WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris is set to assure Americans that her efforts will be focused on enhancing their lives, contrasting with Republican Donald Trump’s self-serving intentions as she presents her campaign’s final pitch on Tuesday from a notable location: the Ellipse near the White House, where Trump incited the Capitol riots in January 2021.
With just a week remaining until Election Day, Harris’ speech will aim to prompt Americans to consider the differing futures they may face, depending on whether she or Trump occupies the Oval Office within the next three months.
Her attempt at drawing a stark divide is intentional, as she speaks from the site where Trump, on January 6, falsely claimed the 2020 presidential election was stolen and incited a mob to storm the Capitol in a bid to overturn the certification of Joe Biden’s victory and his own defeat.
With the clock ticking and the race closely contested, both Harris and Trump are seeking pivotal moments to sway voter sentiment. Following her address in the capital, Harris will quickly shift her focus back to intensive campaigning, attending rallies and events across key battleground states.
Aides indicated that Tuesday’s message is designed to transcend the symbolic significance of the venue, driving home a broader message urging voters to reject Trump in favor of her vision.
“There’s a significant difference between him and me,” Harris explained to reporters ahead of her speech. “If he wins, he’ll be consumed with his own vendettas from day one. In contrast, when I’m elected — and I fully believe I will be — my focus will be on serving the American people and addressing crucial issues.”
Campaign advisors emphasized that her address won’t turn into a discourse on democracy, which has been central to President Biden’s efforts to delineate the divide with Trump.
Instead, her team hopes the choice of location will resonate with undecided voters in critical states who are still contemplating their votes or their participation in the elections altogether.
This speech follows Harris’ recent trip to Texas, a traditionally Republican stronghold, where she stood alongside megastar Beyoncé to highlight the implications for women following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. This too was aimed at engaging voters in battleground states.
Harris’ upcoming address has been in development for several weeks. Advisors believe its impact may be heightened following Trump’s rally in New York the previous Sunday, during which attendees made hurtful and racially charged comments. Harris remarked that event “emphasized the point I’ve been making throughout this campaign.”
“He continues to be fixated on his own grievances and actively seeks to drive divisions in our country,” she expressed.
Harris is expected to unveil a realistic and optimistic agenda focusing on economic reforms, as well as reaffirm her commitment to ensuring access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion.
A key element of her narrative also includes presenting herself as a representative of a “new generation” of leaders in contrast to Trump and even her current boss, Biden.
Regarding Trump, she commented, “People are genuinely eager to turn the page. They are fatigued.”
Harris’ campaign strategists believe that spotlighting Trump’s character and her differences with him will resonate strongly with voters, particularly in battleground states. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a fellow Democrat, stressed the importance of highlighting the ramifications of voters’ choices this fall, advocating for Harris to emphasize the stakes and distinctions present in the election.
He believes that she provides a stronger case regarding economic initiatives, reproductive rights, and the broader themes of order versus chaos, asserting that her vision promises greater equity and optimism for the future.
In response to Harris’ planned speech, Trump was expected to hold a press briefing at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Tuesday morning aimed at countering her narrative before it takes the stage.
