[ad_1]
Michelle Obama launched her week of national action this weekend with protests across the country, including a rally of the former first lady Sunday at Chaparral High School in Las Vegas.
The "When We All Vote" campaign marks Obama's return to the political arena to encourage voter turnout and "spark debate about our rights and responsibilities in shaping our democracy."
The effort aims to be non-partisan and to fight against ambivalence and cynicism within the electorate. Co-led by several former Obama White House advisers, he will hold rallies in cities such as Pittsburgh and Miami, where personalities like Tom Hanks, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Janelle Monea will promote civic engagement and support. electoral participation.
Actor Keegan Michael Key warmed the Las Vegas crowd with a discreet assessment of his mood. "People, we are at a very, very interesting time in our country, where I am sure that many of you have lived, let's say, slight frustrationHe joked. "Do not just talk about that. Take action. "
The estimated 2,600 participants listened to Obama's speech on the challenges of voting rights, the need for grassroots involvement and issues such as education and public safety, and the danger of complacency.
"Believe me, I'm so frustrated," she said. "I'm fed up with the chaos and disorder of our politics. It's exhausting, and frankly, it's depressing, so I understand that I want to silence everything … but democracy continues with or without you.
Among the largely favorable crowd, a woman shouted, "Run for the president!
The former First Lady's efforts coincide with Barack Obama's reappearance on the campaign trail earlier this month, when the former president delivered speeches in the Trump White House. Normally, past presidents do not comment on the policies of their successor. The Obama said that these are not normal times.
There are seven weeks left until the mid-November elections and the elections show Democrats are in a strong position for the first time since January 2011. The way forward for the Senate is more difficult.
Obama warned against voter suppression efforts, telling the crowd "that they are closing the polls. It is more difficult for volunteers to get their registration. They find all kinds of ways to keep you at home, hoping that when you hear about all these things, you'll just give up. "
The main mission of When We All Vote is to turn casual supporters into local organizers. Its website provides a toolbox for registering voters and planning events, and more than 2,000 gatherings will be held this week to recruit volunteers, educate and register voters and prepare to mobilize on polling day.
Katie Holiday, a retired lab technician, told the Guardian that she would follow this call. "We are in a state of swing – you have to vote," she said. "I'm going door to door. And every time I go to the post office, every time I go to the mailbox, I talk about voting.
Highlighting the importance of local elections, Michelle Obama added, "The sheriffs we elect, they decide how our streets are controlled. The school board members we vote on determine how our children's schools are managed. The mayors we send to the town hall can repair these roads and the transit system – or not. The people who represent us in Congress pass laws on everything from job creation to war. "
"I'm glad she's here to inspire us – she's a resilient woman," said Ashley Reminder, who recently moved to Nevada. "I've moved from New York to Las Vegas, and I'm thrilled to be in a swing state where I can make a difference."
Sunday's event takes place three days after Donald Trump told the crowd in Las Vegas: "We must have more Republicans in power. We will get everything we want so fast. We must have it. "
Nevada will play a vital role in the decision of the party that will hold power in Capitol Hill in 2019. Two of the four seats in the House are losing and it is the only state that Hillary Clinton won in 2016 and which a Republican Senator, Dean Heller, must participate. reelection this year.
At his rally on Thursday, Trump said about Heller: "We started, we were not friends. I did not like him, he did not like me, and when we fought and fought and fought, believe it or not, we started to respect each other, and then we we are loved.
Widely regarded as the most vulnerable Republican in the Senate, Heller is neck and neck in polls with challenger Congressman Jackie Rosen. Nevada's governance is also to be won, in a race also tied.
Source link
