Gabrielle Giffords draws ovation at DNC

Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, in a stirring appearance Thursday at the Democratic National Convention, predicted Kamala Harris can “beat the gun lobby” and will protect access to abortion services.
Greeted with chants of “Gabby! Gabby!” Giffords walked on stage in Chicago for a three-minute speech that noted her Arizona roots, her work in Congress and how her life was upended by a would-be assassin.
Giffords thanked President Joe Biden for his continued interest in her well-being before making her case for Harris.
“Joe is a great president,” Giffords said. “My friend Kamala will be a great president.
“She is tough. She has grit. Kamala can beat the gun lobby. She can fight gun trafficking. Kamala stood up to Wall Street and the drug companies. She will protect abortion access.”
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It was Giffords’ third convention speech since she was shot in the head in 2011 at a constituent event near Tucson and is part of her more-visible presence in America’s politics this year.
She remains an inspirational figure in Democratic circles, drawing ovations before she even speaks, as she did again on Thursday.
Her husband, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., stood at her side as she spoke. She acknowledged she “fell for an astronaut” before giving him a kiss.
Earlier this year, Giffords and Kelly penned an essay on in-vitro fertilization, and she condemned political violence after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in July.
And after Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance’s 2021 comments disparaging Democrats as “a bunch of childless cat ladies” resurfaced, Giffords called attacks on those without children “disgraceful.”
Giffords was one of three prominent Arizonans speaking to the convention on Thursday.
Kelly and U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., followed her within minutes, giving unusual prominence to the swing state on the convention’s final night.