tight race until the very end. So, let's not pay too much attention to the polls. As labor knows best, we are running as the underdog, and we have some hard work ahead of us. But we like hard work. Hard work is good work."
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Update: 09/02/2024, 6:41 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with more information.
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