Two closing arguments show clear choice between Trump and Harris

NEW YORK — In the shadow of the White House, seven days before the final votes of the 2024 elections are cast. Kamala Harris He vowed to put country before party and warned that Donald Trump was obsessed with revenge and his own personal interests.

Less than 48 hours before entering Madison Square GardenTrump called his Democratic rival “a train wreck that destroys everything in its path.” Her allies on stage called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage” and said Harris, who would be the first woman to become president, started her career as a prostitute.

The dueling closing arguments, held two nights and 200 miles apart, neatly outlined the choice U.S. voters will face on November 5 when they weigh two very different visions of leadership and America’s future.

Trump’s raucous rally, filled with vulgar and racist slurs, highlighted the ugly elements of his coalition. But other parts underlined the former businessman’s appeal as someone vowing to fix the economy and borders and as a political outsider willing to challenge any conventions despite the risks.

Harris, vice president for the past four years, chose a more formal setting — the grassy Ellipse near the White House — to underscore the gravity of this moment in American history and the threat Trump poses to democracy. Trump faced a huge audience on Jan. 6, 2021, where he addressed thousands of his loyalists before storming the U.S. Capitol on one of the darkest days in modern history.

But beyond reminding voters of the danger Trump poses to U.S. democracy, Harris’ remarks were designed to highlight her opponent’s record of prioritizing her personal interests over those of the country.

“Donald Trump spent a decade trying to keep the American people divided and afraid of each other. That’s it. But America, I’m here tonight to say: That’s not who we are,” Harris said. “I promise to be a president for all Americans, always putting country above party and self.”

Senior counsel Jen O’Malley Dillon noted that Harris’ closing argument was designed to reach a narrow segment of undecided voters; Among them are many moderate Republicans.

“We know there are a lot of voters out there still trying to decide who to support or whether to vote,” O’Malley Dillon said. “And this race is extremely close. We talk about it as a margin of error race. We know it will be closed in this final week.”

Trump’s team is focusing more on mobilizing his partisan base and reaching sparse voters across the political spectrum who are disappointed with the direction of the country and looking for change.

Still, Trump has framed his comments in recent days with a simple question that cuts across political lines, asking voters whether they are better off now than they were at the end of his first term four years ago. While the country was still in the throes of the pandemic when Trump left office, polls show that most voters are dissatisfied with the direction of the country today.

Trump has vowed to carry out the largest deportation operation in US history and impose broad tariffs to raise revenue and boost American manufacturing.

Defying criticism from even some Republicans, Trump on Tuesday called the Madison Square Garden event “a love fest” and did not address comments by pro-Trump comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” Hinchcliffe also made derogatory jokes about Black people, other Latinos, Palestinians and Jews in his routine before Trump took the stage.

Trump, family members, top lawmakers and billionaire Elon Musk, TV psychologist Dr. Phil” McGraw and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. “It was truly love for our country.”

On Tuesday, the Republican former president also offered a dark assessment of Harris’ leadership. He said it had “destroyed” the country’s borders, “destroyed the middle class”, brought “blood and misery” to major cities, and “unleashed war and chaos across the world”.

“Anyone who has caused so much destruction and death at home and abroad should never be allowed to be president of the United States,” Trump told dozens of supporters gathered at his Florida mansion.

Trump senior adviser Jason Miller said Trump has made clear his plans to fix the economy, secure the southern border and “improve people’s daily lives.”

“Kamala Harris did none of this,” he said. “This is a message of despair, personal attacks, and nothing from Harris or her campaign about what they would actually do to help Americans. So this is a huge contrast.”

Harris has largely abandoned the “joyful” campaign style that defined her entry into the presidential contest this summer. He pledged unity on Tuesday night but also portrayed Trump as driven by vengeance and grievance rather than loyalty to the people.

“This is someone who is unstable, obsessed with revenge, caught up in grievance, and has unchecked power,” Harris said. “This is not a presidential candidate thinking about how to make his life better.”

He has spoken directly to Republican voters at times, promising to listen to those who did not vote for him if elected. Harris has previously said she would include a Republican in her cabinet.

“Unlike Donald Trump, I don’t believe people who disagree with me are the enemy. He wants to put them in jail. I’ll give them a place at the table.”

As he headed into the speech, the Democrat’s campaign was aware of criticism from his party’s far-left base that he was too focused on courting moderate Republican voters. They urged Harris to focus on working-class priorities rather than the threat Trump poses to US democracy.

After all, the vice president’s speech was designed to tie both topics together. He warned that Trump was threatening democratic norms and promised to take action against high grocery prices and help first-time homebuyers with their down payments.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a leading Harris ally, said voters “can march and chew gum at the same time, meaning they can hear an argument about freedom and something that affects their wallets.” “And I certainly think he’s capable of handling both cases at the same time.”

Sisters Michelle Detwiler and Renee Newell traveled from Virginia to attend Harris’ speech at the Ellipse.

“We both have daughters and we’re both here for them,” Newell said. Detwiler said the event’s location was “a great contrast to the January 6 images.” DC is a great city for peaceful public gatherings.

“We are very happy to be here and experience this happiness,” he said.

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Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Fatima Hussein in Washington and Jill Colvin in New York contributed.