Kamala Harris’ rally in Michigan was left in a moment of awkward silence after an unexpected request from the Democratic nominee.
The vice president was making her final stop in Ann Arbor on Monday with a packed rally in the college town along with her running mate Tim Walz and singer Maggie Rogers.
At one point in her speech, the crowd began to rhythmically chant her name – ‘Ka-ma-la, Ka-ma-la, Ka-ma-la’ – when Harris made a feeble attempt to turn the tables.
‘Now I want each of you to shout your own name. Do that,’ Harris said with a laugh. ‘Because it’s about all of us.’
Some people began to murmur but the vast majority of people in the crowd went silent in confusion, lowering signs and looking around.
The vice president recovered quickly and continued her speech: ‘I have fought my whole career to put the people first.’
Vice President Kamala Harris arriving at her rally in Ann Arbor, MI on Monday. It was her third campaign stop of the day in the crucial swing state.
Harris was joined at her event by running mate Tim Walz who also traveled to Wisconsin on Monday
Some people noted the moment on social media, calling it ‘cringe’ and ‘awkward.’
But overall, Harris had a strong showing in the deeply blue area. According to the campaign, 21,000 people were in attendance for the event.
The vice president largely stuck with her stump speech on Monday, delivering an uplifting message.
She notably did not mention the latest controversy surrounding her rival former President Donald Trump and the backlash from his New York City rally where a series of speakers made offensive remarks on Sunday.
‘Now is the time to get out the vote, Michigan,’ Harris said as the crowd chanted ‘vote, vote, vote.’
At one point, the vice president spoke directly to young people which was attended by a large number of University of Michigan students.
‘I love your generation, I really do,’ she said, noting they are ‘rightly impatient for change.’
Harris avoided the latest controversy surrounding Trump and the racist remarks made at his Madison Square Garden rally in New York during her speech, instead sticking with her stump at her Ann Arbor event
Harris and Walz at their Ann Arbor rally. There were 21,000 people in attendance, according to the campaign
She said young people only know the climate crisis and are leading the charge to protect the planet. She also praised them for their fight for school safety and for standing up for reproductive freedom as they have fewer rights than previous generations.
She asked people in the crowd to raise their hands if they are a first-time vote. A significant number of hands went up.
It comes as the vice president needs to turn out young people to help put her over the finish line, but questions remain about whether young people will show up, especially as some are frustrated over the ongoing war in Gaza and Biden administration response.
The rally on Monday was briefly disrupted by protesters as has been the case at numerous Harris events.
‘Hey guys, I hear you on the subject of Gaza,’ Harris responded. ‘We all want this war to end as soon as possible and get the hostages out. And I will do everything in my power to make it so.’
The vice president was joined in Michigan by her running mate who also rallied the crowd with ‘vote blue’ similar to the university’s ‘go blue’ cheer.
Bruce Springsteen performed at Harris’ rally in Philadelphia on Sunday
John Legend also performed at the Philadelphia rally
Harris and Walz gave their remarks under a sign that read ‘When we Vote We Win’ in the blue and gold of the University of Michigan. Attendees carried blue and gold ‘vote’ signs.
Before their remarks, Grammy-nominated singer Maggie Rogers performed. She took a break from her tour to make the appearance saying ‘nothing is more important’ than the election.
‘I have to face the reality of what’s happening in the next eight days, and to tell you the complete truth, it’s terrifying,’ Rogers told the crowd between songs.
‘These are such wild and unprecedented times and the energy feels so high, and the future feels so uncertain,’ she said.
‘Voting is the key to the future,’ Rogers added. ‘You can fight back against the fear of Donald Trump.’
The line of people to get in wound around Burns Park and through the residential neighborhood. Some residents put lawn chairs outside their houses to watch the gathering crowd and perhaps catch a glimpse of the motorcade. Most of the yards in the area had Kamala Harris signs.
Ann Arbor is a college town with a large Democratic population.
Former President Barack Obama, pictured in the middle of a crowd, appeared at a rally for Harris in Philadelphia on Monday as well. There, he slammed Trump for holding a ‘racist, sexist, bigoted’ event at Madison Square Garden the night before
Singer Maggie Rogers waves at the crowd during a rally for Kamala Harris where she performed. She said nothing is more important than the election right now
Rogers sang several songs including ‘Light On’ at the rally. She also sported a Harris-Walz pin and blue tie
The crowd as Maggie Rogers performed in Ann Arbor at the Kamala Harris rally
The county voted overwhelmingly for Biden with 72 percent in 2020. In 2016, it was also was deeply blue but a significant number of registered Democrats didn’t turn out.
More than 45 million people have already voted in the 2024 election including nearly 1.9 million Michigan.
People have been mailing in ballots in the state for weeks. In-person early voting began on Saturday with wait times to cast a ballot lasting more than an hour.
Ann Arbor set the record for the most people in the state to cast balltos on the first day of early in-person voting.
Harris’ rally in Ann Arbor was her third event of the day in the swing state as the polls show the race virtually tied in the so-called ‘blue wall’ state.
While there were numerous University of Michigan students in attendance, it also brought families and seniors from the area.
Brenda Cheek, 68, has never attended a political event before, but she wanted to witness what she believes is a historic moment that she might not live to see again.
She came to the rally straight from voting in-person early and was sporting her ‘I voted’ sticker.
Cheek said she’s worried about her Social Security and believes Trump is not qualified to even be on the ballot.
‘He’s trying to cut out the middle class completely regardless if you Republican, Independent or Democrat. He don’t care, he just wants the vote,’ Cheek said.
Supporters listen as Harris addresses them during the rally at Ann Arbor, Michigan
Supporters cheer for Harris and hold up ‘VOTE’ signs in University of Michigan colors
Many people in attendance for Harris’ rally were college students, but there were also some young families in the crowd as well as local seniors
The view from behind Kamala Harris as she spoke at her rally in Ann Arbor
Harris mingles with supporters after she wrapped up her speech
A number of college students waiting in line to attend the rally told DailyMail.com their top issue in the election was reproductive rights. Another top issue was climate change.
The latest Quinnipiac University poll shows Harris with a three-point lead among likely voters with 49 percent to Trump’s 46 percent. The CBS News battleground tracker has Harris at 50 percent and Trump at 48 percent in the state.
The vice president began her day in Michigan with a stop at the Corning’s Hemlock Semiconductor Next Gen Facility in Saginaw where she toured the assembly line and met with workers.
The facility just last week received $325 million as part of the CHIPS and Science Act passed under the Biden administration.
Corning is making an investment to produce parts of solar panels using materials produced by Hemlock which will create roughly 1,300 jobs in Saginaw, according to the Harris campaign.
From there, the Harris stopped by a union training facility in Macomb, Michigan where she met with workers.
