Beyoncé delivered an upbeat message as she made her first campaign appearance with Kamala Harris, who has adopted her song Freedom as an anthem for her presidential bid.
The music superstar called Harris “a woman who has been pushing for what this country really needs right now — unity.”
“We are at the precipice of an incredible shift — the brink of history,” Beyoncé said. “I’m not here as a celebrity. I’m not here as a mother. I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother who cares deeply about the world my children and all of our children live, a world where we have freedom to control our bodies, a world where we are not divided — our past, our present, our future meet us here.”
Beyoncé did not mention Harris’ rival, Donald Trump, in her remarks, as have other celebrity supporters who have been on the campaign trail for the Democratic nominee.
She added later, “It’s time to sing a new song, a song that began 248 years ago. The old notes of downfall, discord, despair no longer resonate. Our generations of loved ones before us are whispering a prophecy, a quest, a calling, an anthem. Our moment right now — it’s time for America to sing a new song. Our voices sing a chorus of unity. They sing a song of dignity and opportunity.”
The event in Houston was not held in a swing state — unusual this close to the general election. But the Harris campaign focused the rally on reproductive rights in a state that has one of the nation’s most restrictive abortion bans. The words “Freedom” emblazoned on giant big screens along with “Trust Women.”
Beyoncé was initially joined on stage by Kelly Rowland, and they entered the rally to roaring applause.
Also appearing at the event, held at Shell Energy Stadium, were Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles, Jessica Alba and Willie Nelson, the latter of whom sang Mamma Don’t Let Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys and On the Road Again. A campaign official said that the crowd size was about 30,000.
Donald Trump was also in Texas today, for in appearance in Austin for Joe Rogan’s podcast. But the taping went long — three hours — forcing him to be hours late to a planned rally in Traverse City, MI.
At his rally, Trump called ABC News anchor David Muir a “fake sleaze bag,” continuing his attacks on journalists in the final days of the presidential campaign. Trump was upset that Muir fact-checked him during the Sept. 10 debate with Harris, and has even said that ABC should lose its broadcast license over the way that the event was conducted.
