With less than a week left in the 2024 US presidential election cycle, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are making their final pitches to voters across the country, particularly the battleground states.
The Democratic presidential nominee delivered her “closing argument” at the Ellipse in Washington DC last night, speaking on the very same spot from which Trump told his supporters to “fight like hell” on January 6 2021.
Harris urged Americans to finally “turn the page” on the “division, chaos and mutual distrust” of the Trump era, characterising her opponent as a cynical opportunist vulnerable to the influence of malign actors at home and abroad and offered herself as a positive alternative.
Unfortunately, her moment of triumph risks being overshadowed by Joe Biden, who has inadvertently whipped up a conservative media storm by seemingly calling Trump’s supporters “garbage” in response to Tony Hinchcliffe’s already-notorious Madison Square Garden joke about Puerto Rico.
“The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters – his – his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American,” the president told Latinos on a Zoom call on Tuesday.
“It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been.”
Key Points
- Kamala Harris urges Americans to ‘turn the page’ on ‘divisive’ Donald Trump as she delivers closing argument in DC
- Joe Biden accused of calling Trump’s supporters ‘garbage’ – but did he actually say it?
- Trump already spreading false claims about voter fraud in Pennsylvania
- Harris campaign says 75,000 people at Ellipse speech – 22,000 more than Trump’s Jan 6 crowd
- Who’s campaigning where on Wednesday?
Trump slams Biden for supposedly calling MAGA garbage – after he called entire US a ‘garbage can’
12:10
Joe Sommerlad
Here’s James Liddell to offer some timely perspective on the president’s gaffe on Tuesday, given that his would-be Republican successor twice referred to their country as a “garbage can” yesterday.
J Lo to give speech at Harris Vegas rally as Puerto Rico’s biggest newspaper endorses Democrat
11:50
Joe Sommerlad
In the latest fallout from the Tony Hinchcliffe crack, pop superstar and actress Jennifer Lopez has revealed she will speak at Kamala Harris’s event in Nevada tomorrow to urge her fellow Latinos to back the Democrat rather than a candidate whose surrogates consider Puerto Rico a “floating garbage island”.
The territory’s biggest newspaper, El Nuevo Dia, has meanwhile moved to back Harris in response to the Trump comic’s insult.
Puerto Rico’s national newspaper @ElNuevoDia just announced they are endorsing VP Kamala Harris as the conversation of recent offensive remarks made at a Trump rally by a comedian continue.
— Cristina Corujo (@cristina_corujo) October 29, 2024
VP Harris recently unveiled an agenda targeting the island’s economy and electric grid. pic.twitter.com/wQmPGsZUpz
And, for good measure, here’s Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro dismissing Trump’s attempts to walk away from Hinchcliffe in conversation with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.
“This is more BS from Donald Trump,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro says after Trump said he didn’t know the comedian who spoke at his rally — as Shapiro also responds to President Biden’s comments about Trump supporters. “It’s certainly not the words I would use," he says. pic.twitter.com/0vBawdGMOJ
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 30, 2024
Rhian Lubin has more.
Truth Social: Trump urges law enforcement to intervene in Pennsylvania ‘cheating’
11:35
Joe Sommerlad
Sigh. It’s going to be a long winter.
Here’s the Republican nominee’s latest early morning social media outpouring, offered with no context or evidence:
RFK Jr hits out over Supreme Court’s decision to leave him on ballot in Michigan and Wisconsin
11:30
Joe Sommerlad
The aspiring Trump health secretary (shudder) has accused SCOTUS of “undermining election integrity” by upholding a decision by the secretaries of state in the above swing states to leave him on their ballot papers, despite his decision to suspend his campaign, in accordance with state law.
Here he is insinuating a Democratic conspiracy while urging the public not to vote for him – a message he should have started out with, if you ask me.
The Supreme Court has unfortunately today sided with the Secretary of State of Michigan and Wisconsin, both Democrats, to undermine election integrity and leave my name on the ballot in both those states. It is a purely political move in the hope that folks who would have…
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) October 29, 2024
Who’s campaigning where on Wednesday?
11:10
Joe Sommerlad
With just six days to go (!), here’s where the main players will be today:
- Kamala Harris plans to make stops in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, including another “When We Vote, We Win” rally in Madison, where she will be joined by Gracie Abrams, Mumford and Sons, Remi Wolf and The National’s Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner for musical performances.
