Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, kicked off a bus tour through Western Pennsylvania just a day before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. This tour was part of a final push to rally support in key areas, and it offered a glimpse into how the Harris-Walz ticket is connecting with voters on the ground.
The tour had all the trappings of a classic small-town campaign swing, with stops at a campaign office near Pittsburgh, a firehouse, a high school, and even a Sheetz convenience store—because in Pennsylvania, Sheetz is almost as iconic as the Liberty Bell. Along for the ride were their spouses, Doug Emhoff and Gwen Walz, who joined in the effort to engage with local communities.
Kamala word salads are so back: “Our election is about understanding the importance of this beautiful country of ours in terms of what we stand for around the globe as a democracy. As a democracy, we know there’s a duality to the nature of democracy. On the one hand, incredible… pic.twitter.com/GeMmgVESFk
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) August 18, 2024
Interestingly, the tour focused less on detailed policy discussions and more on broad messages about character, perseverance, and the future of the country. It’s clear that Harris and Walz were trying to strike an inspirational tone, probably aiming to energize volunteers and voters alike as the convention approaches.
However, Harris’ unscripted moments during the tour were a bit rocky. Without a teleprompter, her remarks sometimes veered into what can only be described as “word salad.”
Take, for example, her attempt to philosophize about democracy: “Our election is about understanding the importance of this beautiful country of ours in terms of what we stand for around the globe as a democracy. As a democracy, we know there’s a duality to the nature of democracy. On the one hand, incredible strength when it is intact. What it does for its people to protect and defend their rights, their liberty, and their freedom—incredibly strong. And incredibly fragile.”
Kamala “Cringe” Harris tells a Pennsylvania football team: “You will be undefeated even if you don’t win every game” pic.twitter.com/tmBlsBW660
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) August 18, 2024
It’s the kind of statement that sounds profound until you try to unpack it, and then you’re left wondering what exactly she was trying to say. These moments don’t always inspire confidence, especially when the goal is to connect with everyday voters in a meaningful way.
There was also the moment when Harris addressed a local high school football team. Her advice? “You will be undefeated even if you don’t win every game.” Now, while the sentiment might be well-intentioned, it’s not exactly the kind of motivational speech that will have coaches cheering. Instead, it feels more like the kind of awkward pep talk that leaves everyone scratching their heads.
