The rally for Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit earlier this week reportedly ended in “complete chaos” as a result of attendees’ annoyance with the lack of coordination with shuttle buses required to transport them back to their cars.
The rally before about 15,000 people took place at a hangar at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, MLive reported, adding it was her first since she announced she was running for president following Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection campaign in early July.
“Harris appeared alongside her newly announced running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and followed a lineup of speeches from some of the state’s top Democrats, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer,” the outlet reported, adding that the jubilant mood of the crowd changed as attendees tried to get back to their vehicles.
“People were frustrated as they wondered what was happening and where they needed to go. While some sat in folding chairs or on the grass, others were standing while trying to figure out where each bus was heading,” the news outlet said.
Josiah Lippincott, one rally attendee, posted on X, “Complete chaos after the Detroit Kamala rally. It has been 2.5 hours and people are still unable to find shuttles back to their cars.
“Campaign staff has no idea what is happening. Rally was held near a UPS delivery center so dozens of trucks are mixed up with the buses. Tempers are high,” he noted further, adding: “A Kamala volunteer just broke down into tears.”
“There was no organization or signs showing rally goers how to get on the right bus. Total mess,” he noted further. “The larger white buses in the above photos are not shuttles. Those were for union members and others who were bused in by the campaign.”
At another point, Lippincott witnessed one of Harris’ campaign workers get into a “verbal and physical altercation with an attendee.”
Harris finally spoke to reporters on Thursday for the first time since becoming the de facto Democratic nominee some three weeks ago after Biden left the race.
She talked to the press after a campaign event in Michigan and before former President Donald Trump held a long news conference at his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago.
Harris answered complaints that she hadn’t held a formal press conference or an in-depth interview since she was declared the presumptive candidate, Fox News reported.
“I’ve talked to my team. I want us to get an interview scheduled before the end of the month,” Harris said.
In addition, the vice president talked about the deal she made with Trump to hold at least one presidential debate before November 5.
“Well, I’m glad that he’s finally agreed to a debate on Sept. 10,” she said, adding she would be willing to schedule additional debates with the former president.
Trump said on Thursday that he would be in three debates next month on Fox News Channel, NBC, and ABC.
Trump had already said he might not agree to the ABC debate, which was supposed to happen with Vice President Biden before Harris took over as the Democratic presidential candidate almost three weeks ago.
“I am beyond trying to speculate about how he thinks,” Harris said when asked about Trump backing out of the debate.
