WASHINGTON, D.C. – It was U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ “closing argument” to the nation, her last major appeal to voters before Election Day on November 5th.
And it took place at a very iconic venue called the Ellipse, a park just south of the White House in Washington, DC.
Less than four years later, on January 6, 2021, the Ellipse had become another speaking venue for Harris’ Republican rival, then-President Donald Trump. There, he stoked false fears of election fraud and led thousands of his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol to stop the certification of the 2020 election.
Harris told a large crowd on Tuesday that the divisiveness was the exact opposite of what she would bring to the White House if elected.
“Tonight, I’m going to talk to you about the choices and the stakes in this election,” Vice President Harris said. “We know who Donald Trump is.”
“He is the same man who stood in this very spot almost four years ago and sent an armed mob into the Capitol to overturn the will of the people in a free and fair election.”
Its symbolism was the evening’s defining message, and the speech’s centerpiece was meant to be an exclamation point at the end of an unusually short campaign.
“The choice is between having a country rooted in freedom for all Americans, or having a country dominated by chaos and division,” Harris said.
Supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris attend a campaign event on October 29 (Evelyn Hochstein/Reuters)
With just seven days until Election Day, it remains unclear whether Harris’ message will be enough to give her an edge over Trump in a close race. Opinion polls show that candidates remain neck-and-neck in a handful of key battleground states across the country.
At least 50 million voters have already cast their votes, and the results are largely considered decided.
“I feel very anxious and frustrated.”
But among the crowds at Ms. Harris’ rallies, her most ardent supporters expressed unwavering, if apprehensive, optimism.
“We’re only a week away, but I always say, ‘All hands on deck,'” said Rauanna, a 60-year-old veteran who was one of the thousands who spilled from the Ellipse onto the empty lawn.・Rison said. Washington Monument.
“I’m so excited that Kamala Harris will be the first female president,” she added. “We are here to show that this has been a campaign of joy and we will not look back.”
“I’m obviously very anxious and nervous about this election,” Lucy Garza, a 19-year-old student at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., told Al Jazeera.
She pointed out that in her home state of Texas, immigration and abortion rights are the most important issues in the election, and the outcome could be very dependent on the outcome.
Harris supporter Luci Garza says she’s concerned about Trump’s second term as president (Joseph Stepanski/Al Jazeera)
“This election is very important to me as a woman, as a Latina, as a Texan,” Garza said.
“But to come out here and see everyone dancing and getting excited, it’s nice to see that there are people who care and actually want to show up and be human. Yo.”
Harris addressed the audience and revisited the policy proposals that defined her short-lived campaign, which began in July after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race.
She promised to create an economic policy aimed at the middle class that includes banning price gouging, working to revitalize the housing market and providing financial support for new parents.
She also pledged to protect the Affordable Care Act, the law that expanded health insurance for U.S. residents while expanding Medicare to cover home health care.
On abortion rights, she reaffirmed her intention to sign a federal bill that protects access if someone falls on her desk.
Still, Harris returned to the topic of Trump multiple times throughout her speech, repeating the stark warnings that defined the final weeks of the campaign.
“This is an unstable, revenge-obsessed, grievance-obsessed individual who seeks unchecked power,” Harris said, citing President Trump’s recent description of his political opponents as the “enemy within.” He is a person who will do that.”
“The fact that someone disagrees with us does not make them an enemy in our hearts,” she said. “They are fellow Americans, and as Americans, we will rise together.”
“People gather”
Supporter Jason Bourne, 50, a nurse from North Carolina, said he hopes Harris’ more unified message will connect with voters who are still undecided.
Harris supporter Jason Bourne wears a ‘White Man for Harris’ hat (Joseph Stepanski/Al Jazeera)
Bourne pointed out that President Trump recently sparked outrage at a rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Sunday, during which a comedian compared Puerto Rico to a “floating island of trash.”
President Trump has since dismissed the aftermath, telling reporters on Tuesday that the weekend rally was “beautiful” and “an absolute celebration of love.”
But Vaughn said Tuesday’s Harris rally was in stark contrast to the event at Madison Square Garden.
“What’s the difference between this and a Trump rally? This is about fellowship, about people coming together,” said Vaughn, wearing a “White Man for Harris” hat.
“I think she has momentum right now.”
He predicted the Madison Square Garden rally could hurt Trump in the final stages of the campaign.
President Trump visited Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, on Tuesday and warned that the country was “being destroyed by incompetent idiots.”
“I think white people are divided right now,” Vaughn said. “There’s a lot of misogyny and bravado, but my message is you don’t have to be like that to be a man.”
“We are fully booked.”
But while Harris’ soaring speech in Washington, D.C., was intended as a show of political power, it also proved her political vulnerability.
Pro-Palestinian protests could be heard from the streets surrounding the event.
Such protests have been relatively common at Harris’ events, highlighting continued anger over Democrats’ continued support of Israel in the midst of its wars with Gaza and now Lebanon. There is.
If elected, Harris has refused to commit to halting arms shipments to Israel or attaching conditions to military aid. But she said a ceasefire needed to be reached.
This position threatens to undermine her support among Arab, Muslim and progressive groups alike, and could be particularly damaging in Michigan, a battleground state with a large Arab-American population.
Professor Sumaiya Hamdami, 62, from Maryland, told Al Jazeera in an interview that she had a hard time voting for Harris despite being a “lifelong Democrat.”
A pro-Palestinian demonstrator holds a placard outside the Kamala Harris rally in Washington, DC, on October 29. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)
She said she cast an “irresponsible” vote during the primary to protest the Biden-Harris administration’s stance on the conflict. Biden was still the Democratic candidate at the time.
“Obviously, there’s a lot of hesitation in voting for this candidate, because she doesn’t have the ability to stop arms shipments to Israel, and it doesn’t seem like she’s going to do anything,” Hamdami said. said.
“But I’m here because I think the alternative is much worse.”
Other people in the audience said they had come to support Harris out of concern that Trump would win a second term.
“We’re scared, but we’re hopeful,” said Marcia Tripp, 73, a retired occupational therapist from Ohio. “If Trump wins, it’s just going to be a disaster.”
Supporters of Kamala Harris wave flags as they watch her “closing argument” speech on the National Mall in Washington, DC, on October 29. (Evelyn Hochstein/Reuters)
Harris ended her speech by vowing to be a different president than Biden.
Still, she tried to drive home a similar theme to Biden’s 2020 campaign message: unity.
“This is my promise to you,” Harris said.
“Even if you didn’t vote for me, I’ll always listen to you. I’ll always tell the truth, even if it’s hard to hear. I’ll always tell you the truth, even if it’s hard to hear. I work every day to build consensus and reach compromises. And if you give me a chance to fight for you, nothing in this world will stand in my way.”
