Harris is winding up her three-month marketing campaign for president with a speech in Washington and rallies in swing states.
WASHINGTON—Vice President Kamala Harris made her marketing campaign’s closing argument in a speech on the Ellipse within the nation’s capital on Oct. 29, positing that she is a greater candidate for the presidency than former President Donald Trump whereas promising to hunt frequent floor on challenges.
1000’s of individuals attended the rally positioned at a symbolic web site—it has a direct view of the White Home, and it’s the place the place Trump delivered his speech on Jan. 6, 2021, that preceded the Capitol breach.
The vp tried to color an optimistic and forward-looking image, suggesting that her presidency would “flip the web page” on the Trump period and provide a hopeful future for undecided voters, with calls to strengthen the economic system and defend abortion entry. She emphasised compromise, sought to separate herself from Washington elites, and promised to strategy her work with optimism.
“We’ve to cease pointing fingers and begin locking arms. It’s time to flip the web page on the drama and the battle, the worry and division. It’s time for a brand new era of management in America,” Harris mentioned. “And I’m prepared to supply that management as the subsequent president of america of America.”
Harris additionally promised to supply a unique imaginative and prescient than her boss, President Joe Biden.
“My presidency might be completely different as a result of the challenges we face are completely different. Our high precedence as a nation 4 years in the past was to finish the pandemic and rescue the economic system. Now, our largest problem is to decrease prices, prices that had been rising even earlier than the pandemic, and which can be nonetheless too excessive,” Harris added.
The Oct. 29 speech was Harris’s closing salvo to any remaining undecided voters within the final days of the 2024 presidential election.
The speech got here after an intense political marketing campaign of just a little greater than three months after Harris changed Biden because the Democratic Occasion’s candidate after he dropped out of the race on July 21.
The vp noticed a big rise in polling following the Democratic Nationwide Conference in August.
Within the battleground polling averages, the 2 candidates are tied in Wisconsin, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, whereas Harris is up by 1 level in Michigan, and Trump leads by roughly 1 level in North Carolina, Georgia, and Arizona.
On Tuesday, Harris mentioned “America, for too lengthy, we’ve been consumed with an excessive amount of division, chaos, and mutual mistrust, and it may be straightforward then to overlook a easy fact—it doesn’t should be this manner.”
The speech was delivered two days after the previous president made his personal closing argument to voters throughout a rally at New York Metropolis’s Madison Sq. Backyard, the place he urged People to dream large once more” and described Harris as “unfit” for workplace.
Supporters Weigh In
Some Harris supporters advised The Epoch Instances that they gathered within the capital within the title of historical past, staff’ rights, the subsequent era, ladies, and their shared drive to maintain Trump out of the White Home.
“I’d really feel devastated on behalf of all ladies” if Harris loses the election, Meredith Shea, a freshman at George Washington College, advised The Epoch Instances.
Brady Eagan (L) and Meredith Shea (R) forward of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris’ closing arguments speech at The Ellipse in Washington on Oct. 29, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Instances
Initially from Portland, Oregon, Shea mentioned abortion entry is the principle challenge driving her vote.
“We’re on the precipice of getting the primary black feminine president,” Robin Rogers mentioned. “That’s epic in all kinds and style.”
Rogers, 54, who works in Black Enterprise Promotion, traveled from North Carolina to promote t-shirts exterior the venue.
“We should always all be standing behind her, not for the truth that she’s black however for the truth that this simply probably may very well be historic,” she mentioned.
Maia Coleman-King (L) and her daughter forward of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris’ closing arguments speech at The Ellipse in Washington on Oct. 29, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Instances
Miai Coleman-King, 51, advised The Epoch Instances: “It provides us a possibility to be seen and heard and represented. We’ve by no means had a feminine president. We’ve by no means had a girl of shade, a black lady within the White Home as commander in chief.
“I’m extraordinarily excited as a black lady myself and a Howard College alumni. I’m extraordinarily pleased with my fellow Bison, and I wish to do every part I can to verify we maintain democracy.”
George Washington College freshman Brady Eagan mentioned that is the time for the subsequent era to step up.
Eagan mentioned he feels as if one other Trump administration can be “a risk to democracy as a complete.”
“And I believe it’s as much as younger voters to show that we’re right here and that we’re able to make change, and that’s what we’re right here to do,” he mentioned.
“Defending democracy” splits alongside occasion traces, with 37 p.c of Harris supporters naming it as their high challenge, whereas Trump supporters are centered on the economic system (61 p.c) and immigration (21 p.c).
Subsequent, the vp will take her closing argument on the street within the closing stretch earlier than Election Day. This week, she’s going to go to North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Nevada.
Trump began the week with a marketing campaign rally in Georgia. He’s scheduled to make marketing campaign stops in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nevada, and Wisconsin once more.