Hundreds of people line South Street in front of the Colonial Theatre, hoping to get a glimpse of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Reminder Publishing photos by Sarah Heinonen
PITTSFIELD — As a city with fewer than 44,000 residents, located in the reliably blue state of Massachusetts, Pittsfield does not normally draw presidential candidates. On July 27, however, the city was abuzz with anticipation over the presence of Vice President and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Harris announced her presidential candidacy on July 21, hours after President Joe Biden announced that he would withdraw from the race following a politically disastrous debate against former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee.
The fundraiser also featured speakers U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and former Gov. Deval Patrick, with entertainment from cellist Yo-Yo Ma and musician James Taylor.
The line of ticket holders wrapped around the block, with supporters waiting to get in to see their candidate. Across from the Colonial Theatre, people lined South Street, holding signs and cheering.
“I’m really happy,” said Betty Baumert. “It’s nice for a little town [for] someone with such star power [to visit]. It’s exciting.”
Vicki Bonning, who said she did not vote for Kamala Harris in 2020, stood in line to enter the theater. This year, she said of Harris, “She’s our candidate. She’s the only horse we have and we’re going to ride her to victory.”
A 19-year-old Lennox resident who studies politics in Washington, D.C. said he was happy the Democratic event was in Pittsfield, adding that he was excited to vote in a presidential election for the first time.
A trio of folk singers played their instruments outside the venue. They changed the lyrics to “This Land is Your Land,” singing “I’ve been to London, I’ve been to Paris, I’ve never met anyone like Kamala Harris. I’ll talk to your house, you talk to my house, we’ll get Harris in the White House. Kamala for president.”
Many of the people without tickets said they had only learned of the vice president’s visit a week beforehand. Plans for the event had been in the works since January. Still, with the tumultuous series of events that led to Biden’s withdrawal from the race, Harris’s decision to run and the assassination attempt of Trump on July 13, Harris’s presence in Pittsfield had been in question until just two days before the event.
Daylan Hamilton, Christine Hamilton and Linda Kaufman were among those in the crowd hoping to see Harris arrive or leave the theater. All three supported Harris in her 2020 primary campaign.
Christine Hamilton said she was shocked Biden stepped down. Daylan Hamilton said she expected Biden to finish the campaign and step down after winning a second term. Of Harris taking up the mantle, Kaufman remarked, “I was shocked it happened so fast” after Biden’s announcement.
Not everyone was unconditionally supportive, however, amid the sea of Harris signs were a few people with signs supporting Trump or sporting gear with the former president’s slogan, “Make America Great Again.” Still, others arrived at the event to protest the Israel-Hamas War and the United States’s financial support of Israel’s military offensives in Gaza.
Speaking of the war, Christine Hamilton said she hoped the situation would change under Harris’s leadership, but Daylan Hamilton said, “I believe that we should be helping our allies.” As for Kaufman, she said, “I have more hope that a democratic leader will bring it to an end than a Republican.”
The Israel-Hamas War is not the only issue on the mind of those at the event. Jodi Blessing, Scott Williams and their daughter, Brielle Blessing, stationed themselves near the intersection of South Street and East Housatonic Avenue. The three had made signs championing women’s rights and supporting Harris.
Williams said women’s rights is “the most divisive issue” in this year’s campaign. “It’s certainly important.”
The family was glad Harris came to Pittsfield. Jodi Blessing noted they lived just two blocks away from the site and Brielle Blessing said, “You’d never think someone so important would come here. It’s exciting.”
