Democrats try to reclaim Ellipse for viral Kamala Harris moment

However, the rally planned to be held seven days before the meeting voteIf the vice president can gather a large crowd near the convention floor, it doubles as an opportunity for Harris to create a viral moment and troll Trump one last time National Mall.

Strictly against the presidential background white houseHarris’ rally will take place at the same location as Trump’s infamous “Stop the Steal” event, where rioters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 to overturn the 2020 election results. He plans to use the platform to implore voters to turn the page on the former president’s chaos and division and follow his campaign slogan, “The New Way Forward.”

“Just imagine Oval Office In three months,” Harris said this week Georgia an example he could repeat next Tuesday. “Picture this in your mind… Either Donald Trump is out there making a list of his enemies, or I’m working for you, checking off my to-do list.”

Like questionnaire After polling highlights how close the election remains, the Harris campaign hopes the rally will clarify voters’ choice between Harris and Trump as she puts aside “joy” and empowers the President Joe BidenConcerns about the risks Trump poses to democracy.

But it also provides a final opportunity to present a united Democratic front and jab Trump’s insecurities about the size of the crowd if the audience is larger than the “Stop the Steal” rally, which drew 53,000 people. House Select the Committee conducting the investigation January 6 attack on Parliament building.

Trump’s crowd included people on the National Mall, but the Harris campaign applied for a permit for the Ellipse with the city of Washington, D.C., for a crowd of only 7,500 people. For reference, 23,000 people attended his rally concert with the former President this week. Barack Obama And Bruce Springsteen in the suburbs of Atlanta. Estimated 30,000 people joined Her rally with Beyonce in Houston on Friday night marked her largest crowd yet.

Democrats, meanwhile, are receiving messages and emails encouraging them to RSVP to Harris’ D.C. event. “We’d love to see you there!” a text message read.

According to Democratic strategist Mike Nellis, Harris “sends a strong message” by “standing in a place that represents one of the lowest points in American history, where violence erupted during the transfer of power after Trump lost the election.”

“This is a powerful way to end the debate, especially for undecided voters,” Nellis said. Washington Comptroller. “Many people may agree with Trump on some issues, but they are extremely uncomfortable with what Trump did on January 6. We need to remind them of this. “We have to remind people who he is, what he represents, and how he will hurt people.”

Another Democratic strategist, Mike Lux, downplayed Harris’ rally as an opportunity to troll Trump, suggesting the Ellipse was “a serious place to raise issues about saving our democracy and stopping Trump’s fascism.”

Nellis agreed, arguing that people are worried about “the possibility of a return to the chaos that defined the Trump administration.”

But Republican strategists and pollsters disagree about how the Harris campaign spent the days before the election building a negative case against Trump rather than a positive one for Harris.

“The best thing Harris can do is spend the next 10 days telling voters what the first 100 days of his presidency will be like,” said Doug Heye, former Republican National Committee communications director. Washington Comptroller. “But they made a strategic decision not to do that, even though they said that was what independent voters wanted to hear. “This is very mysterious.”

How did Heye get quoted? Senate There are Democratic candidates in the races that will determine the parliamentary majority. Michigan, Montana, Ohio, PennsylvaniaAnd Wisconsin“We’re trying to talk about the issues that voters are talking about.”

“Social Security, prices, abortioneven borderhe said. “Harris? “Not that much.”

David Paleologos, director of the Center for Political Studies at Suffolk University, similarly thought Harris’s rally was poorly designed, but for a different reason.

“In an environment where millions of people vote every day, it is difficult to imagine that a single campaign event would mobilize significant numbers of undecided voters,” Paleologos said. Washington Comptroller.

Days before Harris’ rally, Trump will deliver his own closing speech on Sunday at Madison Square Garden, which can seat 20,000 people.

“President Trump will share his forward-looking closing message with patriots in a deep blue tone. New York CityBecause Americans of all backgrounds are joining his “big tent” coalition. Make America Great Again“ Republican National Committee spokeswoman Anna Kelly said: Washington Comptroller. “Harris will deliver his lighthearted closing message of fear and revenge by being divisive and looking backwards.”

Trolling Trump for crowd sizes has been Harris’ campaign strategy throughout the election, best illustrated by the single example of Harris and the former president. contention In addition to an ad that aired on the same day in September.

“I’m going to do something really unusual and invite you to one of Donald Trump’s rallies because it’s a really interesting thing to watch,” he said. “What you’ll also notice is that people start leaving rallies early out of fatigue and boredom.”

Harris’ joke prompted an immediate response from Trump, who claimed “people don’t go to her rallies” and allowed the vice president to pivot from a different stance. migration question.

“There’s no reason to go,” he said. “People don’t leave my rallies. We have the biggest rallies, the most incredible rallies in the history of politics. Because people want to take their country back.”

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Obama adopted a similar approach in his speech this summer. Democratic National Convention inside Chicagoimplying with hand gesture The size of the crowd wasn’t the only thing little Trump had to worry about.

“This is a 78-year-old billionaire who hasn’t stopped whining about his problems since he came down the golden escalator nine years ago,” he said. “Childish nicknames, crazy conspiracy theories and strange obsessions with crowds. “It goes on and on.”