Democratic Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris Campaigns in Birmingham
Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris, speaking Friday evening in Birmingham, encouraged Alabamians to be vigilant in the stand for women’s reproductive healthcare.
Alabama lawmakers recently passed one of the toughest anti-abortion bills in the country. It outlaws nearly all abortions and does not include exceptions for rape or incest. Harris is one of several Democratic presidential candidates who have criticized Alabama’s bill and similar measures passed in other states.
“This is a fight that’s not new. We have to be vigilant,” she said. “I applaud the leaders in Alabama who stood up to legislators who are denying women’s access to reproductive healthcare.”
Harris is the second Democratic presidential hopeful to visit Birmingham in recent months. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is running both as an Independent for Senate and a Democrat for president, held a rally in Kelly Ingram Park in May.
Like Sanders, Harris took aim at the policies and practices of President Donald J. Trump. She referred to him as the “supposed Commander in Chief,” who takes the word of dictators over the U.S. intelligence agencies. The senator from California ended her speech with a call for unity.
“The vast majority have so much more in common than what separates us,” Harris said.
She said Americans all want quality healthcare, a good education for their children and opportunities to support themselves. She added they also want to live in a place where children don’t have go through active shooter drills in school. The crowd attending the speech included several state Democrat leaders, including Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison who introduced Harris.
RealClear Politics’ average of the top national polls this week shows former Vice President Joe Biden in the lead and Sen. Sanders in second place, with Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Harris and South Bend (IN) Mayor Pete Buttigieg all within a fraction of a percentage point of each other.
Greetings from Guhagar, India, where newly hatched turtles get some help into the sea
Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.
Israel is blasting through Gaza City neighborhoods, but people have nowhere to go
Israel's military says it has gained "operational control" of 40% of Gaza City and plans to intensify its attacks in a large-scale ground offensive to fully occupy the city.
Horror, rom-coms and ‘Hamilton’ are all in theaters this weekend
This weekend, Hamilton is in theaters in honor of its anniversary, a new Conjuring horror film opens, and Dylan O'Brien stars in a twisty story about grief.
The U.S. added only 22,000 jobs last month, showing cracks in the labor market
The U.S. job market showed more signs of weakness Friday, as the Labor Department reported just 22,000 jobs added last month. Revised figures show the economy lost jobs in June, and the unemployment rate inched up to 4.3%.
Why solar flares are way hotter than researchers thought
The hottest parts of the sun are its solar flares, and a new study suggests these flares could be more than six times hotter than scientists used to believe.
Ivey, Ledbetter go to court to try and allow voucher students to participate in athletics
Gov. Kay Ivey and House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter filed the complaint in Montgomery Circuit Court against the Alabama High School Athletic Association. They are asking a judge to block the association's ruling on eligibility and pave the way for the students to participate in athletics this year.
