On Friday, October 18th, with only 17 days left until the US presidential election, Vice President Harris and former President Trump both campaigned in the crucial battleground state of Michigan, vying for voter support.
Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are three key “blue wall” states that will determine the outcome of the presidential election.
Harris began her day in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and then proceeded to Lansing and Oakland County Detroit, holding a total of three campaign events.
Trump, after several media interviews, headed to Oakland County to attend a roundtable meeting and later held an evening campaign rally in Detroit.
Trump promised that if elected president, he would build more manufacturing and automotive companies in Michigan.
During his visit to Hamtramck City, which has a population of nearly 30,000, Trump emphasized his tariff proposal to prevent companies from shifting factories overseas.
The current mayor of Hamtramck, Democrat Amer Ghalib, expressed his support for Trump during the visit, presenting him with a thank-you letter.
Ghalib stated, “His visit today is a demonstration of respect and gratitude to our community.”
At the campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Harris delivered a speech for about half an hour, discussing her “Opportunity Economy” plan and portraying her opponent as a politically and personally dangerous individual.
Harris talked about her proposal to allow health insurance to cover in-home care for seniors, reflecting on her experience caring for her elderly mother. She also mentioned that if a federal bill supporting abortion rights reached her desk, she would sign it.
Harris emphasized that she had witnessed a “comprehensive attack” on American freedoms and stressed that “this election is crucial.”
Before and after Harris’ rally in Grand Rapids, there were demonstrations protesting US military aid to Israel outside the park entrance, with protesters chanting “Free Palestine” to motorists entering and exiting the parking area.
In the morning, Trump spent 40 minutes on the set of “Fox & Friends” before joining Dan Bongino’s video podcast, “The Dan Bongino Show,” and recording an interview with wrestling legend “The Undertaker,” Mark Calaway, for the “Six Feet Under” podcast.
During the “Fox & Friends” interview, Trump responded to a child’s video question about his favorite farm animal, saying, “I like cows.”
Trump reiterated his view that the Democratic Party’s green energy plan would restrict beef production.
Trump and other Republicans have strongly criticized the Democratic proposal, known as the “Green New Deal” introduced in 2019, which aims to eliminate most greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, arguing that these gases contribute to global warming.
Trump also attended an editorial meeting with Fox News and The New York Post, then embarked on a multi-stop itinerary in Michigan.
He participated in a roundtable meeting hosted by the organization “Building America’s Future” in Oakland County, where Republican Mike Rogers was also in attendance. Rogers is currently running against US Representative Elissa Slotkin for Michigan’s senate seat.
On Friday, Harris stated that emphasizing the policy differences between her and President Biden during the campaign “is not constructive.”
During an event in Philadelphia this week, Biden mentioned that if Harris were elected president, she would “chart her own course” and “lead the country in her direction,” just as she did after serving as vice president.
In an interview with NBC, when asked about Biden’s comments and what different decisions she would make, Harris stated, “Vice presidents don’t criticize their presidents. I think it does not promote an important, constructive relationship whether traditionally or in future development.”
When pressed further, Harris added, “Looking ahead, undoubtedly, I will bring my own experiences and life experiences.”
Harris cited proposals such as expanding health insurance coverage to include family medical services and providing a maximum $25,000 down payment grant to first-time homebuyers as examples of her plans.
(This article references reports from the Associated Press and USA Today)