TRANSCRIPT
Swapping Beyoncé for Springsteen.
Classic hits are back on the democratic campaign trail, but this time, US President Joe Biden is just the warm-up act.
"Let me tell you about this woman. I know her. I trust her, not a joke, I trust her. Number two. Number two. The first decision I made, the nominee in 2020, was selecting her as my vice president. By the way, it was the single best decision I made as the President of the United States of America."
After his own re-election bid collapsed in July, President Biden is making his return to the stump on Labor Day in his native Pennsylvania.
But the new Democratic ticket, Vice President Kamala Harris, jetted across the blue wall states to energise the party's union base.
"As unions and Labor know best, we know what it's like to be the underdog. Right. And we are the underdog in this race. And we have some hard work ahead of us. But here's the beauty of us in this room. We like hard work, hard work is good work, hard work is joyful work."
But support within the Labor movement is fickle, with several unions opposing the handling of the war in Gaza – as those in Detroit made clear.
"If we don't get no justice, then they don't get no peace. If we don't get no justice, then they don't get no peace. Israel bombs, USA pays, how many people did you kill today?"
The President's campaign return is also hampered by his own luke-warm popularity.
Despite Vice President Harris' pitch as the 'change' candidate, his stump speech lingered on his own administration's record.
"Folks, we made a lot of progress and Kamala and I will build on that progress. And she's going to build on it. I'll be on the sideline; I'll do everything I can to help."
Political Strategist Jeremy Zogby told Al Jazeera it's important for President Biden to be seen to be carrying out his presidential role.
"My sense is, it doesn't look very good if he's not out there because then what happens is Kamala Harris starts to be seen as the incumbent, and she's got some issues to deal with regarding the economy – the economy, inflation and jobs."
And that was Donald Trump's focus.
While he held no Labor Day events, he told Truth social followers, quote, "all Americans are suffering over the holiday weekend."
His most recent appearance, on Fox News, was spent lashing efforts to prosecute him on election interference charges.
"It's so crazy that my poll numbers go up. Whoever heard you get indicted for interfering with a Presidential election when you had every right to do it? You get indicted and your poll numbers go up, when people get indicted your poll numbers go down. It's such nonsense."
But those who witnessed January 6th, including Former US Capitol Police Officer Sergeant Aquilino Gonell, say it's a confession.
"That's the only reason why he, he became a candidate – to stay out of jail. He should have been expedited a long time ago through the system. "
Trump's case is not expected to go to trial before polling day.