- Tim Walz, her vice presidential nominee, will also be campaigning in North Carolina, making two appearances in Charlotte and Asheville.
- Donald Trump will be in Rocky Mount in the same state and then Green Bay, Wisconsin, with retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre joining him for the latter event.
- JD Vance, his running mate, will be taking part in a town hall in Bedford, Pennsylvania, in the company of reformed Democrat Tulsi Gabbard.
‘I was there when Trump dispatched his mob to the Capitol. Tonight, I saw Harris offer a stark warning from the same spot’
10:50
Joe Sommerlad
Richard Hall experienced the events of January 6 first-hand and was back in DC last night to see the Democrat put the infamy of that day in its proper context and offer America a path to move on from Donald Trump and all of the shameless mendacity, greed and division he represents.
Harris campaign says 75,000 people at Ellipse speech – 22,000 more than Trump’s Jan 6 crowd at same spot
10:30
Joe Sommerlad
He won’t like this at all.
Josh Marcus has more on a crowd size claim that actually matters.
Trump tries to brush off racist Puerto Rico joke in latest Sean Hannity interview
10:10
Joe Sommerlad
The Republican nominee’s other big offering yesterday was an exclusive interview with Hannity on Fox News, apparently recorded in a dank dungeon either to set the mood for Halloween or to conceal Trump badly overdoing the bronzer earlier in the day, the candidate looking at his most beaming orange on stage in Pennsylvania.
Our man claimed to know nothing about the Hinchcliffe controversy (as he always does whenever a crony gets in trouble), said that people from Puerto Rico routinely hug and kiss him in the street and unwisely recalled his post-hurricane visit to the territory in October 2017 when he made light of the locals’ suffering by tossing packets of paper towels around like basketballs.
Trump: I don’t even know who put him in. I can’t imagine it’s a big deal pic.twitter.com/9zDwekiEup
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 30, 2024
Trump: "Every time I go outside I see somebody from Puerto Rico. They give me a hug and a kiss." pic.twitter.com/VUoCLq4wR9
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 30, 2024
Trump brags about throwing paper towels at Puerto Ricans who were devastated by a hurricane that killed thousands: “It was fun” pic.twitter.com/0h6ztcVvcC
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) October 30, 2024
He also pushed his alarmist school sex change conspiracy theory (again, not happening), claimed no one would notice Elon Musk gutting the federal government and scaremongered over urban crime.
Trump: "A young man leaves for school and goes to school and the authority takes him over without parental consent and they do things to him that you don't want to know about." pic.twitter.com/RMkpuDqwrQ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 30, 2024
Trump claims that "nobody is gonna feel it" when Elon Musk cuts $2 trillion from the federal budget, or almost 1/3 of it total pic.twitter.com/5GXkRL7vEK
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 30, 2024
Trump: When they go into department stores and strip the store and our police stand out there wanting to do their job but are told to stand down and they walk out with refrigerators. They walk out with air-conditioners. pic.twitter.com/ZK34HsvJxT
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 30, 2024
Here’s more from Oliver O’Connell.
Trump already spreading false claims about voter fraud in Pennsylvania
09:50
Joe Sommerlad
Donald Trump was also speaking last night, following up his flushed and exhausted appearance at a “low energy” press conference at Mar-a-Lago with outings in Drexel Hill and then Allentown in pivotal Pennsylvania.
The Republican’s set list has all gotten very familiar and repetitive by this point but he assured the crowd Democrats have “already started cheating” the vote and had them booing Beyonce within minutes.
He went on to take credit for undermining the public’s faith in the Fourth Estate, trashed trans rights, called America “a garbage can” (again), claimed migrants have taken over Times Square in NYC (they have not), lied about the persecution of Catholics and talked of locking people up for exercising their right to free speech.
Trump fans boo Beyonce as Trump lies about her pic.twitter.com/RTtvyK4WRG
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 30, 2024
Trump wonders how Democrats can win an election with "transgender everybody" pic.twitter.com/dxvtPjcHUA
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 30, 2024
Trump claims that migrants with military weapons have taken over Times Square.
