Page 17 of 107 Days

There were ten thousand people at the rally in Atlanta.

It was the first rally designed specifically for my candidacy, not as a supporting act to Joe, and I wanted to liven it up, broaden the cultural appeal, and bring more creativity and fun. Having Megan Thee Stallion opening for me and Quavo as a speaker was one way to do that.

There had been a question about whether I should have any celebrities at my rallies.

Would it seem too California, too Hollywood?

I thought that the right surrogates could help expand the crowd and add excitement.

There were questions about whether Megan was the right choice.

As well as the usual online trolling, there were anxious remarks from supporters: “You need to be more middle of the road—you’re not projecting the right image as you come out of the box.

” I knew they were people who cared about me, but I also knew they were wrong.

We needed to welcome everyone into this campaign, and that meant people who listened to music that ranged from Bruce Springsteen to Lil Wayne.

By the time I got to the podium, the audience was on fire. In my speech, I talked about the threats to women’s reproductive freedom. I berated Trump for sinking the bipartisan bill that would have helped with border security—“as my friend Quavo would say, he does not walk it like he talks it.”

And then I went after him for backing out of the debate. “But he and his running mate sure seem to have a lot to say about me.” As the audience howled, I added, “If you’ve got something to say, say it to my face.”

By the next day, national polls revealed we’d made up all the ground lost since Joe’s debate.

I was in a statistical dead heat with Trump.

Later, I read the reporting on that rally with amusement and some chagrin.

Many of the reporters now traveling with us hadn’t covered rallies I’d been having as vice president.

My college tour events had often been standing room only, same with my rallies for reproductive rights.

If they had covered those events, the enthusiasm in Atlanta might not have come as such a surprise.