'Fired up and ready to go': Democrats Abroad looking forward to U.S. Election

Erin Kotecki Vest, chair of Democrats Abroad Canada, speaks with Alberta Primetime host Michael Higgins about preparing for the upcoming U.S. Election.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

Michael Higgins: U.S. President Joe Biden made his first address Wednesday evening since announcing he would not seek a second term in office and pledged his support for Kamala Harris to be the Democratic nominee.

What struck you most about Joe Biden's address, the message he extended?

Erin Kotecki Vest: The message he extended and the very Joe-ness of it is what I would call it. He was so humble. He put aside his ego for his country. You could tell he was fighting emotion and he wanted to make sure that the American people knew that there was still a democratic process that's going to happen behind the scenes here. This isn't a coronation of the vice-president but this is what he needed to do so that we could move forward in the best way possible for the country and for the Democratic Party.

MH: How torn were members of your party over the prospect of Joe Biden remaining on the ticket? That he would hold out and run for a second term?

EKV: We were ready to back him 110 per cent. I had members who were in tears when he stepped aside but that same member that was in tears that when he stepped aside was then jumping for joy when he backed the vice-president. So it went very quickly from, ‘Oh, my goodness, what are we going to do?’ To, ‘We could have the first female president and we could make this happen.’ And things got really fired up really fast.

MH: In Joe Biden passing the torch, what rests now in the hands of Kamala Harris and your party in general?

EKV: A big task, a very big task, because we have a very divided country, as you know, right now. I know that seeps up north of the border and sometimes those divisions are seen here with some of those issues. And we'd like to keep those things south of the border if we can and within our own family, so to speak. It's a big task because we have a lot to get together in about 100 days now but there is a whole process lined out for it so we just need to follow the steps. Granted, it's an unusual situation given the timing but until a couple of decades ago candidates were always chosen at the convention. So this is something we have done before, we just haven't done it in a while. And we're going to take it step-by-step and really ride the wave of the excitement behind the vice-president.

MH: Let’s talk quickly about that wave, the fact that the Harris campaign generated something like $125 million in fundraising in just the first couple of days. What does that signal about the mindset of your party?

EKV: I can tell you without a doubt the mindset of our party right now is one of fired up and ready to go. Everyone went from doing their jobs as volunteers and getting ready to go door knock and phone bank to calling me - my phone has been blowing up, my email has been blowing up, I've even got Canadians asking if they can come and help - and it's been just absolute elation and total excitement. Everyone's willing to give money, everyone's willing to give time and we are one united party ready to defeat Donald Trump.

MH: What's riding on the pick for a running mate?

EKV: The pick for a running mate, I think, is going to be an interesting choice because we're going to want to see someone who can pull in some of our more swing states that we're looking at and a lot of those on the fence voters and maybe some of our more right-leaning voters who aren't necessarily Trump fans, a lot of ex-Republicans who don't necessarily like to call themselves Democrats. So someone who's going to make them feel comfortable about a female of colour and about someone who's been very left-leaning in her politics. So we're probably going to be looking at a fairly safe pick for VP.

MH: What are you bracing for in in a race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump?

EKV: When it comes to Donald Trump, you really can never guess what's going to come out of his mouth or what's going to happen. If I had to guess, on what's happened before when it comes to him and women, I'm bracing for some pretty nasty words from his side and the prosecutor in her from our side. She is fierce. I mean, she used to be the attorney general in the second largest Department of Justice in the United States. She's ready to prosecute Donald Trump and as a felon, I'm here for it.

MH: We're catching you in Montreal, that's where you reside now, so how different a perspective do you get watching your nation's politics play out from up here north of the border?

EKV: Amazingly different. We've been here five years now and I have to say, I enjoy watching your news much more than anyone else's, much more than my own in the U.S., because it gives me not just an entirely different perspective, but it gives me almost the world's perspective on how we're seen. And I'm able to then take that to my volunteer position with the Democrats and say, ‘Listen here's some ideas of how we're looked at from abroad and what we can do.’ And speaking of which, if there are any Americans watching, no matter which side of the aisle you're on, and you need to register to vote, please go to vote from abroad.org. You can get your ballot there and you have until September 21 to do it.