With fewer than three weeks until Election Day, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump pulled out all the stops on October 19, Saturday, in their effort to sway voters in pivotal battleground states. Both campaigns brought star power to the fore, with Harris rallying support through pop icons Lizzo and Usher, while Trump countered with a marathon rally in Pennsylvania, where billionaire Elon Musk campaigned on his behalf. As the race tightens and early voting begins, both candidates are eager to shore up support in states that could decide the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.
Kamala Harris’s rallies in Detroit, Michigan, and Atlanta, Georgia, featured prominent figures from the music industry, showcasing the Democratic candidate’s strong appeal among younger, more diverse voters. In Detroit, Lizzo energized the crowd with a speech that went beyond party lines, emphasizing the importance of having a president who listens to the people.
“Whether you’re a Democrat or Republican or neither, you deserve a president who listens when you speak,” Lizzo said, addressing the crowd while wearing a white pantsuit, a nod to the suffragette movement. She called for respect for protests and the people’s voice, framing Harris as the leader who embodies these values. To roaring applause, she added a reference to her hit song, declaring, “It’s about damn time!”-a call for America to finally have its first woman president.
Later, in Atlanta, another pop superstar, Usher, rallied support for Harris, reminding voters of the high stakes in Georgia, a state that has become crucial in determining the outcome of national elections. “I’m counting on you to get Harris’s campaign across the finish line in Georgia,” Usher told the crowd, urging them to turn out in large numbers during early voting.
At both rallies, Harris took the opportunity to criticize her opponent, Donald Trump, framing him as out of touch and exhausted. In Detroit, she argued that Trump’s platform is “self-consuming,” focusing on personal grievances rather than real solutions for the American people. “We stand for the idea that the true measure of the strength of a leader is not based on who you beat down, it’s on who you lift up,” Harris said, emphasizing her message of support for the working and middle classes.
In Atlanta, Harris ramped up her attacks on Trump, pointing out that he had canceled interviews and ducked debates because of “exhaustion.” She also highlighted his tendency to “go off script and ramble” during rallies, mocking his inability to finish a coherent thought. Harris, sharp in her delivery, dubbed his speeches “nonsense,” pointing out the disjointed nature of his public addresses. It was a clear effort to frame Trump as physically and mentally unfit for the presidency, a theme the Harris campaign has been increasingly highlighting as Election Day approaches.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s response to Harris’s criticisms came in the form of a lengthy rally in Pennsylvania, a state he views as critical to his electoral victory. Trump’s rally, held in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, at an airport named after the legendary golfer Arnold Palmer, was classic Trump-filled with meandering speeches, attacks on Harris, and fiery appeals to his base.
Trump’s performance was as much about proving his stamina as it was about reinforcing his campaign message. At 78 years old, Trump sought to combat accusations of fatigue by delivering a 90-minute speech, showcasing his ability to keep the energy high as he makes his case to voters. He began his speech with a lengthy monologue about Palmer, but quickly pivoted to more familiar territory-attacking migrants, denigrating Harris, and repeating false claims about the 2020 election.
Despite Harris’s jabs about his inability to stay on topic, Trump’s audience remained enthusiastic, cheering him on as he spoke about issues such as border security and economic growth. He also made a significant play for working-class voters by bringing steel workers on stage, emphasizing his appeal to blue-collar voters who have been a key part of his electoral base. Trump attempted to link his personal success to their struggles, recalling his expensive education at the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania but contrasting that with his admiration for the hard work of the steelworkers beside him.
“If we win Pennsylvania, we win the whole damn thing,” Trump declared, underscoring the importance of the state’s 19 electoral votes in his path to victory. Trump’s campaign has been heavily focused on Pennsylvania, a state he narrowly lost to Joe Biden in 2020 but is determined to reclaim in 2024.
Adding to the spectacle of Trump’s Pennsylvania push was billionaire Elon Musk, who has become one of Trump’s most visible supporters in this election cycle. Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and the owner of X (formerly Twitter), has donated nearly $75 million to Trump’s America PAC, cementing his role as a key figure in the Republican’s reelection bid.
Musk, who endorsed Trump earlier in the summer, has positioned himself as a vocal critic of the Biden administration, often criticizing its policies on social media. In Pennsylvania, Musk added a new element to his involvement by announcing that his organization would be randomly distributing $1 million each day until Election Day to a registered voter in the state who signs a petition supporting Trump. This unusual campaign tactic is likely to further solidify Musk’s status as a divisive yet powerful figure in American politics.
As both campaigns move into the final stretch, polls suggest the race is effectively tied. Harris and Trump are pouring resources into battleground states like Michigan, Georgia, and Pennsylvania, where early voting is already underway. Both candidates recognize that the next three weeks will determine the trajectory of the country for the next four years.
Harris’s focus on the middle class, equity, and democracy contrasts sharply with Trump’s appeals to populism, economic nationalism, and nostalgia for his previous term. Both candidates are tapping into different visions for America, and the razor-thin margins in key states indicate that the final outcome is far from certain.
What is clear, however, is that the stakes are higher than ever. With star power, big promises, and relentless campaigning, Harris and Trump are battling on every front in an election that could reshape the future of the nation.
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