In Flint, Harris calls Trump a 'loser' on manufacturing, bashes him for lost auto jobs

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, still locked in a tight battle for the presidency against Republican former President Donald Trump, held a rally in Flint on Friday evening, calling her rival a "loser" when it comes to American manufacturing and saying he wants to cede the future of the auto industry to China.

Harris, who polls show is ahead nationally but running close with Trump in a handful of key swing states including Michigan, also railed against Trump's vice presidential running mate, U.S. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, for refusing to commit to support an already-announced $500 million federal grant to retool General Motors' Lansing Grand River Assembly to make electric vehicles, which is expected to protect or create hundreds of jobs.

"We, together, fought hard for those jobs, and you deserve a president who won't put them at risk," Harris said in a 25-minute-long speech before a crowd of about 6,000 at the Dort Financial Center, a hockey arena in Flint where Trump spoke last month.

Trump has sharply criticized Harris and Democratic President Joe Biden for a push to have more electric vehicles (EVs) made and sold in America, including congressionally enacted subsidies for purchasing EVs and federal funding and tax breaks to retool plants to make them. Trump has maintained that what he calls a Biden administration "mandate" that would force American automakers to produce EVs rather than vehicles running on gas will destroy the U.S. auto industry.

Harris claimed in her manufacturing-heavy speech in the old industrial city in mid-Michigan that no such mandate exists, saying, "Let us be clear, contrary to what my opponent is suggesting, I will never tell you what kind of car you have to drive. But here's what I will do. I will invest in communities like Flint, which helped build the auto industry and UAW."

There is no Biden administration mandate that the auto industry produce only EVs for the U.S. market, though tough new emissions standards finalized this year suggest that, in order to meet those standards by 2032, two-thirds of the vehicles made by U.S. automakers may have to be zero emission cars and trucks, otherwise they may face hefty penalties. Those standards, however, could be revisited, as they have been often in the past, or so some other technology could be used to hit them, though no such technology exists now.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that the emissions will mean China will dominate the U.S. auto market, since it has more of the necessary raw materials and is much further ahead in battery technology, and on Friday, Michael Whatley, chairman of the Republican National Committee, again claimed that Harris' "dangerously liberal EV mandates would destroy 37,000 auto jobs in Michigan alone."

But Harris argued Friday evening that unless something is done to jump-start EV technology and infrastructure in the U.S., it's even more likely that China will dominate. "We will ensure that the next generation of breakthroughs from advanced batteries to electric vehicles are not only invented but built right here in America by American union workers," she said.

More: Jobs, inflation, wages: How the economy has fared under Trump and Biden

She also noted that when Trump was in office, manufacturing jobs declined nationwide — which is true, though they were up somewhat before the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns. Harris was also correct that automaking jobs in Michigan fell during Trump's time in office — that was true before COVID-19 hit — but have grown substantially during Biden's term in office. Investment in the industry has been up significantly as well.

"When it came to building the cars of the future, Donald Trump sat on the sidelines and let China dominate," Harris said. "And then he talks down to American workers, saying, 'We can't compete with Chinese workers.' "

The rally had a festive mood inside the arena that is home to the Flint Firebirds, a minor league hockey team. As the crowd waited for the candidates to arrive, they swayed to pop music. The smell of popcorn hung in the air. Vendors outside hawked Harris Walz shirts and plenty of people inside wore campaign gear.

Earlier in the day, Harris spoke in Redford Township before union leaders and firefighters, declaring herself the "underdog" in the Nov. 5 general election against Trump.

Harris also met before the rally briefly with leaders from the Muslim and Arab American communities about their concerns regarding the election and the conflicts between Israel with Hamas and Hezbollah in Gaza and Lebanon.

According to a statement from her campaign, "Harris expressed her concern over the scale of suffering in Gaza" and "discussed her efforts to end the war in Gaza, such that: Israel is secure, hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, freedom, self-determination."

On Lebanon, the statement said, Harris "expressed concern about civilian casualties and displacement and reiterated the administration's position that, ultimately, a diplomatic solution is the best path to achieve stability and protect civilians." Southeast Michigan is home to a large number of Arab Americans and Muslims in and around Dearborn, many of whom have been sharply critical of the Biden administration for not demanding a permanent cease-fire and not withholding aid to Israel with a humanitarian crisis growing in the Middle East.

While the Harris campaign did not put out a list of people she met with, the group apparently included Wa’el Alzayat, CEO of Emgage Action, a Muslim American advocacy group based in Washington. Alzayat put out a statement saying he and other Muslim and Arab leaders met with Harris "to underscore the deep pain our communities feel over the intensifying crisis in Gaza and Lebanon" and asked her "to do everything in her power, should she win, to end the war (between Israel and Hamas in Gaza) and reset U.S. policy in the region."

Also speaking at the rally in Flint were Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and NBA Hall of Fame player Magic Johnson, who played at Michigan State University and is from Lansing. He noted that he and his wife have supported Harris for 20 years, going back to her early political career in California.

Johnson recalled that his father was an autoworker and pointed out that there were 32 days left before the election. That was also the number he wore as a pro player with the Los Angeles Lakers.

"One thing she is going to do is finally unite us and bring us together," Johnson said. "That other party is trying to tear us apart."

Among those in attendance, the love for Harris was matched by a disdain for Trump.

"I think people are sick of his s---," said Shonda Edgerle, 51, of Lapeer, who's a team leader at Flint Assembly Plant, where General Motors makes Chevrolet and GMC pickups. "If he comes in office again, we're just going to go backwards. The things that he's saying, they've been making no sense."

James Logie, 27, of Flint, has epilepsy and lives on about $1,000 a month in disability benefits. Some months, his medication costs run $500. He said Harris and President Biden have worked to lower prescription costs for people like him.

“I hate to think how my care would have gone under Trump,” he said.

LaShawn Lenton, 53, of Flint Township, worked 13 years as a corrections officer and now helps manage a senior living community. She said she supports Harris because their values align.

"I just believe that people want change," she said. "We've been through the Donald Trump era and I think that people just want a fresh start, to make America united again. I feel like if we went the other way, it would just create more division."

Contact Todd Spangler: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: In Flint, Harris bashes Trump on lost auto jobs