Oprah Winfrey Teams Up with Kamala Harris for High-Profile Michigan Campaign Event
The talk show megastar took the stage alongside the vice president, energizing her core supporters.
TroibNews 
Kamala Harris energized her core supporters during a recent event in the Detroit suburbs, with a notable ally by her side.
Oprah Winfrey, who endorsed the vice president and spoke at the Democratic convention last month, co-headlined Thursday night’s event in Farmington Hills, Michigan. The campaign aims to engage a diverse array of voters as they prepare for the upcoming November election.
The star-studded, emotionally charged 1.5-hour program was designed to reflect Winfrey’s former television show style and was live-streamed across multiple social media platforms. The renowned talk show host interacted with celebrities, advocates, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and representatives from Harris-friendly organizations, alongside campaign officials such as Harris campaign co-chair Jen O’Malley Dillon. About 30 minutes into the event, Winfrey invited Harris onto the stage, where the two women sat across from each other, both in tailored pantsuits.
Hollywood icons including Meryl Streep, Bryan Cranston, Julia Roberts, Chris Rock, and Jennifer Lopez contributed a casual, heartfelt ambiance, creating a welcoming atmosphere for Harris to address questions that emphasized her key campaign themes regarding the economy, immigration, abortion, and gun control. The relaxed format allowed Harris to show a deep understanding of the struggles faced by many Americans while also sharing her own personal story—something she had not focused on during her recent debate with Donald Trump.
The event reflected the campaign's strategy to introduce Harris to voters who might not be familiar with her background and accomplishments. Winfrey commented on a transformative moment for the vice president, remarking, “You just stepped into your power.”
Harris responded, “You know, we each have those moments in our lives where it’s time to step up. I felt a sense of responsibility to be honest with you, and with that comes a sense of purpose.”
Testimonials from guests were emotionally moving, particularly when Winfrey raised the topic of abortion. Reproductive rights activist Hadley Duvall, who has shared her experience of being raped by her stepfather in a Harris campaign advertisement, spoke candidly about her ordeal. The family of Amber Thurman, a Georgia woman who died due to delayed medical care stemming from the state’s abortion restrictions, also shared their emotional testimony.
Harris remarked, “And this story is a story that is, sadly, not the only story of what has been happening since these bans have taken place,” highlighting her intent to continue addressing this issue in Georgia.
Towards the end of the program, Winfrey spoke with Natalie Griffith, a survivor of the Apalachee High School shooting. Griffith sat alongside her parents, as her mother expressed their commitment to advocating for change.
The event, titled “Unite for America,” drew attendance from numerous pro-Harris groups, aiming to re-energize some of her initial supporters. Polls show the race against Trump is closely contested, despite his campaign seemingly maintaining resilience after a lackluster debate performance and focus on racially charged immigration issues.
Nearly 70 “unity groups” were invited to partake, including Win With Black Women, Win With Black Men, and more niche organizations like Poets for Harris and Adventurers for Harris: Democracy & Dragons. Several hundred supporters made up the intimate live audience.
“When we leave this moment that we’re sharing here tonight, and you do what you can in your community, it’s not enough just to join us all,” Winfrey emphasized. “We love having you here, but the rah, rah, rah moment is going to end. And then we need to get to work. We need to get busy.”
The campaign gathering at The Meridian, a luxury venue accommodating over 900 guests, served as a much-appreciated respite from recent challenges faced by Harris’s campaign.
Just hours prior to the event, a grassroots organization, Uncommitted National Movement, declared it would not endorse Harris, although it opposes Trump and does not advocate for third-party candidates. The group, having emerged in Michigan and gathered over 101,000 votes in the state's presidential primary, criticized the U.S.'s response to the Israel-Hamas war and the vice president's reluctance to commit to significant policy changes if elected.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents over a million members and has strong ties to the working-class electorate, also refrained from endorsing a presidential candidate. Their decision came just two days after Harris participated in a roundtable discussion at the organization's Washington headquarters. The Teamsters cited a failure to achieve consensus among their members, with reports indicating that approximately 60 percent of their rank-and-file may favor Trump after Biden's departure from the race.
Less than 50 days from Election Day, questions linger regarding how Harris will solidify key segments of the Democratic base. While she has gained traction among women voters, her ability to attract other crucial demographic groups remains uncertain, particularly among Black men, an important voting bloc that has traditionally supported the party. Recent polling has shown Republicans making inroads, especially among Black men below 50.
“Black men represent a real opportunity for Harris and the Democrats, because it’s a constituency that they have won traditionally that’s drifting away, and they need to bring those folks back in the fold,” stated Adrian Hemond, a seasoned Democratic strategist based in Detroit.
“Detroit’s as good a place as any in Michigan to do it,” he continued, highlighting the city’s historic significance for the Black community in the state. However, he suggested that an event featuring Oprah alone may not suffice to sway undecided Black men.
During her conversation with Khalil Thompson, founder of “Win With Black Men,” Winfrey recounted meeting a Black man on her way to the event who mentioned he planned to vote for Trump due to pandemic-era stimulus checks. She followed up by asking Thompson what Black men should understand about the election.
“Well, what he doesn't know is that Congress actually paid for the check, and the American people paid for it,” Thompson replied.
Later in the event, Winfrey virtually welcomed Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep, who expressed her thoughts on the momentum behind Harris, saying, “Oh, man… this has been overwhelming to have the privilege to sit in and listen to the testimony of people here.” She then added, “Hello, President Harris,” prompting enthusiastic applause from the audience.
