[US Election 2024]
"It was right here that Trump sent armed mobs to the Capitol."
Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential candidate in the United States, launched a fierce attack against former President Donald Trump on the 29th (local time), standing at the site of the January 6 Capitol riot with the Capitol building in view, just one week before the presidential election.
That evening, Vice President Harris delivered a speech named the "closing argument" at Ellipse Park in front of the White House in Washington DC, stating, "One week from today, you will make decisions that directly affect your life, your family's life, and the future of this beloved country."
Defining the November 5 election as a choice between "chaos and division" or "freedom," she said, "We know who Donald Trump is," criticizing him as "the person who sent armed mobs to the Capitol to overturn the will of the people confirmed by a fair election." The Ellipse Park, chosen by Vice President Harris as the speech venue, is recognized as a symbolic place where former President Trump, who lost the last election, delivered a speech inciting refusal to accept the results, which triggered the January 6 Capitol riot in 2021.
Vice President Harris reminded the audience that "Americans died in that attack (the Capitol riot)" and recalled that former President Trump responded to the mobs' words, who said they wanted to kill Vice President Mike Pence, with just two words: "So what?"
In particular, Vice President Harris reiterated the claim that former President Trump is unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed by grievance, and pursuing unchecked power. She said, "Trump has spent 10 years dividing Americans and making them fear each other," adding, "We have suffered from division for too long. We must stop pointing fingers and unite." She continued, "It is time to turn the page," and added, "America needs a new generation of leadership."
These remarks are interpreted as targeting undecided voters and conservatives wary of former President Trump, even up to a week before Election Day. Through a speech with the Capitol as the backdrop, she reminded why a majority of Americans did not support Trump's re-election four years ago and warned that threats to democracy, such as the Capitol riot, could recur. By defining herself as the "new generation," she also emphasized the age gap (18 years) with former President Trump, who is 78 years old this year, highlighting the senior risk frame.
Alongside this, Vice President Harris confirmed that she would also take action on deporting criminals, leveraging her past experience as a prosecutor. This drew a line against former President Trump's attacks accusing her of implementing flawed border policies and importing illegal criminals. However, she also said, "At the same time, we must acknowledge that we are a nation of immigrants." Additionally, she mentioned policies such as restoring abortion rights at the federal level and Medicare.
Vice President Harris emphasized that while former President Trump wants to imprison those who disagree with him, she will offer a seat at the negotiating table, pledging, "I will be the president of all Americans and will always put the country before my party and myself."
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