US Rep. Gwen Moore on the Historic Nature of Harris in 2024

Frederica Freyberg:
Fourth District Democratic U. S. Representative Gwen Moore joined Harris at her convention week rally in Milwaukee Tuesday. Representative Moore was the first Black person in Wisconsin elected to Congress back in 2004. Now she’s looking to welcome the first woman and the first woman of color as U.S. president. We’re joined now by Congresswoman Moore. And thanks so much for being here.

Gwen Moore:
Oh, thanks so much for having me, Fredrica. It’s always great to be with you.

Frederica Freyberg:
So what is it like to see Kamala Harris possibly ascend to the highest elected office in the nation?

Gwen Moore:
Well, you know, let me just say it’s awesome. However, when you stop and think about what America has become, it’s the melting pot and there are — and Kamala Harris looks more like what an American looks like these days. Person of mixed heritage. And I think that when we look at the difference in the messaging of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Republican Party, Donald Trump pushing fear of the other, fear of immigrants and people of color of gaining power and influence in the country, and the rise of a Kamala Harris. We know that demographically, we have been on this trend for a while. So while it’s awesome, it’s about time.

Frederica Freyberg:
How important is Milwaukee and its potential turnout to the outcome of this election?

Gwen Moore:
I think that Kamala Harris and the DNC made it perfectly clear that Milwaukee was important. They started their tour, I think, in Pennsylvania. And instead of bypassing Milwaukee and heading straight to Chicago for the convention, they made sure that they filled up the very same stadium where Donald Trump and the RNC had been a month prior. Filled it up, as well as having all of the delegates nationwide be in Chicago at the United Center. So I do think that Milwaukeeans love to be asked for their vote. They love to be respected for their vote. And the fact that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, you know, took time away from the main stage, as it were, in Chicago, to come to Milwaukee, really was rewarded with a packed stadium in Milwaukee. It was absolutely thrilling.

Frederica Freyberg:
Well, what do voters there most want from a candidate? And in your mind, does Kamala Harris deliver that?

Gwen Moore:
Kamala or like her stepchildren call her, Mamala, has a very female centered, in my opinion, agenda. When she talks about down payment assistance or the rent is too damn high. She’s speaking directly to women who go to the store, who put the food on the table. You talk about cutting the cost of health care, going after the pharmaceutical industry. It’s a lot more clear and not abstract, like saying, “Oh, we’re going to have the Inflation Reduction Act.” No, your medication is going to be dropped to $35 a month, if you need insulin. We’re going to spread that throughout the population. That is — when you talk about that education and of course, when you talk about the right to choose to have an abortion, you’re bowling right down the alley of family-oriented child tax credit, paid family leave. Right down the alley of the kind of people we need to bring to the table. Women. Frederica, 46% of women are heads of households these days. And if you look at a Black household, we’re talking over 50%, 52, 53% of households are held by women. We talk about the numbers of younger people who are becoming homeowners that that would be women. And so she is, she is speaking to, I think the constituency that is most open to hearing about the difference in her administration than any other administration that we have had in their lifetimes.

Frederica Freyberg:
All right. We leave it there. Congresswoman Gwen Moore, thanks very much.

Gwen Moore:
Thank you, Frederica.