WASHINGTON DC, USA — Vice President Kamala Harris capped her 2024 presidential campaign with a symbolic final rally Tuesday, October 29, 2024, night, addressing a crowd of an estimated 70,000 from a spot steeped in recent history and political significance.
Standing in the same location where Donald Trump delivered his January 6, 2021, speech to supporters before the Capitol riot, Harris contrasted her vision for America with the former president’s legacy.
“We know who Donald Trump is,” she declared early in her speech.
“He is the person who stood at this very spot nearly four years ago and sent an armed mob to the United States Capitol to overturn the will of the people in a free and fair election.”
While Harris referenced the Capitol attack only briefly, the setting underscored her message as she pivoted to her campaign’s focus on unity, stability, and progress.
Her speech highlighted key policies: lowering housing costs, expanding the child tax credit, and strengthening healthcare coverage for the elderly.
She also placed a significant emphasis on protecting abortion rights, an issue Democrats have leaned on as a potent contrast to Republican stances.
“We are a nation that respects and trusts women to make their own decisions,” she said, reiterating her support for federal legislation ensuring abortion rights.
For Harris, this rally was not just a policy platform; it was also a personal appeal.
“I’m here not just as your candidate but as someone who shares your concerns, your hopes, and your vision for a stronger, united America,” she said, recounting highlights of her life and career to reintroduce herself to undecided voters who may still be weighing their options.
Harris’s path to this moment has been complex, with early Democratic enthusiasm giving way to a tighter, more contested race against Trump.
Though her August Democratic National Convention speech brought new energy to the campaign, recent polls show a close race in key battleground states.
Her words on Tuesday were aimed at drawing a sharp contrast between her approach and what she described as Trump’s “unstable” leadership style.
“I pledge to seek common ground and common-sense solutions to make your lives better,” Harris said. “I am not looking to score political points. I am looking to make progress.”
However, the evening was not without challenges. President Joe Biden’s recent comment, which appeared to refer to Trump supporters as “garbage” after a comedian’s divisive joke at a rally, created a distraction from Harris’s message of unity.
Biden later clarified that he was referencing the comment itself, but the incident, widely shared online, underscored the difficulties Harris may face in overcoming voter division on issues like the economy and immigration, where Trump holds an advantage in some polls.
Despite the challenges, Harris framed the election as a choice between division and unity, past grievances and future solutions.
“This election,” she stated, “is about whether we continue to live in the shadows of division or step forward together into the light of progress.”
With only days remaining until election day, Harris’s final message to voters centred on optimism and unity — themes that have shaped her campaign.
