“It is time to turn the page on drama and conflicts”

The vice-president chose a very symbolic location for her message: Washington’s Ellipse Park, located behind the White House and next to the National Mall. the same point where Trump addressed the crowd of his supporters in 2021 who minutes later stormed the Capitol to stop the transition of power.

He also chose a key date, since he is missing exactly a week before the elections and polls suggest the race could be the closest in the last century: according to the average of polls released through Monday, Harris is less than two points ahead of Trump, so nothing is guaranteed for November 5 .

“I am committed to being a president for all Americans, to always put the country above the party and above me,” she said, cheered by a crowd that stretched to the foot of the obelisk dedicated to George Washington.

In the final stretch of the election, Harris took a break from her tour of key states that will decide the election and appeared in the capital to show off a presidential image for the entire country and prime time.

“It’s time to turn the page on drama and conflict, fear and division. It’s time for a new generation of leaders in America. “I’m ready to provide that leadership,” she said.

The goal of the event was to highlight a complete contrast between Harris and her rival, who on January 6, 2021, encouraged her supporters, from that same location, to march to the Capitol as Congress certified victory of Joe Biden, results that the Republican still does not accept.

Trump, who called those convicted of the attack “heroes,” is charged in federal court in the District of Columbia for allegedly incited the attackduring which five people died.

The vice president described her rival as “unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed by grievances and seeking unchecked power.” He also attacked Trump for recently saying he was prepared to use the military to fight America’s “enemy within,” in an alleged reference to his political rivals.

While the Republican wants to return to the White House with an “enemies list,” Harris said she intends to become president with an “enemies list.” “to do list” to improve the lives of Americans.

Biden’s absence

Harris was surrounded by her husband, Doug Emhoff, but noted the absence of Bidenwith a very discreet profile since he gave up his re-election in July and passed the baton to him. “It’s his (Harris’s) night,” the president told the press to justify his absence.

Another big absence concerns the references in the speech to War in Gazaa conflict that could affect their aspirations, particularly in the key state of Michigan, where a large Arab population resides.

Hundreds of people tried to remind him with a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the event security cordon which failed to interrupt Harris’ message.

Inside the rally, thousands of people waved American flags or wore pro-Harris T-shirts, like Melissa, a white woman who waited six hours to hear him. “With Kamala Harris, we will no longer have a January 6 (assault on the Capitol),” he told Efe is a resident of the American capital who believes that “Trump should not even address the White House anymore.”

Controversy on the Republican side

Harris’ big speech also coincides with controversy sparked at Trump’s massive rally on Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, where a comedian called Puerto Rico, a “floating trash island”.

Far from apologizing, Trump defended this Tuesday that his event was in reality “a celebration of love”, while acknowledging that “bad things” had been said.

It’s no coincidence that Harris’ rally music selection included music by singer of Puerto Rican origin Jennifer López and the event host exclaimed, “We love Puerto Rico!”

In the audience, Carol, who emigrated from Nigeria nearly four decades ago, danced euphorically in Democratic blue lipstick in support of Harris.

The United States has always been a “melting pot” of people of diverse backgrounds, he said, clearly referring to Trump’s xenophobic rhetoric. “Where is the United States that I knew when I arrived and that I love so much?” she asked herself during an interview with Efe. “Here we are!” replied other supporters.