Last night, Kamala Harris made her “closing argument” speech in Washington, DC. She spoke at the Ellipse, with the White House framed in the distance behind her. The staging was incredible, because on January 6, 2021, Donald Trump used this same location to address his cult and incite the insurrection, a violent attempted coup of the federal government. Kamala Harris has spent the past four months reclaiming America for Americans, and this was reclaiming the shining city on the hill. Kamala Harris’s speech was not only presidential, it felt inaugural – this was her list of policy priorities and her evocation of hope in America and Americans.
A really well-done speech. I got goosebumps. I watched this on MSNBC last night, and Rachel Maddow and Chris Hayes made the point that VP Harris has really been flawless since July 21, when Joe Biden stepped out of the race and endorsed her. She has an amazing team around her, she has great speechwriters, she’s prepared for every moment, she’s not too rigid or rehearsed, and the vibes have been immaculate. Something I keep thinking about is how the Democratic Party and media intelligentsia had already written her off. They thought they had already boxed her in and done enough reputational harm to her, so much so that it was unthinkable to them that Biden would endorse her and that she would inherit Biden’s team and do THIS with that team.
It’s also worth noting that 75,000 people came to watch VP Harris’s speech last night. One, DC needs congressional representation. Two, Trump’s Madison Square Garden Nazi rally was at capacity, meaning 19,500 people came out for that racist sh-tshow. The MSG rally was Trump’s biggest of his campaign.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Getty.
-
- Philadelphia, PA – Actors Mark Ruffalo and Don Cheadle are spotted at the campaign event for Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris, held at The Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pictured: Kamala Harris BACKGRID USA 27 OCTOBER 2024 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Philadelphia, PA – Actors Mark Ruffalo and Don Cheadle are spotted at the campaign event for Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris, held at The Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pictured: Kamala Harris BACKGRID USA 27 OCTOBER 2024 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Philadelphia, PA – Actors Mark Ruffalo and Don Cheadle are spotted at the campaign event for Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris, held at The Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pictured: Kamala Harris BACKGRID USA 27 OCTOBER 2024 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Washington, DC – United States Vice President Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic Party nominee for President of the US, makes her closing argument to voters from the Ellipse in Washington, DC. The Vice President made her remarks one week before Election Day. Pictured: Kamala Harris BACKGRID USA 29 OCTOBER 2024 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Washington, DC – United States Vice President Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic Party nominee for President of the US, makes her closing argument to voters from the Ellipse in Washington, DC. The Vice President made her remarks one week before Election Day. Pictured: Kamala Harris BACKGRID USA 29 OCTOBER 2024 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Washington, DC – United States Vice President Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic Party nominee for President of the US, makes her closing argument to voters from the Ellipse in Washington, DC. The Vice President made her remarks one week before Election Day. Pictured: Kamala Harris BACKGRID USA 29 OCTOBER 2024 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
She has to be elected. I can’t believe what a fantastic job she’s done in 3.5 months.
She has done a fantastic job. Let’s get out there and make it a landslide. I know they are saying more republicans voted early but we must remember there are a huge contingency of them that hate trump and want their party back so they voted for Kamala there is lots of hope.
I’m a registered Republican and voted early, but voted blue down the column. This vermin and his party sicken me as well as his hateful campaign. Hopefully the majority of early R voters feel the same and do what l did.
@Feeshalori,
Thank you for placing our democracy over partisan bullshittery.
NotsosocialB, thank you. It was a no brainer which is why l can’t wrap my mind around these still-undecided voters. When a person tells you who he is, believe him. Besides, I felt it would’ve been a great betrayal of my father and uncles who fought in World War II against the exact political ideology that these bottom feeders are espousing. I’m sure they’re rolling in their graves now.
@Feeshalori. Thank you for helping to preserve our democracy!!!!!
Registered Republican-not a racist POS-voted early and voted blue
Madam President should be preparing her victory speech.
Yes! Please may she win and defeat any schemes from the gop.
Whatever the outcome is, it was incredible to watch her Presidential campaign that came together in such a short time. It was run flawlessly. I hope American people kick Trump’s ass one last time.
You, myself and a couple of folks here have said we believe she will win. Like you shared in a previous post, you knew Hilliary was going to lose (me too) and you knew PJB would win (so did I) as Bradley Whitford said, I am nauseously optimistic. She is going to win.
@girl_ninja 100% all of this! I knocking on doors and making calls!
