US election campaign: Harris warns of “tyrant” Trump: No more drama and chaos

In the final stretch of the US election campaign, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has called for an end to chaos, division and drama under her Republican opponent Donald Trump. “This is an unstable, revenge-obsessed person who is consumed by resentment and is looking for uncontrolled power,” Harris said at a large rally south of the White House in the capital Washington. It was exactly there that Trump incited his supporters with a speech on January 6, 2021 before the storming of the US Capitol.

Harris used the appearance in front of numerous supporters at the symbolic location to call for cohesion in the country a few days before the election and to warn against another Trump presidency. She described her opponent as a “tyrant” and “would-be dictator.”

At the same time, Trump had egged on his supporters with the unsubstantiated claim that the Democrats had deprived him of a victory in the 2020 presidential election through fraud. A violent mob then moved to nearby Capitol Hill and stormed the Parliament building. That day, Congress was in the process of formally confirming Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory against Trump.

Trump has not yet admitted his election defeat against Biden and continues to claim in the current election campaign that the Democrats wanted to steal a victory from him using unfair means. The election will take place next Tuesday, and there are concerns that similar upheavals as after the 2020 election could occur again. Trump’s statements during the election campaign raise serious doubts as to whether he would accept defeat this time.

Harris’ warnings – and her promise

Harris said Trump sent an armed mob to the Capitol at the time. One of his priorities if he returns to the White House is to release the violent extremists of January 6, 2021 and to take criminal action against his enemies. Trump also wants to use the US military against Americans who disagree with him. Harris warned that previous generations had not fought for basic freedoms only to now subject the country to the will of a “tyrant.” And the USA is also not an arena for the behavior of “would-be dictators”.

“For a decade, Donald Trump has tried to divide the American people and put them in fear of each other,” criticized the 60-year-old. This has to end. “It’s time we put the drama and the conflict, the fear and the division, behind us.” It is time for a new generation of leadership in America.

“I promise to be a president for all Americans and to always put country above party and myself,” the Democrat shouted to the crowd. She wants to look for compromises and find solutions using common sense. “I’m not perfect. I make mistakes,” Harris admitted. “But I promise you that I will always listen to you. Even if you don’t vote for me.” She doesn’t see those who think differently as enemies.

Harris struck a serious tone during the appearance, whereas in recent weeks she had often tried to add some lightness and good humor as a counterpoint to Trump at campaign appearances. Thousands of people of all ages came to her performance. They had waited in long lines for hours to get into the site. The mood was peaceful, many people waved US flags. The Democrat was repeatedly interrupted by chants of “Kamala.”

Individual audience members appeared pensive and quiet in response to Harris’ powerful words. Some held each other in their arms. Many people also gathered far outside the fenced area. Occasionally shouts from demonstrators who wanted to disrupt the event could be heard. Their words were primarily directed against the Middle East policy of the Biden-Harris administration.

Harris tried to clearly distance himself from Biden during the speech. She said it was an honor to serve as its vice president. “But I will bring my own experiences and ideas to the Oval Office. My presidency will be different because the challenges we face are different.”

Biden did not attend the appearance of his deputy, for whom he had made room during the election campaign under pressure from his party. The 81-year-old watched the speech from the nearby White House. When asked by reporters why he wasn’t taking part, he had previously said: “It’s their night.”

Biden has generally barely appeared in Harris’ campaign. It seemed to be the Democrats’ strategy to keep the number of his appearances low – after his many embarrassing appearances in recent months that led to his withdrawal.

Trump’s campaign team criticized Harris’ performance as backwards: she only wanted to distract from her own failures during her time in office with Biden. Trump himself appeared at the same time around 300 kilometers away in Allentown in the particularly hotly contested and potentially decisive election state of Pennsylvania. The 78-year-old completed his usual campaign program there. He vowed to stop “the invasion of criminals” into the United States, accused Harris and the Democrats of destroying the country and said his election victory could be “the greatest moment in world history.”

The Republican did not comment further on criticism of a comedian’s tasteless joke who called the US territory of Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage” at a large Trump rally in New York. The sentence caused outrage in Puerto Rico – and around 500,000 Puerto Ricans live in Pennsylvania alone. Trump tried to limit the damage there and brought a politician from Puerto Rico onto the stage to praise him. And he said no one loves the Puerto Rican community more than he does.