washington
CNN
—
Vice President Kamala Harris’ advisers had a few boxes to check when considering where to give her final campaign speech.
They believed that venues must convey to voters some sense of the gravity of their choices. But equally important, in their view, was her ability to evoke the promise of the role she was seeking.
At the Ellipse, the corner of the park where Donald Trump rallied his supporters within sight of the White House on January 6, 2021, they believe they have found that balance.
Balancing dire warnings about a rival she called fascists with positive optimism about the president she would become was a crucial challenge for Harris in the final stages of her campaign.
Aides said Tuesday’s high-profile speech was aimed at the vice president’s appeal to a key group of what the campaign calls “oppositional voters,” those who may have concerns about President Trump’s actions but have not expressed support. This is said to be one of the vice president’s last opportunities to reach out to the most important demographic. They are still not convinced that Harris is the transformative candidate who can get the country back on track.
Aides said it was unlikely that a single speech would make much of a difference, but it was also intended to draw a sharp contrast to Trump’s controversial rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday evening. Aides say this was not the original intent of Harris’ big speech, but they believe it will serve as a timely rebuttal.
“This will flesh out many of the important discussions she started,” said a person familiar with Harris’ speech, adding that the framework for reproductive freedom and what she called the “opportunity economy” I mentioned it.
Despite the somber atmosphere of the stage, this is where President Trump directed his supporters to march to the Capitol on January 6th. Harris’ advisers said the speech will be hopeful and optimistic and not just focus on what happened on the ground nearly four years ago.
Advisers say if there’s anything to take away from that day when she wanted to drive home, it’s that her own victory would put a dent in the Trump administration’s divisiveness.
The environment, where she is setting up an office 500 yards to the north, provides an opportunity for Harris to lay out her plans for the country, primarily on the economy, which is the biggest issue for voters.
Aides said the speech, in the final weeks of the campaign, was not intended to cover entirely new ground, but rather to frame the stakes of the campaign and highlight the deep contrast between Ms. Harris and Mr. Trump. That’s the purpose.
Aides say that by standing on the Ellipse, Ms. Harris will bring familiar debates about democracy to an environment that clearly highlights how hard Mr. Trump and his allies worked to overturn the 2020 election. It is said that it will become possible. The venue will also highlight how she believes the second term could be even worse, they said.
“As I have said many times, and I will say in my speech tomorrow night, there is a big difference between him and me. If he is elected on day one, he will be in the Oval Office. We’re going to sit down and work on a list of enemies,”’ Harris said Monday. “On day one, if I am elected president of the United States, which I fully intend to do, it will be on my to-do list to serve the American people.”
Preparations were underway Monday ahead of the speech, including the installation of a tall black fence to create a secure perimeter around the oval.
Up to 20,000 people are expected to attend, according to the event’s permit, which will extend to the National Mall, making it her first major campaign speech outdoors in Washington. Most of Harris’ large rallies this year have been held in arenas and stadiums in battleground states.
The vice president was in Michigan on Monday for three campaign stops, aides said, and was working on final drafts and reviewing his remarks for one of the biggest speeches since the Democratic convention. That’s what it means. She is also expected to address the economy, reducing prescription drug costs, and a broader middle-class agenda, although the sharpest contrast is likely to be found in President Trump’s personality.
In some ways, it’s reminiscent of remarks Harris made at campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, the day after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, and Tuesday’s speech marked the beginning of her unusually truncated campaign. It was a kind of closure.
“All of this means that growing the middle class will be a clear goal of my presidency,” Harris said at the time. “Because we here know that when the middle class is strong, America is strong.”
Aides likened Tuesday’s speech to the closing arguments Harris gave early in her career as a prosecutor. After laying out the evidence for the jury, in this case the voters, she hopes to connect the various threads into her own single case.
She never lacked advice. As has been the case since Mr. Biden was the party’s standard-bearer, there is disagreement among Democrats over how much to emphasize Mr. Trump’s personality and perceived danger to democracy, or whether to focus more narrowly on his financial situation. It is somewhat divided.
Last week, a major super PAC supporting Harris’ candidacy expressed concern that her campaign was moving too close to focusing its final message on calling Trump a fascist.
“This theme is less compelling than the contrasting messages featuring Ms. Harris’ economic plan and her pledge to protect reproductive rights,” the group said in a statement in the final stages of the campaign. He warned Democrats about the message in an email.
Still, Harris’ advisers believe there are moderates who are upset about Trump’s ties to fascism, especially when it is raised by former aide John Kelly.
More broadly, Harris’ team is using the final stages of the campaign to address widespread fatigue and confusion over President Trump’s chaotic politics, not only by spotlighting the unrest but also by offering a clear alternative. I think it’s time to take advantage of the dissatisfaction.
From the moment Harris took the top job in July, her campaign has used the trappings of office and a strong image to make voters recognize her as president and take the historic step of electing the first woman. I have been working on harnessing the power of as commander-in-chief.
The expansive backdrop of the White House and National Mall was designed for maximum effect a week before the final day of voting. It was similar to a rally in Detroit in August, where Harris addressed thousands of people against the majestic backdrop of Air Force Two.
The prime-time speech at the Ellipse comes as some worry about how much time Harris is spending disqualifying Trump as president, compared to what she would do if elected. It was held in Advisors told CNN that Tuesday night’s speech was intended to balance both messages.
“We don’t have the luxury of just talking about what she’s going to do as president,” said a senior Democratic adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss strategic decisions. “We can’t pretend this is a normal election.”
