AS Election Day approaches, both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are delivering their closing messages to voters, holding events across key battleground states.
Trump’s Dark Rhetoric:
Over the weekend, Trump’s messaging took an ominous turn as he deployed violent and inflammatory language against his opponent and the Democratic Party.
He amplified baseless claims of election interference, alleging Democrats are “fighting hard to steal” the election and suggesting that voting machines would be tampered with. Reflecting on the 2020 election, he insisted he “shouldn’t have left” the White House, further refusing to concede his prior defeat.
Trump even joked about a gunman “shooting through the fake news” to reach him.
Trump’s Battleground Tour:
Trump launched a three-state tour on Sunday, rallying in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia as he works to energize his base in these competitive states.
Trump Questions Iowa Poll:
Trump strongly criticized a final Iowa poll by the Des Moines Register and Mediacom, which shows him trailing Harris by 3 points among likely voters. Despite his past victories in Iowa, the poll found no clear frontrunner, causing concern in Trump’s campaign circles.
Equal Time on Airwaves:
In response to Harris’s recent appearance on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, Trump appeared in a 60-second video urging voters to turn out, broadcast during NASCAR’s post-race coverage on many NBC stations. The “equal time” rule required NBC to offer similar airtime following Harris’s cameo.
Harris’s Closing Arguments:
Vice President Harris made her final pitch in Michigan, meeting with patrons at a Black-owned barbershop and a local chicken and waffle restaurant. She avoided direct mention of Trump, instead emphasizing that “America is ready for a fresh start.”
Appealing to Arab and Muslim Voters:
In Michigan, where there’s a significant Arab American population, Harris pledged to do “everything in (her) power” to end the Gaza conflict if elected.
Her campaign has faced interruptions from demonstrators opposing U.S. support for Israel. Trump, meanwhile, is also courting Arab and Muslim voters, asserting that Harris will struggle to connect with them in Michigan due to former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney campaigning with her.