Harris supporters show energy at Bill Clinton’s visit
Despite not being open to the general public, members of the local Steamfitters and family members lined up to see former President Bill Clinton over an hour and a half before the event started.
And with the exception of a few checking college football scores on their phones and talking about work, the majority of those in line and the crowd talked about Clinton, Harris, and the election.
With a close general election just two days away, visitors showed energy in the Steamfitters Local 449 building as Clinton, along with Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and local Democratic leaders made a case for Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign against former President Donald Trump.
“It’s going to be very close, I’ve been saying that the whole time,” Fetterman told the Butler Eagle after the event. “The energy today has been remarkable.”
The 2020 presidential election in Pennsylvania was decided by less than two percentage points. With polls pointing to a similar outcome, a message widely repeated to the crowd was the idea this is the most consequential election of our lifetime.
A frequent term used by local attendees heading into what will likely be another close election: cautious optimism.
“I am cautiously optimistic. This is a nice setup. I found out about this last night,” Carolyn Steglich said before the speeches. “It’s a good weekend to be out here supporting Democrats.”
Clinton’s speech, while covering a range of topics, was warmly received by the crowd. One big theme from Clinton’s speech that stuck with attendees was inclusivity, and community.
“I am extremely concerned about neighbors and community. And I feel like Kamala Harris is the person who’s going to bring communities together, while the other person running is trying to tear us all apart,” Kristin Postava said. “I grew up with Mr. Rogers, and Sesame Street, and all of these shows that told me to love my neighbor and take care of each other. And that is what this rally is about.”
Topics such as family and economic struggles also stuck with attendees who could relate to the former president.
Clinton mentioned being the last president to grow up without indoor plumbing in his childhood home. The crowd was receptive to personal stories from the speakers such as when Local 449 Business Manager Kenny Broadbent talked about his own father going from growing up poor to building his own house.
“I think when he talked about his daughter was what got me. You’ve gotta be thankful for what you have,” Brian Farber said. “And honestly, whenever he was talking about his house, my dad had the same experience. He grew up in a shanty, and now I own a house.”
Based on both the crowd’s applause to the speeches and immediate reaction after, the Steamfitter attendees responded well to Clinton’s speech.
“Talking about jobs and job creation was really great, talking about how we can help the infrastructure of this country, how we can continue to make our country better, and when you work together to get things done, that’s what I took from him today,” Postava said.
But despite the positivity and upbeat reactions to Clinton, the attendees also didn’t lose focus of their objective: beating Donald Trump. And they weren’t shy about it.
“It’s important that we elect Kamala Harris. We had four years of chaos from Trump. He hates everybody,” Farber said. “He’s inconsiderate and cruel.”
Clinton’s efforts to show a contrast to the Steamfitters in attendance was well received.
“I think the idea of inclusiveness stuck with me, because she’ll come into office worried about what to do for the people,” Joe Pass, another cautiously optimistic Democrat, said. “He’s going to come into office for who he’s going to go after.”
Fetterman, who started the day with Clinton up in Erie, told the Eagle that he has seen volunteers door-knocking all over, and expressed pleasure over a bus of volunteers from Rochester that came to Butler for the same purpose, as well as a restaurant & bar in Erie he and Clinton stopped at that “was bonkers” for Kamala Harris.
Attendees stayed realistic about the political makeup of Butler County, and the circumstances of this election in this state.
“Obviously Butler County is a red county, but all we have to do is meet the percentage of whatever we got when we elected Biden, and if we do a little bit better, which there’s a lot more ground game this year, I think we’ll win. But it will be close,” Farber said.
Clinton’s speech embodied both the optimism of the local Democrats as well as the anxiety over a potential Donald Trump victory. Attendees were clear in their support, and confidence, for Harris, and their distrust of Trump.
“Just wanted to show support for, hopefully, the winner of the election,” Pass said. “These people know what they’re doing. The option is … there is no option, as far as I’m concerned.”