“Nauseously optimistic” is perfect. But I honestly feel better about Kamala’s chances than than I have at any time since the convention. I am going to be an absolute sobbing mess whoever wins, but I truly feel like they will be tears of joy.
I feel that way. I was so surprised when my husband came home from a week-long event for his job saying that co-workers from all over (mostly Harris supporters) thought she would lose. I’ve been following the election closely and I feel very optimistic. Not in a pie-eyed way, but based on what is happening on the ground. I’m nervous but I feel positive.
I voted last week in Texas. My husband voted on Monday. Now my son needs to get to the polls either by the end of day Friday or on Tuesday. I texted him a few polling site options this morning.
@girl_ninja, I 100% believe that Kamala is gonna win, but even if she loses, I hope she knows she run the best campaign, considering the circumstances and timetable. She is a smart politician, but running for Presidency is something very different and she aced it. Her candidacy will be analyzed by the presidential historians for years, no doubt.
*whispers* I think she is going to win too.
I’m whispering because I remember how confident I was in 2016 and how sick I felt the next day.
But I think she’s our next president.
All of this! I think a lot of lazy liberals (like me) assumed in 2016 that there was no way Trump could get elected, so I didn’t do anything (besides vote). Well, that was a hard lesson to learn but, as a result, I’ve been knocking on doors and making calls in every election since then — all in Wisconsin — and am proud to say that Wisconsin has been doing a good job since 2016 and I have real hope for this year. The amount of volunteers in Wisconsin every week alone gives me hope! Meanwhile, Harris is that type of politician who has risen to this moment and she and her team have done incredible work. Her campaign will be studied for years to come.
That’s my President. It hurts my heart to see the the bots and trolls flood YouTube sites with their shenanigans. For those of you who are international I am posting a NY Times profile on her. It’s a gift link. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/26/us/politics/kamala-harris-bio.html?unlocked_article_code=1.WE4.27RJ.8hayWoS20PJh&smid=url-share
LFG! Harris/Walz 2024. Lets save and preserve our Democracy!
Thanks for the gift link, Nicole! I recommend that people go to the Bulwark YouTube channel and watch Tim Miller interview this reporter for his podcast. I was surprised that even though Robert Draper wrote this profile for the NY Times, he wasn’t at all snarky and even sounded admiring of MVP Harris. Both Miller and Draper agreed that she has been nearly flawless after being thrust into this so unexpectedly one hundred days ago. And, following her speech on the Ellipse last night, Miller tweeted that he’s glad she’s our candidate. 💙
Thank you for sharing this article, Nicole.💙
Thanks, enjoyed that article.
Thanks for posting this! I love how Kamala Harris coopted this specific location, so we don’t need to constantly refer to it as where January 6 Trump nearly took over rhe government. And hahaha “crowd size” is going to trigger an orange meltdown. I’m feeling more positive about the election today.
As to Washington DC, YES it should become a state. A vestige of our own colonial past is that the US has territories where American citizens have no representation. Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the US Virgin Islands and Northern Mariana Islands deserve to vote and enjoy the full benefits of American citizenship.
Kamala Harris literally cleansed that location last night, aided by tens of thousands of patriotic Americans. And I love how she put this moment in its proper historical context. Millions of Americans have died for freedom and it’s expansion over 250 years. It all began when we overthrew one “petty tyrant”. Let’s not cede to another.
If by chance we are so lucky as to get a blue White House and Congress, they should push on those territories getting statehood or some better representation.
I was filled with hope seeing the photos from last night, and reading about the voter data that’s come in so far.
Absolutely correct. Voting rights should be ASAP.
With that speech she reclaimed that space after DT defiled it with his hatred and treason. The mass of people who were there, full of joy and hope filled my heart. She is going to win and it will have been because of the effort of the citizen who love this country.
Please everyone, go and vote. Let’s not have a 2016 redux.
She’s done an amazing job and has shown the way to beat the bad faith crap Republicans throw at Democrats. My fingers and toes are crossed for her and for all of us, including people like me who are watching this from overseas.
I hope also that future Democratic candidates take the lessons she’s teaching to heart.
Watching her last night I felt so proud! She has given us such hope. She sees the joy and promise of a great country. I want a President who sees this positive image of America. We don’t need to say make America great again because it’s always been great. It was Trump who declared that our country was a garbage can. I say that describes Trump, his family, and his henchmen, not the USA. Let’s hand Kamala a bell and let freedom ring! VOTE BLUE!
