Eminem, a rapper from Detroit, made an appearance in his hometown on Tuesday by speaking at a rally in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris‘ candidacy for president. In order to encourage the audience to use their right to vote, he pointed out the importance of Detroit and Michigan in the next election and urged people to “get out and vote.”
Longtime critic of US President Donald Trump, Eminem stressed the value of speaking up without fear of consequences, saying Harris is dedicated to preserving freedom for future generations.
Eminem’s speech was followed by the introduction of former President Barack Obama to the stage, who addressed the audience by making reference to Eminem’s popular song “Lose Yourself.” Obama lightened the atmosphere by joking about feeling nervous, referencing the song’s famous line about sweaty palms. This gathering, which also included NFL Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson, was purposefully scheduled to raise voter enthusiasm only a few days before Michigan’s early voting starts.
Since Detroit is regarded as a swing state that could affect both the presidential election and control of the U.S. Senate, voter turnout is crucial for Democrats. Elissa Slotkin, a Democratic Senate candidate, also joined Obama at the rally.
Barak Obama criticized former President Donald Trump as unfit for government during his speech. He cited an earlier town hall where Trump declined to take audience questions in favor of an improvised show. “You’d be worried if your grandpa was acting like this,” he remarked, emphasizing the need to prevent Trump from gaining unchecked authority. “America is ready for a change,” Obama claimed.
Trump recently held his own rally in Detroit, appearing with local rapper Trick Trick, who has previously collaborated with Eminem on the song “Welcome 2 Detroit.”. This came shortly after Trump’s controversial remarks about Detroit, where he described the city as “developing.” His comments were seen as disparaging, prompting backlash from Democratic leaders.
Trump’s remarks drew harsh criticism from Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who said that Trump was uneducated about the state of Detroit. She noted, his description of the city as a “failure and a mess” showed a lack of understanding, and she urged him to avoid talking about Detroit in such a negative manner.
Whitmer firmly addressed the former president’s comments, stating, “He doesn’t have a clue what the hell he was talking about,” and asserted that Trump should refrain from criticizing Detroit.
The fact that famous individuals like Obama and Eminem attended the rally shows the Democratic Party’s attempts to gather support in Michigan. In consideration of the state’s important position in the presidential election, Democratic officials have focused on raising voter turnout and debunking Republican narratives.
