Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris faced direct criticism from a reporter during a press briefing this weekend, following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. The vice president has encountered challenges in securing support from the Muslim community amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza. The reporter candidly informed her that her statements and actions concerning the war have not been effective.
“There’s a lot of churn and turmoil within the Arab-American and Muslim communities here in Michigan. Do you think you could lose the election because of Gaza and what. You know, overnight, there were more strikes. 32 more people were killed in Gaza, some in hospitals. You know, how risky is it that you could lose the election?” the reporter said.
“Well, it is undeniable that it is something that everyone is aware of. What is happening there. I speak publicly all the time about the fact that there are so many tragic stories coming from Gaza. And of course, the first in this phase of everything that has happened. The first most tragic story is October 7th. And what happened that day and then what has happened since,” the vice president said.
“And I think what’s critically important as we look at this moment is one acknowledging the tragedy of what has happened in Gaza in terms of the extraordinary number of innocent Palestinians who have been killed. And taking that seriously and speaking truth about that. In addition, of course, to what I said about what happened on October 7th, in terms of 1200 innocent Israelis being slaughtered, women being horribly raped, and then fast-forwarding to today with the killing of Sinwar. This creates an opening that I believe we must take full advantage of to dedicate ourselves to ending this war and bringing the hostages home,” she said.
But the reporter followed that by hitting her squarely with the truth by saying, “That is not working so far.”
“You know what? Listen, as it relates to the issues in the Middle East and in particular in that region, it has never been easy,” the vice president responded.
“But that doesn’t mean we give up, okay? It is always going to be difficult. It does not mean we give up. We can’t give up,” she said.
A significant endorsement from the Muslim community for her opponent, Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump, preceded this event. On Friday, Amer Ghalib, the Mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, publicly endorsed the former president during an appearance on stage, as reported by The Detroit News.
“As you know, President Trump keeps saying that our country is in decline, and the ship is sinking. So sometimes it’s wise enough to sail against the wave so we can get to the shore safely under the leadership of President Trump and that’s why I endorsed President Trump in this area in Wayne County,” the mayor said.
“We had a history of disconnect and miscommunication with the Republican Party and the party of common sense. Now we are here to end that disconnect,” the mayor, a Democrat who leads the first Muslim majority city in the nation, said. “And (Trump’s) visit today is to show respect and appreciation for our community,”