“Not yet,” Harris quipped, “47 days.”
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
Oprah Winfrey, who endorsed the vice president and spoke at the Democratic convention last month, co-headlined Thursday night’s event in Farmington Hills, Michigan. The campaign aims to engage a diverse array of voters as they prepare for the upcoming November election.
The star-studded, emotionally charged 1.5-hour program was designed to reflect Winfrey’s former television show style and was live-streamed across multiple social media platforms. The renowned talk show host interacted with celebrities, advocates, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and representatives from Harris-friendly organizations, alongside campaign officials such as Harris campaign co-chair Jen O’Malley Dillon. About 30 minutes into the event, Winfrey invited Harris onto the stage, where the two women sat across from each other, both in tailored pantsuits.
Hollywood icons including Meryl Streep, Bryan Cranston, Julia Roberts, Chris Rock, and Jennifer Lopez contributed a casual, heartfelt ambiance, creating a welcoming atmosphere for Harris to address questions that emphasized her key campaign themes regarding the economy, immigration, abortion, and gun control. The relaxed format allowed Harris to show a deep understanding of the struggles faced by many Americans while also sharing her own personal story—something she had not focused on during her recent debate with Donald Trump.
The event reflected the campaign's strategy to introduce Harris to voters who might not be familiar with her background and accomplishments. Winfrey commented on a transformative moment for the vice president, remarking, “You just stepped into your power.”
Harris responded, “You know, we each have those moments in our lives where it’s time to step up. I felt a sense of responsibility to be honest with you, and with that comes a sense of purpose.”
Testimonials from guests were emotionally moving, particularly when Winfrey raised the topic of abortion. Reproductive rights activist Hadley Duvall, who has shared her experience of being raped by her stepfather in a Harris campaign advertisement, spoke candidly about her ordeal. The family of Amber Thurman, a Georgia woman who died due to delayed medical care stemming from the state’s abortion restrictions, also shared their emotional testimony.
Harris remarked, “And this story is a story that is, sadly, not the only story of what has been happening since these bans have taken place,” highlighting her intent to continue addressing this issue in Georgia.
Towards the end of the program, Winfrey spoke with Natalie Griffith, a survivor of the Apalachee High School shooting. Griffith sat alongside her parents, as her mother expressed their commitment to advocating for change.
The event, titled “Unite for America,” drew attendance from numerous pro-Harris groups, aiming to re-energize some of her initial supporters. Polls show the race against Trump is closely contested, despite his campaign seemingly maintaining resilience after a lackluster debate performance and focus on racially charged immigration issues.
Nearly 70 “unity groups” were invited to partake, including Win With Black Women, Win With Black Men, and more niche organizations like Poets for Harris and Adventurers for Harris: Democracy & Dragons. Several hundred supporters made up the intimate live audience.
“When we leave this moment that we’re sharing here tonight, and you do what you can in your community, it’s not enough just to join us all,” Winfrey emphasized. “We love having you here, but the rah, rah, rah moment is going to end. And then we need to get to work. We need to get busy.”
The campaign gathering at The Meridian, a luxury venue accommodating over 900 guests, served as a much-appreciated respite from recent challenges faced by Harris’s campaign.
Just hours prior to the event, a grassroots organization, Uncommitted National Movement, declared it would not endorse Harris, although it opposes Trump and does not advocate for third-party candidates. The group, having emerged in Michigan and gathered over 101,000 votes in the state's presidential primary, criticized the U.S.'s response to the Israel-Hamas war and the vice president's reluctance to commit to significant policy changes if elected.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents over a million members and has strong ties to the working-class electorate, also refrained from endorsing a presidential candidate. Their decision came just two days after Harris participated in a roundtable discussion at the organization's Washington headquarters. The Teamsters cited a failure to achieve consensus among their members, with reports indicating that approximately 60 percent of their rank-and-file may favor Trump after Biden's departure from the race.
Less than 50 days from Election Day, questions linger regarding how Harris will solidify key segments of the Democratic base. While she has gained traction among women voters, her ability to attract other crucial demographic groups remains uncertain, particularly among Black men, an important voting bloc that has traditionally supported the party. Recent polling has shown Republicans making inroads, especially among Black men below 50.
“Black men represent a real opportunity for Harris and the Democrats, because it’s a constituency that they have won traditionally that’s drifting away, and they need to bring those folks back in the fold,” stated Adrian Hemond, a seasoned Democratic strategist based in Detroit.
“Detroit’s as good a place as any in Michigan to do it,” he continued, highlighting the city’s historic significance for the Black community in the state. However, he suggested that an event featuring Oprah alone may not suffice to sway undecided Black men.
During her conversation with Khalil Thompson, founder of “Win With Black Men,” Winfrey recounted meeting a Black man on her way to the event who mentioned he planned to vote for Trump due to pandemic-era stimulus checks. She followed up by asking Thompson what Black men should understand about the election.
“Well, what he doesn't know is that Congress actually paid for the check, and the American people paid for it,” Thompson replied.
Later in the event, Winfrey virtually welcomed Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep, who expressed her thoughts on the momentum behind Harris, saying, “Oh, man… this has been overwhelming to have the privilege to sit in and listen to the testimony of people here.” She then added, “Hello, President Harris,” prompting enthusiastic applause from the audience.
“Not yet,” Harris quipped, “47 days.”
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
