DNC Holds Large Democratic Rally in Philadelphia Three Days Before Midterm Elections
Pennsylvania Attorney General and candidate for Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Former President Barack Obama, President Joe Biden and Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor and senate candidate John Fetterman join hands after taking the stage at Temple University’s Liacouras in Center City, Philadelphia on Saturday for a voting rally (Andrew McKeough/AKSM Photography).
Joining President Biden at Temple University was former president Barack Obama, Senate candidate John Fetterman, and Gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro.
Article by Tommy Lynch, White House Reporter
PHILADELPHIA - Today President Biden held a rally at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to garner more support as the midterm elections approached. President Biden was joined by former President Barack Obama, Senate candidate John Fetterman, and Gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro. This event marks the first time President Biden and former President Obama have rallied together since Biden’s inauguration in January of 2021.
Tuesday’s midterm elections are some of the most important elections as of late, and Pennsylvania is an incredibly important battleground. For the Senate, Democratic nominee John Fetterman, who was recently endorsed by Oprah Winfrey, is fighting to expand his 0.4 point lead in the polls against Republican Mehmet Oz. For Governor, Democrat Josh Shapiro is leading by 10.8 points over Republican Doug Mastriano.
President Biden took the stage first to recap the progress he has made as president while emphasizing the importance of the midterm elections.
“The power is in your hands,” Biden said to the rally, “Character is on the ballot”.
Biden praised both Fetterman and Shapiro, saying that they are both running to help the working and middle class people of Pennsylvania.
“Instead of shipping jobs overseas, we’re shipping products overseas,” Biden announced.
Biden then talked about his own achievements in office, from lowering drug costs, cutting the federal debt by $1.4 trillion, taking measures to lower student debt, and fighting to take guns off of the streets.
“I signed the most significant gun safety law in over 30 years,” Biden said, “Oz won’t do a thing about guns”.
After President Biden, Josh Shapiro took the stage.
“Each of us has a responsibility to get off the sidelines and do their part,” Shapiro said, echoing Biden’s call to vote.
Shapiro discussed his plan to fully fund public education, do away with standardized tests, and make sure mental health resources are available for every student. He also plans on making communities safer by investing in better training for the police force.
“People have a right to be safe and feel safe in their community,” Shapiro said.
Shapiro is also working to raise the minimum wage and create tens of thousands of green energy jobs in Pennsylvania.
“You mess with a Pennsylvanian worker, you have to go through me,” Shapiro said to a roar from the crowd.
John Fetterman spoke after Shapiro, beginning with an attack on Mehmet Oz.
“I am running to serve Pennsylvania,” Fetterman said, “Oz is running to use Pennsylvania”.
Fetterman suffered from a stroke last May, which has affected his public speaking abilities, resulting in a tough debate performance against Dr. Oz in late October.
“I had a stroke… and it really knocked me on my back,” Fetterman said, “But I got back up… I might mush two words together, but I will always make the right votes in Washington, D.C.”
Fetterman leaned into his liberal policies, focusing on raising the minimum wage, marriage equality, and the right for women to choose to have an abortion.
“Oz believed that local political officials should be the person making those kind of choices,” Fetterman said, “I’m a local political official, but that's not my choice to be making. That choice comes between a woman and their doctors, and that's what I’m always going to fight for.”
After Fetterman, former president Barack Obama walked on stage to a torrent of applause and cheers from the crowd.
Like the speakers before him, Obama began with a press to get out and vote.
“Truth and facts and logic and reason and basic decency are on the ballot,” Obama said.
He praised President Biden on the actions he has already taken as president, but explained that in order to continue to make progress, democrats must maintain control of congress, which is decided by the midterms.
“You have an outstanding President right now in the White House,” Obama said, “If you vote, [Biden] can do even more, but it depends on you.”
Obama endorsed Shapiro and Fetterman, telling the audience that they need to elect officials who understand what they have gone through.
“Who do you really think knows more about… paying bills?” Obama asked, “John Fetterman or Dr. Oz?”
He then turned to attack Dr. Oz, for willingly endorsing “Snake Oil” products on his television. Show. He argued that if Oz is willing to sell out his audience for money, who says he will not do the same for Pennsylvania.
“Democrats may not be perfect, I’ll be the first one to admit it,” Obama said, “But right now, at this moment… most Republican politicians are not even pretending the rules apply to them anymore.”
Obama ended the rally by saying that democracy is something that we cannot take for granted.
“All of us matter,” Obama said, “The kind of slash and burn politics we are seeing right now does not have to be who we are. We can be better.”
Other speakers at the rally included Senator Sharif Street, Pennsylvania AAPI coalition director Sarah Lin, PA House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton, State Senator Vincent Hughes, US Representative Brendan Boyle (PA-02), US Representative Dwight Evans (PA-03), Lieutenant Governor candidate Austin Davis, PA Representative Chris Quinn, Governor Tom Wolf, and US Senator Bob Casey.