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 30, 2024
Someone rouse the fact-checkers on that whopper. pic.twitter.com/Xui9YzAsgH
Trump says he wants to lock up people engaging in free speech pic.twitter.com/kbGIFS5cYg
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 30, 2024
There was also some pretty outrageous Puerto Rico-washing in the hope of clawing back some of the Latino votes Tony Hinchcliffe blew for him.
Trump: "I've done more for Puerto Rico than any president by far." pic.twitter.com/crkQMlp3if
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 30, 2024
Here’s Josh Marcus on Trump kicking off his pre-emptive fake Pennsylvania voter fraud narrative on Truth Social earlier this week.
Joe Biden accused of calling MAGA supporters ‘garbage’ – but did he actually say it?
09:20
Joe Sommerlad
Unfortunately, Harris’s triumphant moment looks like being overshadowed by the president, who has inadvertently whipped up a conservative media storm after seemingly calling Trump’s supporters “garbage” in response to Tony Hinchcliffe’s already-notorious Madison Square Garden joke about Puerto Rico.
Speaking on a Zoom call with Latino voters yesterday, Biden stumbled over a few words as he gave a response to the the comedian calling the US territory a “floating island of garbage”.
Per the White House transcript, he said: “And just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a ‘floating island of garbage.’ Well let me tell you something. I don’t – I – I don’t know the Puerto Rican that – they I know –or a Puerto Rico, where I’m fr- – in my home state of Delaware, they [are] good decent honorable people.
“The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters – his – his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American. It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been.”
The White House maintains Biden’s remarks have since been misconstrued and taken out of context, which, of course, did not stop him having to apologize on social media or the Trump campaign from pouncing, eager to change a narrative that has potentially cost it the support of America’s Latinos.
Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump's supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage—which is the only word I can think of to describe it. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That's all I meant to say. The…
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 30, 2024
While I am running a campaign of positive solutions to save America, Kamala Harris is running a campaign of hate. She has spent all week comparing her political opponents to the most evil mass murderers in history. Now, on top of everything, Joe Biden calls our supporters…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 30, 2024
Here’s more from Oliver O’Connell on a gaffe the Trump campaign is keen to portray as Biden’s “basket of deplorables” moment.
Kamala Harris urges Americans to ‘turn the page’ on ‘divisive’ Trump as she delivers closing argument in DC
09:00
Joe Sommerlad
Good morning!
Let’s start with a look back at the Democratic presidential nominee’s speech at the Ellipse in Washington DC last night, speaking on the very same spot from which Donald Trump told his supporters to “fight like hell” on January 6 2021, leading to the deadly assault on the US Capitol.
Harris urged Americans to finally “turn the page” on the “division, chaos and mutual distrust” of the Trump era, characterising her opponent as a cynical opportunist vulnerable to the influence of malign actors at home and abroad and offered herself as a sunny alternative.
“The United States of America is the greatest idea humanity ever devised,” she told her (huge) audience to rapturous applause, closing an address that went pretty much perfectly, at least from her campaign’s point of view.
"America that's who Donald Trump is. And that's who's asking you to give him another four years in the Oval Office" -- Harris points out that four years ago, Trump stood at that spot and incited an attack on democracy itself pic.twitter.com/gPGLI43jL4
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 29, 2024
Kamala Harris: "America, for too long we have been consumed with too much division, chaos, and mutual distrust. And it can be easy then to forget a simple truth: It doesn't have to be this way." pic.twitter.com/TN2WbrdhI0
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 29, 2024
Kamala Harris: "World leaders think that Donald Trump is an easy mark -- easy to manipulate with flattery or favor. And you can believe that autocrats like Putin and Kim Jong Un are rooting for him in this election." pic.twitter.com/UNkydG3DYR
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 30, 2024
"We are not a vessel for the schemes of wannabe dictators. The United States of America is the greatest idea humanity ever devised." -- That was a really strong speech from Kamala Harris. Here's how she brought it home. pic.twitter.com/NGdmpgoUdm
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 30, 2024
This was Trump’s notably rather short – and vague – rebuttal on Truth Social.
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) October 30, 2024
Andrew Feinberg has this report on the Vice President’s big moment.
Harris to launch ad on the iconic Las Vegas Sphere
08:00
Oliver O'Connell
Kamala Harris‘s presidential campaign will become the first to advertise on the largest screen in the world: the iconic Las Vegas Sphere.