Beautiful night and speech💙
She just makes me feel So. Damn. Proud. That’s our President, guys. She HAS to be.
She is incredible, what a speech. This Canadian is is rootin’ for Kamala all the way, god I hope she is elected. How can she NOT be?!
God…me too….This CDN was pissed when that f**ker was voted in…I just wept knowing that Roe vs Wade would be overturned and then the shit from the US would seep in to Canada like it has. I will be watching that night until I cannot keep my eyes open. I am absolutely praying to whatever is there to pray to, that this woman defeats the sh*tstain that is that orange blob Trump.
Amazing speech last night. So hopeful and inspiring.
I’d just finished listening to Brene Brown’s new podcast episode with Kamala on leadership styles and got the exact vibes as I did from the speech last night.
Double Kamala inspiration and joy.
A friend posted something about a real leader is someone who inspires others to become leaders too, and I think that fits her very well.
Everyone go out and vote! Don’t get complacent
This is starting to make me hopeful, but I’m scared cause I was soooooo hopeful in 2016. But I got the news yesterday my boomer parents in PA were planning to vote for her, to show my sisters and I that they were listening to us. Not the strongest rationale, but a vote is a vote, and if I can finally convince my parents, I’m sure there are more out there! Fingers, toes, legs, everything crossed that we still have hope next week.
This is so heartwarming that your parents are listening to you about this! My father plans to vote for Trump even though he thinks he’s a “scumbag.” I’m so angry I can’t even talk to him — it’s not just the vote, but everything behind it including his racism and misogyny (and yeah, I know pointing this out to him will not be helpful so I’m avoiding the call).
Hugs to you, I know the feeling exactly. I’ve spent the past 20 years arguing with my dad about politics. I called him yesterday to give him my final pitch (that you cannot say you love someone and then vote for taking their rights away), and he told me before I could even get it out. I hope someday you get to experience the same!
Early voted here in Texas last week. Blue wall all the way down. Let’s go Kamala!!!!
I took the time off work and waited for over an hour outside to vote for VP Kamala Harris and my governor Tim Walz. Early voting is no joke here in Minnesota. I got there an hour early and was the 10th person in line and by the time the doors opened the crowd was wrapped around the building. Fingers crossed we can rid ourselves of the orange menace once and for all.
I pray with every fiber of my being that she wins in a landslide victory because now I’m really afraid of the shenanigans Trump and his cronies will pull to deny the certification of the election. Even a landslide victory for her probably won’t avoid that. I’m afraid this drag on for weeks afterwards since Trump has his cronies in place to deny the certification of the election and flip the votes. I hope stringent measures are in place to counteract this because this criminal will do anything to get back in the WH and avoid prison.
I worry about that weasel Mike Johnson if he is still Speaker.
I worry about that weasel Mike John if he is still Speaker.
Freeshalori, I believe that 2020 and 2022 have been lessons well taught. I think the DOJ is on it. Marc Elias and his law firm and the DNC attorneys are all working hard now because the Republicans have filed about 100 lawsuits dicking around with the voting laws and the electoral boards.
I honestly believe that they will NOT be able to do what Mike Johnson and the Orange Menace believe they will. Harris will be in the whitehouse. Don’t forget that we have Biden as President. It’ll be MUCH harder for the shenanigans to work.
I truly hope you’re correct, Saucy. The “little secret” between Trump and Maga Mikey Johnson unnerves me and crony Steve Bannon being released from prison one week before the election and spouting that Trump should call the election for himself before all votes are counted, just like in 2020, really adds more fuel to this entire election. My one gratification is that Biden is still the president and can hopefully enforce the powers of his office to quell any of this garbage that’s sure to happen.
The Harris candidacy strikes me as having an air of destiny- how appropriate that Trump, who represents an ugly underbelly of the American landscape, would be defeated by a woman who is both African and Asian and married to a Jew. She would be really a symbol of the promise of America. I think Obama’s presidency also had the same sense of destiny. Joe’s role as a bridge makes him a consequential president. Kamala winning would be the better angels overcoming the destructive power represented by Trumpism/MAGA and resurgent forces of fascism. That’s how I see it from outside the US. Good luck, America! Please prove yourselves worthy of your leadership in the world!
It was so amazing to watch her yesterday -75k people- holy sh&@t. My Threads feed/timeline is pretty much 90% of Americans completing the assignment and voted Blue 💙 and 10% LA Dodgers 😊. Go Blue!!