In a frenzied final push to sway undecided voters and energize their bases, the gloves have come off between Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Republican challenger Donald Trump. With tensions boiling over and polls predicting a photo finish, both campaigns are unleashing an all-out blitz to tip the balance in key battlegrounds.
Harris Showcases Star Power as Trump Cries Foul
Pulling out the big guns, Harris is staging a series of high-octane rallies flanked by political and cultural heavyweights Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen. The Atlanta event, Harris’s first joint appearance with the still-popular former president, aims to shore up support among black voters, a crucial Democratic constituency where enthusiasm has dipped compared to the 2020 race.
Springsteen, whose working-class anthems have long been campaign trail staples for Democrats, is set to stump with Obama again in Philadelphia on Monday. “The Boss” backed Obama and Hillary Clinton, and is now reprising his “blue collar appeal” for the Harris ticket.
Trump, never one to cede the spotlight, is punching back hard at Harris’s celebrity-studded offensive. At an Arizona rally, he’s expected to slam Harris’s “unreachable American Dream” economic agenda. Later, the ex-president will court volunteers and Asian American voters in Las Vegas alongside right-wing group Turning Point USA.
What a divider he is. He divides this country. He couldn’t care less, him and his little group of people.
— Donald Trump attacking former president Barack Obama
Fascist Fracas Stirs the Pot
Name-calling reached a new low when Harris openly branded Trump a “fascist” who craves absolute power and military fealty. Seizing on ex-chief of staff John Kelly’s “fascist” characterization of his former boss, Harris doubled down on the explosive charge in a CNN town hall.
Yes, I do.
— VP Kamala Harris when asked point-blank if she considers Donald Trump a fascist
Trump, irate at the “Trump Derangement Syndrome” guiding criticism from Kelly and other retired brass, labeled his ex-aide a “bad general.” At his Georgia rally, he dialed up the mockery of Harris, calling her “crazy” and urging voters to declare her “the worst ever.”
Bots, Ballots, and Billionaire Bucks
As the mud keeps flying, several side dramas are injecting further intrigue and controversy into an already heated homestretch:
- Nearly 25 million early votes are already banked as Trump pushes his MAGA faithful to embrace advance balloting.
- China-linked Twitter bots are targeting Republicans, while Russia-tied groups spread disinformation implicating Democrats.
- Elon Musk’s $1 million daily contest giveaway to petition signers may run afoul of election law, warn authorities.
- Court rulings on mail ballots and provisional voting deal setbacks to GOP legal challenges.
Swing State Scramble
With the sand draining from the hourglass and no margin for error, the duel in the desert and beyond could determine if Harris keeps Trump out of the Oval Office or the resurgent Republican roars back for a blockbuster sequel. Even as they scorch the earth, all involved understand one immutable truth: it all comes down to the swing states.
Will Harris’s Avengers-esque assemblage of Democratic luminaries lock in the Electoral College? Is Trump’s Festivus-like airing of grievances revving up his MAGA base for a second smackdown? As goes Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, and Michigan, so goes the presidency.