The campaign announced the move on Tuesday ahead of Harris’s rally in Las Vegas on Thursday. The pop band Maná will join the vice president at the Halloween event as she makes her final push in the Silver State ahead of Election Day.
Katie Hawkinson has the details.
Trump’s social media company is now worth more than Musk’s X
06:30
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump‘s Truth Social is now worth more than Elon Musk‘s X, thanks to a recent run-up in the shares of the parent company of the former president’s social media platform.
Trump Media & Technology Group is now valued at over $10bn after its shares more than quadrupled since late September.
Continue reading...
Trump already spreading false claims about voter fraud in Pennsylvania
06:00
Oliver O'Connell
As Election Day nears, Donald Trump has shared false and exaggerated claims about the integrity of the vote in the key swing state of Pennsylvania.
In a Truth Social post on Monday evening, Trump claimed multiple counties in Pennsylvania were experiencing major potential fraud, outpacing the facts on the ground.
Josh Marcus reports.
Bloomberg shows his hand on election with $50m donation
05:30
Oliver O'Connell
Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has reportedly donated $50 million to back Kamala Harris under pressure from a fellow billionaire.
The news of Bloomberg’s financial support comes just one week before election day, with the polling between Harris and Donald Trump neck and neck.
Ariana Baio reports.
Elon Musk once offered RFK Jr’s running mate Nicole Shanahan his sperm, claims report
04:45
Oliver O'Connell
Elon Musk reportedly offered friends and associates the use of his sperm in conceiving children, including one such suggestion to Nicole Shanahan, the vice presidential pick for the independent Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., campaign.
Shanahan rejected the suggestion, according to The New York Times, which cited multiple unnamed sources regarding the exchange.
Josh Marcus has the story.
Trump claims he doesn’t know Tony Hinchcliffe and didn’t hear his Puerto Rico comments
04:00
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump denies knowing the comedian who made a stream of racist and sexist remarks at his rally on Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, ABC News reports.
Tony Hinchliffe, the comedian in question, was part of a roster of MAGA figures and celebrities who riled up the crowd before the former president spoke.
Read on...
Trump pounces as Biden accused of calling MAGA supporters ‘garbage’ — but did he?
03:40
Oliver O'Connell
The fallout from the racist joke told at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally continued on Tuesday evening when Joe Biden had to issue a denial that he called supporters of the former president “garbage”.
Following the remarks, which the White House maintains were misconstrued and taken out of context, the Trump campaign pounced, eager to change the narrative that has potentially cost them support from Latino voters.
Speaking on a Zoom call with Latinos, President Biden stumbled over a few words as he gave a response to the remarks made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe on Sunday when he referred to the US territory of Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage”.
Read on...
Watch: Gretchen Carlson weighs in on Harris speech
03:20
Oliver O'Connell
.@GretchenCarlson weighs in on @KamalaHarris closing argument:
— Ammar Moussa (@ammarmufasa) October 30, 2024
"This was the antithesis of division."
"She's extending an olive branch to undecided voters, saying 'I am that person that will make you feel comfortable.'"
"This entire speech was about bringing people together" pic.twitter.com/YyZPA2vonY
Harris to launch ad on the iconic Las Vegas Sphere
03:00
Oliver O'Connell
Kamala Harris‘s presidential campaign will become the first to advertise on the largest screen in the world: the iconic Las Vegas Sphere.
The campaign announced the move on Tuesday ahead of Harris’s rally in Las Vegas on Thursday. The pop band Maná will join the vice president at the Halloween event as she makes her final push in the Silver State ahead of Election Day.
Katie Hawkinson reports.
Watch: Harris meets first person in line to see her speak
02:40
Oliver O'Connell
we love you tracee! https://t.co/MV4G5QMX3M pic.twitter.com/PARywXm2BI
— ilana (@ilanawurman) October 30, 2024
Michael Bloomberg shows his hand on election with $50m donation - ‘after pressure from Bill Gates’
02:30
Oliver O'Connell
Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has reportedly donated $50 million to back Kamala Harris under pressure from a fellow billionaire.
The news of Bloomberg’s financial support comes just one week before election day, with the polling between Harris and Donald Trump neck and neck.
