On Tuesday, October 29th, Vice President Harris delivered her closing argument speech at the Ellipse in the White House. She emphasized being a more stable and trustworthy presidential candidate than former President Trump, while also promising to seek common ground in the face of challenges.
Thousands of people attended this symbolic gathering, with a direct view of the White House, the same location where Trump addressed the crowd before the Capitol building was breached on January 6, 2021.
Harris painted an optimistic and forward-looking vision, implying that her presidency would “turn a new page in history” and provide a hopeful future for undecided voters, while also advocating for strengthening the economy and protecting abortion rights. She emphasized reconciliation, attempting to differentiate herself from Washington elites and vowing to approach the job with optimism.
“We must stop blaming each other and start working hand in hand. It’s time to turn the page on drama, conflict, fear, and division. It’s time to build a new generation of leadership in America,” Harris said. “I am ready to provide this leadership as the next President of the United States.”
Harris also pledged to present a different vision from President Biden’s.
“My presidency will be different because we face different challenges. Four years ago, our country’s top priority was ending a pandemic and saving the economy. Now, our biggest challenge is lowering costs, which were rising even before the pandemic and remain too high,” added Harris.
Two days prior, Trump also delivered his closing argument speech to voters at a rally in Madison Square Garden in New York. He urged Americans to “dream big again,” and labeled Harris as “unfit” for public office.
Harris’ speech on Tuesday was her final appeal to undecided voters in the last few days of the 2024 presidential election.
After Biden withdrew from the race on July 21st, Harris replaced him as the Democratic Party’s nominee. Since then, she has engaged in over three months of intense campaigning.
Following the Democratic National Convention in August, Harris held a significant lead in the polls, but that momentum slowed down in October, with Trump currently slightly ahead in several swing states.
In battleground state polls, both candidates are tied in Wisconsin, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. Harris leads by 1 percentage point in Michigan, while Trump leads by about 1 percentage point in North Carolina, Georgia, and Arizona.
During her speech on Tuesday, Harris criticized Trump as being “resentful and craving unrestricted power.”
“For too long, America has been plagued by divisions, chaos, and distrust, making it easy to forget a simple fact – things don’t have to be this way,” Harris stated.
This week, Trump delivered his closing argument speech at a rally in Madison Square Garden, portraying America as an “occupied country” and promising to implement a large-scale deportation plan on his first day in office to reverse the “immigration invasion,” pledging to build the world’s greatest economy. Trump also deemed Harris as “unfit” for the presidency. His closing argument speech summed up as: “Harris broke it, President Trump will fix it.”
In her closing remarks, Harris expressed hope for unity, calling America a shining example of human achievement.
“The United States is the greatest conception in the history of mankind: a country vast enough to encompass all our dreams, strong enough to withstand any division or fracture among Americans, and fearless enough to imagine a future full of possibilities,” Harris said.
“Let us move forward into the future. Let us fight for this beautiful country we love. In seven days, each of us has the ability to turn a new page and begin writing a new chapter for one of the most extraordinary stories in history,” she continued.
Harris’ supporters told the Epoch Times that they gathered in the capital for various reasons such as the historical significance of the election, workers’ rights, the young generation, and women’s rights, hoping to see Harris in the White House.
Meredith Shea, a freshman at George Washington University, said if Harris loses, “I will mourn on behalf of all women.”
From Portland, Oregon, Shea stated that abortion rights were the primary reason influencing her voting intention.
Robin Rogers said, “We are about to have the first African American female president. This is monumental in every sense and form.”
Rogers, a 54-year-old involved in Black Business Promotion, traveled from North Carolina to sell T-shirts outside the venue.
“We all should support her, not because she is African American, but because this could be historically significant,” she added.
Maia Coleman-King, 51, said, “It gives us an opportunity to be seen, heard, and represented. America has never had a woman president, never had a woman of color, an African American woman in the White House as Commander-in-Chief.”
“As an African American woman and a Howard University alum, I am immensely thrilled. I am proud of my fellow citizens, and I hope to do everything in my power to ensure our democracy continues,” she emphasized.
Brady Eagan, a freshman at George Washington University, noted that now is the time for the next generation to step up.
Eagan said he believes that if Trump returns to power, it would pose a threat to the entire democracy.
“I think it should be up to young voters to prove that we are here, we are ready for change, and that’s what we are here to do,” he stated.
A CNN poll in September showed that 41% of potential voters consider the economy the most important issue influencing their vote, followed by 21% for “protecting democracy,” and 12% for immigration issues.
Among Harris’ supporters, 37% ranked “protecting democracy” as the top issue, while Trump’s supporters were more concerned with the economy (61%) and immigration (21%).
In the final stages before Election Day, Harris will visit North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Nevada.
Trump held a campaign rally in Georgia earlier this week and plans to hold more campaign events in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Nevada.