United States Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday criticized former US president Donald Trump for his “very offensive” remarks about women, emphasizing that his misogyny has no place in 21st-century America.
This confrontation comes just days before a crucial election, as both candidates strive for even the slightest edge in their tight race for the White House.
With the election date approaching on November 5, Trump and Harris have shifted their focus to key western battleground states, where immigration issues and outreach to Latino voters are at the forefront. During one of his stops in New Mexico, a border state, Trump painted a dire picture of immigration, claiming that migrants are “unleashing a violent killing spree all across America.” This statement has been challenged, as there is no evidence to support claims of a migrant crime wave in the United States.
As both the Democratic vice president and the Republican former president campaign through the seven swing states critical to the election, Harris is projecting a more positive message. She concluded her day with a star-studded rally in Las Vegas, where she was introduced by pop icon Jennifer Lopez.
Harris specifically targeted Trump’s remarks from a Wednesday rally, where he stated he wanted to “protect” American women “whether the women like it or not.” She deemed these comments “offensive to everybody,” asserting that they demonstrate Trump’s disrespect for women’s autonomy.
“Trump simply does not respect the freedom of women or the intelligence of women to be able to make decisions about their own lives,” Harris said. She went on to warn that if elected, Trump would seek to ban abortion nationwide, restrict access to birth control, jeopardize IVF treatments, and push for states to monitor women’s pregnancies.
Since the Supreme Court’s conservative majority ended the federal right to abortion in 2022, reproductive rights have become a rallying point for Democrats and a vulnerability for Trump. Current polling indicates a significant gender gap, with women voters leaning towards Harris, while Trump garners more support from men. This makes the issue of abortion potentially pivotal in determining the election’s outcome.
Trump’s campaign stops were marked by his characteristic stream of insults directed at Democrats, including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Harris. “She destroyed our economy,” he claimed, despite economic indicators showing robust growth, low unemployment, and rising consumer confidence, even as voters express concerns about inflation.
In an interview with right-wing provocateur Tucker Carlson, Trump again resorted to personal attacks, labeling Harris “a low IQ individual… dumb as a rock.” Carlson, who had previously expressed disdain for Trump, offered a glowing introduction and proclaimed his intention to vote for him.
As Trump seeks to regain ground in border state Arizona, which he lost to Biden in 2020, he made an effort to court Hispanic voters in New Mexico. “I love Hispanics. They are hard workers,” he asserted, though he faced backlash from Puerto Ricans earlier in the week due to a racist comment made by a warm-up speaker at one of his rallies. J Lo responded to this comment at the Las Vegas rally, stating, “He reminded us who he really is and how he really feels,” adding, “It wasn’t just Puerto Ricans that were offended that day, okay? It was every Latino in this country, it was humanity and anyone of decent character.”
Despite historical alignment with Democrats, recent polling indicates a noticeable shift toward Republicans among Latino voters. In Nevada, Trump confirmed that he had filed a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS over an interview Harris gave to its “60 Minutes” program. He alleged that her response regarding the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict was confusing and that CBS edited her comments to disguise “word salad.” CBS has rejected these allegations.
The latest New York Times/Siena poll indicates Harris holds a 52 percent support rate among Hispanic voters compared to Trump’s 42 percent. The campaign continues as both candidates prepare for further events, with rallies scheduled in Wisconsin on Friday.
As of now, approximately 63.5 million Americans have already cast their ballots early, representing more than 40 percent of the total vote in the 2020 election. With the stakes high, both candidates are working tirelessly to secure every possible advantage in these final days leading up to the election.
