September 3 :
During her campaign with Vice President Joe Biden to win over working-class Pennsylvania voters—voters who are also being courted by her opponent, Kamala Harris—Democratic presidential candidate Harris declared on September 3 that U.S. Steel should remain in domestic hands. This was Harris and Biden's first joint campaign appearance since she formally became the Democratic nominee; the event took place on Labor Day, a U.S. holiday that marks the beginning of the post-summer sprint to the Nov. 5 election.
Harris courted the vital labor vote on September 2 with campaign events in two competitive states—Michigan and Pennsylvania. She spoke at a full Pittsburgh union hall, echoing Biden's worries about Nippon Steel of Japan acquiring U.S. Steel Corp. "U.S. Steel is a historic American company, and it is vital for our nation to maintain strong American steel companies," Harris stated during the demonstration. "U.S. Steel should remain American-owned and American-operated."
Biden assured union workers that he would do all in his power to support Harris as she continued the work they had begun under his administration to better their lives. Instead, he planned to watch from the sidelines. Following in Biden's footsteps, the Harris campaign has been courting union members. The Democrats' goal is to counter the blue-collar appeal of former Republican President Donald Trump and prevent union workers from voting for him.
At the Pittsburgh rally, 48-year-old Todd Hamer expressed his belief that Harris would benefit from Biden's backing of labor. "She's new," Hamer remarked. "Her background is complex, and we're all still getting to know her. My prediction is that she will remain loyal to labor leaders and unions, lending her support to their cause."
On September 2, Trump remained off the campaign road because of his close contest with Harris. Several events, including those in North Carolina and Wisconsin, will be announced by his campaign later this week. On Monday, the Harris campaign made fun of Trump for not making any public appearances. "Trump... golfing?" The Harris campaign asked on X.
According to a Trump campaign aide, the choice by Harris to rally voters around Biden presented the Trump team with another chance to politically unite the Democrats. The U.S. Steel agreement is a possible merger that has alarmed some unionized workers, who make up a significant voting bloc in Pennsylvania and other "Rust Belt" swing states that might decide the election's outcome. Trump has stated his intention to take action to oppose the deal.
U.S. Steel reaffirmed its dedication to the agreement with Nippon Steel in response to Harris's criticism. In the next weeks, voters in battleground states that could decide the election are likely to see increased outreach from both Trump and Harris.
Democrats are giving record sums of money and volunteering by the tens of thousands, and Harris hopes this passion will continue after she enters the race. Harris was ahead of Trump in a recent Reuters/Ipsos national survey by 45% to 41%.
On September 2, campaigning took a back seat to happenings in the Middle East over negotiations for a Gaza truce and the release of captives. Following the weekend's recovery of six hostages from a Gaza tunnel, which Israel claimed were slain by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, the Biden administration's proposal for a truce in Gaza came under heavy criticism.
At an earlier press conference on Monday, Biden expressed his belief that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not exerting sufficient effort to achieve a hostage settlement. Biden did not reveal when he will "eventually" meet with Netanyahu, although he did say it was late on September 2.
Israeli authorities have estimated that 1,200 Israelis were killed and 250 were taken hostage in the Oct. 7 surprise strike by Hamas. The Israeli attack on the enclave has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. The assault has also displaced nearly the entire 2.3 million people living there, caused a starvation crisis, and led to genocide accusations in the World Court, which Israel denies.
On September 2nd, Biden and Harris joined the United States hostage negotiation team in Washington, DC, to review the current situation and plan how to rescue the other hostages. U.S. pro-Palestinian activists have threatened to increase their protests against Harris as she campaigns, adding weight to the war's impact on the race. On September 2, thousands of Palestinian rights activists gathered in New York City to demonstrate against American backing of Israel's conflict in Gaza
