Doug Emhoff, Pennsylvania Democrats speak at ‘Get Out the Vote’ concert in Schenley Plaza

Schenley Plaza was packed with about 400 Harris supporters Friday evening as Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, spoke at the “Get Out the Vote” concert.

Emhoff, alongside Mayor Ed Gainey, State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta and other Pennsylvania Democrats, rallied the audience to vote for Democrats and talked about the importance of the upcoming election. The event comes one month before Election Day, where Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes are expected to be critical in determining the outcome of the presidential election. R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe and Americana artist Jason Isbell performed at the concert and expressed their support for Harris.

About one hour after the rally began, Emhoff took the stage to deliver his remarks wearing a suit and camo Harris-Walz hat. He acknowledged his last visit to Pittsburgh and spoke about the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene.

“As Kamala said, she is in this for the long haul, and we’ll see this recovery through,” Emhoff said. “The people, the families and the communities that have been so devastated by the storm can count on the nation and they can count on Kamala.”

Emhoff spoke positively about Harris and called her a “badass woman” for accepting the nomination after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race in late July.

“We needed somebody to step up,” Emhoff said. “We needed a leader. We needed somebody to step into the breach. And that person was my wife, Kamala Harris. She more than rose to that challenge.”

Emhoff described the upcoming presidential election as “an existential binary choice” and highlighted freedom of expression, voter rights and reproductive rights as important issues for voters this November.

“We need a new way forward with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz,” Emhoff said. “We are not going back. We are taking our country back is what we’re doing.”

Emhoff recalled his love for R.E.M., calling the band “the soundtrack of growing up” and made puns out of the band’s hit songs to conclude his speech.

“We are not going to elect a world leader pretend, or have it be the end of the world as we know it. That would not feel fine,” Emhoff said. “Let’s remind America that we are something more than free. We are the country that sticks together, and the best days are ahead with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.”

Emhoff introduced Stipe and Isbell to the stage where they performed “The One I Love,” “Traveling Alone,” “Hope the High Road” and “Driver 8” together, voicing their support for Harris in between songs.

Earlier in the evening, Pennsylvania Democrats rallied the crowd to vote for Harris and other Democrats come November. Gainey highlighted the impact that the state will have nationally.

“We make a difference. Pennsylvania makes a difference as a battleground state. You should feel glad that our state, our commonwealth, our city will make a difference in who is going to be the next president of the United States of America,” Gainey said. “I’m ready to make history. Are you ready to make history?”

State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, the Democratic candidate for auditor general, called Pennsylvania “the center of the political universe” and asked the crowd to help Harris get elected.

“What we decide collectively is gonna determine not what the next four years are but what the next 40 years are,” Kenyatta said. “If you make sure you have a plan to vote, if you make sure your neighbor has a plan to vote, if you make sure all the people in your group chats got a plan to vote, we will indeed make sure this next chapter is the brightest America has ever seen.”

Erin McClelland, a Pitt alumni and the Democratic candidate for treasurer, encouraged the audience to “drive the score through the roof” in November.

“Every extra vote we get here is one more that those rough rolling red counties don’t have to claw their way through,” McClelland said. “From Erie to Montgomery, from Wayne to Greene, from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia and every woman and working person that resides in between, we are gonna vote blue all the way through.”

After the concert ended, Carolyn Davis, a resident of Penn Hills, said they came to the event to support Harris’ campaign.

“I like everything she stands for,” Davis said. “We don’t need to go back to the old way of doing things, the old way of treating women and other minorities in the world. We just can’t keep doing that.”

Davis added that Emhoff’s remarks show that “he loves his wife.”

“She’s got a cheerleader, and he is standing with her on everything she’s going to accomplish,” Davis said. “Championing your partner and believing in her sends a powerful message that he supports her, and he’s enthusiastic, and we’re just as enthusiastic.”

Kevin Leary, an attorney from Garfield, attended the event and described himself as a “true blue Democrat.” He said he “nerded out” seeing Emhoff and said he’s planning to vote for Harris because of how she’s handled herself since receiving the nomination.

“Everybody here is going to vote,” Leary said, “but what’s important is that we’re talking to our neighbors and those in our life who we don’t necessarily know have a plan to vote and make sure that they get out and do so.”