PHILADELPHIA- Producer and writer Shonda Rhimes campaigned for her longtime friend, Vice President Kamala Harris, in Philadelphia on Saturday, laying out the stakes for Black women in the upcoming election.
“The energy in this room is fantastic,” Rhimes said during the Books, Ballots, and Brunch event at the Bleu Brook/Bleu B Soul restaurant in West Philadelphia.
Speaking in a room decorated with Harris campaign posters, including one that read “Black Voters for Harris” and another that read “Black Joy!”, state Rep. Morgan Cephas (Philadelphia) and Rhimes talked about the upcoming election and how to run it. encourage others to support Harris’ campaign.
“We are here to celebrate all things Black women,” said Haniyyah Sharpe-Brown, vice president of Black women at Harris-Walz in the Philadelphia region.
Rhimes told the crowd of more than 50 people, mostly Black women, that she was excited about Harris’ candidacy and described their long-standing relationship.
“I’ve known her since she was attorney general running for senator, and she is exactly what you think she is,” Rhimes said.
Although the conversation between Cefas and Rhimes lasted less than 15 minutes, they touched on a wide variety of topics.
“I think, first of all, the entertainment industry needs to do a better job of portraying politicians on television in a way that is not cynical,” Rhimes said. “In a way that is not cynical.” Rhimes was the creator of the long-running television drama Scandal, which depicted a dysfunctional presidential administration.
Cephas asked Rhimes if it was intentional to include social issues such as abortion in her shows.
“You know, I said it wasn’t intentional, I just cared, but then 2016 came along and it became intentional,” Rhimes replied, an apparent reference to Donald Trump’s successful campaign for the White House. “Very intentional.”
Cephas said: “We all have a little PTSD from 2016.”
Rhimes said the ability to connect with people in a helpful way can facilitate engage younger millennials and Gen Z voters in civic engagement.
Non-traditional voter outreach
In an interview with Capital-Star after the event, Cephas said these types of “non-traditional events” could encourage those who don’t usually vote.
“You know, we organize rallies, we do phone banking, but now, because we have 38 days left, we have to organize events that will attract non-traditional voters,” Kefas told the Capital-Star. “And, you know, those who will be voting understand what their job is, which is to keep more people connected come Election Day.”
“Black women, we know we are the backbone of the Democratic Party,” Cephas said. “We also know that we need to really explain to as many residents why it is important to vote this election cycle.”
Exit polls from the 2020 Pennsylvania presidential election showed that 94% of black women voted for Joe Biden and only 4% voted for Trump.
Despite such overwhelming margins, Biden carried the state by only 80,000 votesor 1%.
“In the 2020 election, 77 million registered voters did not cast a ballot,” Rhimes said at Larry’s Steaks for the Canvas Picnic and Appreciation for the 52nd District, which was her second stop of the day. “And that number is considered lower than normal.”
“It’s a truly terrifying number,” she added. “In Pennsylvania, we all know the margins are tight, we all know things are tight.”
Philadelphia is the state’s largest city, where Democrats vastly outnumber Republicans. But, turnout in the last election dropped in the City of Brotherly Love.
State Sen. Sharif Street (R-Philadelphia), chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, told the Capital-Star that he is confident that voter turnout will raise in Philadelphia in the upcoming election and that he will be able to secure enough votes to flip Harris-Walz’s seat to the top. top of the state.
“Kamala Harris just brings fire and energy in a way that we haven’t seen since Barack Obama,” Street told the Capital-Star.
I make up stories for a living, and on Grey’s Anatomy my job was always to come up with the worst-case medical scenario and find a way to solve it. I can’t imagine such scenarios
Cephas and state Rep. Darisha Parker (R-Philadelphia) agreed that they believe voter turnout in the city will raise in the upcoming election.
Parker told the Capital-Star that the issues voters believe are most crucial in the upcoming election are public safety, housing and the environment.
“They want to go back to their porches and drink coffee and gossip and not worry about dodging a bullet,” Parker said. “They want to clean on Saturday morning. They want their children to play in the streets and not have to think twice.”
While the room was overwhelmingly filled with Democrats, Philadelphia City Councilwoman Kendra Brooks of the Working Families Party was present at two events, encouraging them to support Democrats on the ballot.
“It’s all hands on deck at this point,” Brooks said. “…I don’t say this very often, but for this particular election, we need to make sure we elect every Democrat up and down every ballot.”
Rally for reproductive rights
The last stop of the day for Rhimes was a reproductive freedom rally with Gov. Josh Shapiro and other local Democrats in Montgomery County.
“What is happening to reproductive freedom is shocking to me,” Rhimes said at the rally. “I make up stories for a living, and with Grey’s Anatomy my job was always to come up with the worst-case medical scenario and find a way to solve it.”
“I can’t come up with scenarios like this,” she said. “And there is no solution for them right now.”
Rhimes blamed Trump for appointing three Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Shapiro thanked Rhimes for attending the rally and for “caring about the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, thank you for caring about women’s rights, thank you for caring about freedom, and by the way, thank you for making some great television shows.”
Shapiro noted that Harris has stated she would sign legislation codifying Roe as the law of the land if she wins the presidency, a stark contrast between Harris and Trump.
Women’s freedom of choice is at stake in this election.
But with our voices, we have the opportunity to protect access to abortion, expand our freedoms, and move our American history forward – and choose @KamalaHarris.
Women of Montco, @shondarhimesand I’m ready. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Hst5LS5fhu
— Josh Shapiro (@JoshShapiroPA) September 28, 2024
The Trump campaign responded to the event by supporting his position on abortion policy.
“President Trump has long been a consistent supporter of states’ rights to make abortion decisions and has made it very clear that he will NOT sign a federal ban when he returns to the White House,” said Karoline Leavitt, a National Press reporter for Trump’s campaign secretary. “President Trump also supports universal access to contraception and in vitro fertilization.
Trump said he thought everyone wanted decisions on abortion law to be transferred to the states, but several states have enacted stiff abortion bans since the overturning of Roe. In Pennsylvania, abortion is legal until the 24th week of pregnancy.
Most polls show Harris and Trump racing within the margin of error for Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes. However, when it comes to the issue of abortion, Harris has the upper hand.
Survey from Philadelphia Inquirer, New York Times and Siena College showed Harris leading Trump by 25 points when voters were asked which candidate they trusted more on the Pennsylvania abortion issue. Same poll though showed Trump Harris’ leadership on the economywhich remains one of the most crucial issues for Democrats and Republicans.
AND Susquehanna Survey and Research Survey likely voters conducted Sept. 16-22 showed Harris and Trump tied overall in Pennsylvania.
The Trump campaign was also busy in Pennsylvania on Saturday. US Senator JD Vance (Ohio), candidate of the Republican Party for vice president, participated in events in the suburbs of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
Sunday is expected to be another busy day on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania.
Rhimes will travel to Pittsburgh to participate in a Steelers watch party with former Steelers player Will Allen, Michael Keaton, Governor Davis and other local leaders. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten will be in suburban Philadelphia on behalf of the Harris campaign.
Trump will lead a rally in Erie County on Sunday afternoon.
