Written by Tanya Terry, with photos by Tanya Terry
Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-08) opened a recent press conference held at IBEW Local 948 in Flint by saying he and others were proud to support Vice President Kamala Harris as the next democratic nominee for president of United States.
“She’s served as attorney general, as United States Senator, as the vice president and partner to President Joe Biden,” Kildee said.
“Her career in public service, as a district attorney…U.S. Senator-I worked with her when she was in the U.S. Senate, worked with her as vice president,” Kildee continued. “So, I know, she’s the person best prepared to take on Donald Trump and take the case to the American people.”
Kildee pointed out that during the Foreclosure Crisis, Harris took on the Wall Street banks. In her previous presidential pitch, Harris touted as a signature accomplishment the $20 billion relief settlement she secured as California attorney general for homeowners hit hard by the foreclosure crisis.
“For every young boy and girl in this country, we need somebody they can look up to,” stated Mayor Sheldon Neeley.
Mayor Neeley said the country also deserves to be united – from every aspect, from every race and from every gender. He said he felt President Joe Biden had been a very good president.
“Vice President Kamala Harris makes me proud to be an American citizen and an American mayor,” he added.
“Where there is very little quality of life, there’s low level of health. A moonshot program is coming out from Kamala Harris’ office…about cancer studies. We do know that cancer studies will be happening here in the city of Flint. As a byproduct of her engagement in that, she’s going to increase the quality of life for families all over the country by the study of these cancer clusters…We all know if you’ve lost a family member, or if you’ve suffered from a disease like cancer, how devastating that can be.”
Mayor Neeley said Harris reached out across the country “through her initiative and under the watchful eye of President Biden.”
Neeley said Flint would be the “laboratory of change around healthcare for families in our country” because of Harris’ initiative.
He said details about the study would be announced within the next few months.
Rep Cynthia Neeley (D-70) said this was an exciting time, especially in Michigan for women.
“Kamala Harris, we have a lot of people here looking up to you: children, females, blue-collar workers, single moms,” Rep. Neeley stated.
Rep. Neeley said Michigan already had great women in leadership, such as Gretchen Whitmer as governor.
She added that she felt women needed to unify behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Jasper R. Martus, State Representative of the 69th House District, told those in attendance he felt Joe Biden has been the “most transformative president” in his lifetime.
“I am a student and lover of history and can say he’s the most transformative president our country has been blessed with in well over half a century,” said Martus.
He praised Biden for both his “transformative legislative accomplishments” while in office and the “empathy and grace” he brings to the office of president.
Martus stated he felt one of the most important decisions Biden made was picking Kamala Harris as his vice president.
Martus added. “She’s proud of what she’s accomplished under Joe Biden. But she’s looking forward to all there is left to do: continuing to bring down the cost of prescription drugs…making sure we’re investing in infrastructure, making sure we’re investing in communities that are overlooked and undervalued…Most importantly Kamala Harris will fight for our freedoms – whether it’s economic freedom, the freedom to be able to succeed and take care of your family, whether it’s freedom to choose/protecting a women’s right to choose or really just the pursuit of happiness and being able to take advantage of the God-given rights we have in this country.”
