Harris tells teachers union she's ready to fight for country's future — 'bring it on'

HOUSTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris told Republicans to “bring it on” in what she described as a “fight for our most fundamental freedoms” as she spoke to the American Federation of Teachers on Thursday.

It was her latest stop in her whirlwind debut as the Democrats' likely presidential nominee after President Joe Biden abruptly dropped his bid for a second term at the beginning of the week.

Harris praised unions as the foundation of the middle class, and she criticized Republicans for their views on gun control and public education.

“They have the nerve to tell teachers to strap on a gun in the classroom while they refuse to pass commonsense gun safety laws," she said.

Harris added that “we want to ban assault weapons, and they want to ban books.”

The American Federation of Teachers was the first labor union to formally endorse Harris, and its president Randi Weingarten said she “has electrified this race.”

Harris intends to travel aggressively to spread her message and rally voters. The outreach occurs as the retooled Biden campaign, now under Harris' control, figures out its strategy for generating turnout and maximizing her time in a 100-plus day sprint to the November election against Republican Donald Trump.

In Trump, Harris is up against the survivor of a recent assassination attempt with tens of millions of loyalists committed to returning him to the Oval Office. Just as Harris is trying to draw a contrast with Trump, he is working to do the same with her.

Trump went on the offensive at a rally Wednesday in North Carolina, calling Harris a “real liberal” who is “much worse” than Biden. The former president claimed without evidence that Harris had misled voters about the health of the 81-year-old Biden and his ability to run for the presidency.

Harris' appearance at the teachers union's biennial convention in Houston follows a rally Tuesday in the Milwaukee area and a speech Wednesday to a gathering of the historically Black sorority Zeta Phi Beta in Indianapolis.

“We know when we organize, mountains move,” she told sorority members. “When we mobilize, nations change. And when we vote, we make history.”

Her campaign is seizing on the growing pop culture interest surrounding her candidacy, releasing a video Thursday that is set to Beyonce's “Freedom." The video, designed for social media consumption, underscores a core message of Harris campaign -- freedom on abortion rights, freedom from gun violence and freedom “not just to get by, but to get ahead."

The 1.8 million-member AFT has backed Harris and her pro-union agenda on the premise that a second Trump term could result in restrictions on organized labor and a potential loss of funding for education.

The AFL-CIO, which represents 60 labor unions including the AFT, has backed Harris. But the vice president has yet to get the endorsement of the United Auto Workers, whose president, Shawn Fain, told CNBC this week that the union's executive board will make that decision.

Fain spoke at the AFT conference on Wednesday and was blistering in his criticism of Trump. The former president has relied on blue-collar voters to compete politically nationwide, but he failed to win a majority of union households in 2020 when he lost to Biden, according to AP VoteCast.

Later Thursday, Harris will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.'s Grand Boulé, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the American Federation of Teachers' 88th national convention, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the American Federation of Teachers' 88th national convention, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris listens to Houston's Acting Director of Public Safety and Homeland Security Thomas Munoz after receiving a briefing on Hurricane Beryl recovery efforts at the City of Houston Emergency Operation Center in Houston, Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (Brendan Smialowski/Pool via AP)

Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris talks after receiving a briefing on Hurricane Beryl recovery efforts at the City of Houston Emergency Operation Center in Houston, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, as Houston Mayor Houston Mayor John Whitmire, second from right, listens. (Brendan Smialowski/Pool via AP)

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's government has revoked permission for Brazil to serve as custodian of Argentina's diplomatic missions in the country, alleging several anti-government opponents holed up for months in the Argentine ambassador's residence had been plotting terrorist acts from the compound.

In a statement Saturday, Venezuela's foreign ministry said it had notified Brazil of its decision, which will take effect immediately. It said it was forced to take action based on what it called evidence — which it hasn't shared — that those who sought refuge in Argentina's diplomatic mission were plotting.

Magalli Meda, the former campaign chief of opposition leader María Corina Machado, was among a half dozen government opponents who fled to the Argentina ambassador’s residence after Maduro’s chief prosecutor in March issued an order for her arrest for allegedly propagating destabilizing, political violence.

In retaliation, Maduro broke off diplomatic relations with Argentine President Javier Milei’s right-wing government, which tapped neighbor Brazil to represent its interests and safeguard the asylum seekers.

There was no immediate response from Argentina or Brazil.

Since Friday, armored vehicles from the SEBIN political police have been parked outside the Argentina ambassador’s residence in a leafy Caracas neighborhood. Electricity to the diplomatic mission was also cut, according to Meda, who has taken to social media to denounce what she fears is an impending raid to arrest her and the other government opponents.

Police guard Argentina's embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)