Ariana Baio has the full report:
I was there when Trump dispatched his mob to the Capitol. Tonight, I saw Harris speak at the same spot
02:09
Oliver O'Connell
Nearly four years ago Richard Hall watched as MAGA supporters stormed the Capitol and assaulted police officers. Tonight, at the very spot where Trump riled up the mob, Kamala Harris made her pitch to the US electorate, offering a stark contrast with the man she is running against
Here’s his report from Washington, DC.
Trump’s economic plans will lead to ‘hardship’ and cause markets to ‘tumble’ — Elon Musk seems to think so
02:00
Oliver O'Connell
The world’s wealthiest man appears to believe that a Donald Trump presidency must crash the economy in order to benefit Americans.
Elon Musk agreed on Tuesday that proposed drastic cuts to the federal government, coupled with Trump’s sweeping deportations, will likely cause global markets to “tumble.”
Last week, Musk said during a virtual town hall that Americans will experience a “temporary hardship” for “long-term prosperity.”
Alex Woodward reports.
Biden issues clarification of remarks about Puerto Rico slur at Trump rally
02:20
Oliver O'Connell
President Joe Biden has issued a clarification regarding his remarks about the racist comment made about Puerto Rico at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally.
Biden said: “Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage—which is the only word I can think of to describe it.”
He continued: “His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That’s all I meant to say. The comments at that rally don’t reflect who we are as a nation.”
Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump's supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage—which is the only word I can think of to describe it. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That's all I meant to say. The…
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 30, 2024
Harris campaign says 75,000 people at Ellipse speech... 22,000 more than Trump’s Jan 6 crowd
01:20
Oliver O'Connell
Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign claimed she drew a crowd of more than 75,000 people in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to hear her speech at the Ellipse, the site of Donald Trump’s infamous 2021 speech exhorting supporters to “fight like hell” in the moments just before the January 6 Capitol riot.
If its own early estimate is to be believed, the Harris event drew about 22,000 more people than the Trump speech, whose crowd was estimated by the House committee investigating the Capitol riot to be about 53,000 people.
Josh Marcus has the details.
Watch: Michelle Obama stops speech to call for help for audience member
01:18
Oliver O'Connell
Biden denounces attacks on Puerto Rico
01:00
Oliver O'Connell
President Joe Biden tonight participated in a Zoom call with Latinos and denounced attacks on Puerto Rico at Donald Trump’s rally on Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
In somewhat rambling remarks, Biden said the “only garbage” he saw was intolerance of Trump supporters who believed what was said on stage when a comedian called the US territory a “floating island of garbage”.
President Biden tonight, on Zoom with Latinos, denounced attacks on Puerto Rico
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) October 30, 2024
In somewhat rambling remarks, Biden said the “only garbage” he saw was intolerance of Trump supporters who believed that
A WH spox said POTUS was talking about hatred of comedian who made the joke
The White House claims that this is their transcript of Biden’s comments: “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporter’s -- his -- his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American.”
White House spokesman Andrew Bates: “The President referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as ‘garbage.’”
White House spokesman Andrew Bates: "The President referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as ‘garbage.'"
— MJ Lee (@mj_lee) October 30, 2024
Trump already spreading false claims about voter fraud in Pennsylvania
01:00
Oliver O'Connell
As Election Day nears, Donald Trump has shared false and exaggerated claims about the integrity of the vote in the key swing state of Pennsylvania.
In a Truth Social post on Monday evening, Trump claimed multiple counties in Pennsylvania were experiencing major potential fraud, outpacing the facts on the ground.
Josh Marcus reports.
Watch: Trump again complains Michelle Obama was ‘very nasty to me'
00:52
Oliver O'Connell
Trump: Michelle Obama was very nasty to me. She was nasty. I’ve gone out of my way to be nice to Michelle. Never sad a bad thing about her… She hit me.. The fake news doesn’t care about that but if I hit her, they’ll say oh what a horrible thing.. She shouldn’t have done that.… pic.twitter.com/4mJkM9EpGz
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 30, 2024
Trump has a long history of being blatantly offensive. Was a joke at his MSG rally finally too far?
00:45
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump’s Sunday rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City was meant to be a show of strength for the former president ahead of election week.
But the event became a disaster before Trump took to the stage. Early-in-the-night comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke: “There’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico,” set off a cascade of negative reactions that rapidly spun out of control.
Alex Woodward examines how, despite Trump’s long history of blatantly offensive remarks, this joke might have been one step too far: