U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris herself stated that she is "not the candidate to win" the presidential elections and described her Republican opponent Donald Trump as "completely strange," while Trump labeled Harris as a "crazy liberal" as both contenders began a series of events in their campaign. This back-and-forth comes after a tumultuous week that saw Harris rise to the top of the Democratic ticket after President Joe Biden (81) abandoned his pursuit of a second term under increasing pressure from fellow Democrats.
A series of opinion polls indicate that Harris' entry into the race erased the lead Trump had over Biden within days. During a speech at a fundraising event featuring singer-songwriter James Taylor in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Harris noted that much of what Trump and U.S. Senator J.D. Vance—his running mate—say is "completely strange." Her use of the word "strange" to describe her opponents is part of a new strategy from the Democrats.
Harris's campaign has described Trump as "old and extremely weird" following his appearance on Fox News on Thursday, and at least one supporter during yesterday’s event carried a sign reading "Trump is abnormal." As she has done at a series of campaign events in recent days, Harris again compared her record as a prosecutor to Trump’s as a convicted criminal, asserting that her pursuit is about the future while Trump wants to return the country to a "dark past."
Hours later, Trump unleashed a barrage of attacks at a large rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, on issues ranging from public safety to immigration. He stated, "If a crazy liberal like Kamala Harris gets into power, the American dream will die," adding that Harris is "worse" than Biden. He described Biden’s decision to abandon his presidential pursuit as a "coup" orchestrated by the Democratic Party.
The event attended by the former president took place at a hockey rink with nearly eight thousand seats, complying with U.S. Secret Service recommendations to avoid large outdoor events following an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania two weeks prior. Trump confirmed on his platform Truth Social that he would continue holding outdoor events, and the Secret Service "agreed to significantly increase" its operations for his protection.
Minnesota has not chosen a Republican presidential candidate in 52 years, but Trump’s campaign increasingly believes they can win the state’s votes after declining support for Biden following his disastrous debate performance on June 27. However, Harris's emergence instead of Biden has reinvigorated a Democratic campaign that had been severely stalled amid doubts about Biden's chances against the 78-year-old Trump or his ability to continue in office if he were to win.
Harris, the first Black woman and first Asian American to serve as Vice President, raised over $100 million within 36 hours after Biden decided not to run. Her campaign reported that last Saturday’s fundraising event raised over $1.4 million from about 800 participants. The U.S. presidential election is set to take place on November 5.
