Final phase of race sees Trump and Harris intensify campaign efforts in crucial states

On Saturday, Vice President Kamala Harris enlisted the help of celebrities Lizzo and Usher for campaign events in Michigan and Georgia, while former President Donald Trump took to Pennsylvania, a key battleground state.

At an Atlanta rally, Harris criticized Trump for his insensitive remarks about the mourning family of a Georgia woman, Amber Thurman, who passed away after a 20-hour wait for medical treatment following complications from an abortion pill. Harris put the spotlight on women’s reproductive rights, blaming Georgia’s restrictive abortion laws that came into effect after the Supreme Court’s 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade. Three of the justices on the bench were Trump appointees.

Harris used this issue to rally support for the Democrats, who have committed to reinstating a nationwide right to abortion if they secure the presidency and sufficient congressional seats. She accused Trump of evading responsibility for the pain and suffering he has caused.

Thurman’s family attended the rally, and Harris showcased a clip of Trump at a Fox News town hall, promising better ratings when asked about the Thurman family joining a separate media call.

Harris also highlighted that early voting is already in progress in Georgia, with over 1.2 million ballots cast. The Democrats are hopeful that a comprehensive organizing effort will give Harris an edge in the final weeks of the campaign. She even noted that former President Jimmy Carter voted by mail after his recent 100th birthday.

Harris was accompanied by local music legend Usher at the rally, an attempt to draw more voters to the polls. Earlier in the day, she was in Detroit with singer Lizzo, celebrating the start of in-person voting and praising the city which Trump had previously belittled.

Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign hinted that he would start outlining his closing argument as Election Day approaches. However, the former president began his rally with a lengthy anecdote about golf legend Arnold Palmer. Trump was campaigning in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Palmer’s birthplace.

Trump spent a significant portion of his speech praising the late golfer, even suggesting that the evening would have been more enjoyable if Palmer could have joined him on stage. In his speech, Trump touched on his favorite campaign topics but offered little new insight into why he should win the race. He praised his tax policies and military strengthening during his first term.

Trump also launched attacks on Harris, calling her “crazy” and using profanity. He criticized her for supporting a ban on hydraulic fracking during her 2020 presidential campaign, a stance she has since retracted. Hydraulic fracking is vital to Pennsylvania’s economy.

In his speech, Trump also mentioned a call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza. He claimed Netanyahu had praised him and criticized President Joe Biden.

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