A Kamala Harris-Tim Walz rally in Detroit, Michigan, on Wednesday ended in disarray [1].
Thousands of attendees were left stranded, and campaign staff were reportedly in tears.
A Kamala volunteer just broke down into tears.
— Josiah Lippincott (@jlippincott_) August 8, 2024 [2]
Political scientist Josiah Lippincott reported severe logistical issues, noting that despite waiting for 2.5 hours in 90-degree heat, people could not find shuttles to return to their vehicles. “Complete chaos after the Detroit Kamala rally. It has been 2.5 hours and people are still unable to find shuttles back to their cars. Campaign staff has no idea what is happening. Rally was held near a UPS delivery center so dozens of trucks are mixed up with the buses. Tempers are high,” Lippincott said.
The rally was at the circled hangar. But it is located on a spur off the main road highlighted in red. The arrow is the turn around point for the buses. Add a bunch of freight trucks from UPS, confused campaign staff, and tired and hungry rally goers and you get complete chaos. pic.twitter.com/qbe2AAATDl [3]
— Josiah Lippincott (@jlippincott_) August 8, 2024 [4]
The confusion was compounded by the presence of numerous white coach buses, which were reportedly used to transport union members to the event.
The larger white buses in the above photos are not shuttles. Those were for union members and others who were bused in by the campaign. The Kamala people used school buses as shuttles.
— Josiah Lippincott (@jlippincott_) August 8, 2024 [5]
Lippincott, who eventually boarded a bus, found himself alone due to a mix-up between the dispatch center and bus drivers about drop-off locations.
This is how the buses are turning around 🤣 pic.twitter.com/ViMo6A6cDB [6]
— Josiah Lippincott (@jlippincott_) August 8, 2024 [7]