Kamala Harris Faces Backlash After Gaffe in Wisconsin Speech: ‘I Stood Up to Veterans’

Green Bay, WI – Vice President Kamala Harris made a verbal slip Thursday during a campaign rally in Wisconsin, mistakenly saying she “stood up to veterans” before quickly correcting herself.

Harris, 59, was discussing her time as California’s attorney general when the gaffe occurred, leading to mixed reactions from the crowd, with some groaning and others laughing.

“I stood up to veterans, and stood up for — excuse me,” Harris said, grimacing as she quickly corrected the error, clarifying that she stood up for veterans and students defrauded by for-profit colleges.

The rally took place at the Resch Expo, near the iconic Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, with over 4,000 attendees according to Harris’ campaign. The event coincided with a concert by southern rock band Alabama in the adjacent arena.

Harris wasn’t the only one to make a mistake. Before her speech, local union leader Jim Ridderbush introduced her as “the president of the United States,” in another apparent slip-up.

During her speech, Harris focused on policies benefiting the middle class, women, seniors, and caregivers. She highlighted her plan to expand Medicare to cover home health care for seniors, a proposal some experts believe will exceed the $40 billion cost estimate set by her team. Harris argued the policy would ease the financial burden on families caring for elderly relatives while managing work or raising children.

Javier Ceniceros, a 53-year-old business owner from Green Bay, attended the rally with his family and expressed support for Harris, saying she was “a better choice for us.” Ceniceros, who runs a maintenance and construction business, cited healthcare as his top concern, particularly preserving the Affordable Care Act.

Another supporter, 71-year-old retiree Peg Vanbrice, praised Harris for her stance on women’s rights, abortion, small businesses, and day care, adding that she found the vice president’s middle-class policies “exciting.” Vanbrice also expressed a strong dislike for former President Donald Trump.

Violet Smale, a 22-year-old journalist, noted that if Harris wants to win Wisconsin, a key swing state, she will need to focus on more personalized messaging. Smale emphasized the importance of Harris connecting with voters on a deeper level to maintain momentum in the state.

The counties surrounding Green Bay, including Brown, Outagamie, and Winnebago, all supported Trump in the 2020 election by at least a 4-point margin. Recent polling shows a tight race in Wisconsin, with the RealClearPolitics average indicating Trump holds a slim 0.1 percentage point lead over Harris.