- author, Bernd Debsmann Jr.
- role, BBC News, Washington
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US Vice President Kamala Harris took an aggressive stance against Donald Trump at her first campaign rally at the White House, arguing that November’s election was a choice between a former prosecutor and a convicted felon.
Speaking to a crowd of about 3,000 in the battleground state of Wisconsin, Harris likened her Republican opponent to the con man she had prosecuted.
Meanwhile, Trump has slammed Harris’ record at the border, posting on social media: “Kamala Harris the Liar Destroys Everything She Touches!”
This comes a day after she secured the support of a majority of Democratic delegates, paving the way for her to become the party’s nominee.
President Joe Biden announced Sunday afternoon that he was dropping out of the race and endorsing his vice president amid growing pressure from Democratic Party officials and donors following his disastrous debate defeat against President Trump in late June.
The fledgling Harris campaign raised a staggering $100 million (£77 million) within 36 hours of Biden’s withdrawal.
Adding to her momentum, the latest national poll conducted by Reuters/Ipsos shows her leading President Trump by two points, 44% to 42%.
Image source, Getty Images
Harris took the stage to applause at a suburban Milwaukee high school on Tuesday and spoke about her experience as California’s attorney general.
“I’ve fought all kinds of criminals,” she says. “Predators who abuse women. Scammers who deceive consumers. Con men who break the rules for their own personal gain.”
“So hear me when I say I know what type of person Donald Trump is,” Harris added. “I promise you that in this race, I will always be proud to run against him on my record.”
In response, the crowd chanted “Kamala! Kamala!” Some observers noted the audience’s enthusiasm contrasted with that seen at Biden events this election season.
When the name of his Republican opponent was mentioned, many attendees chanted “lock him up” — similar to the chants they heard at events when Trump ran against Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Meanwhile, Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, about a poll which showed Harris was the least popular vice president in US history.
She also shared a post noting that GovTrack, a nonpartisan congressional scoring system, had rated her as one of the most left-leaning Democratic senators among the dozens of senators during her time in office.
In her speech, Harris laid out several liberal priorities, including gun control, abortion rights, child poverty, union rights and affordable health care.
“Do we want to live in a country of freedom, compassion and the rule of law, or do we want to live in a country of chaos, fear and hatred?” she said.
It’s unclear whether Harris can maintain her momentum. Pollster Tony Fabrizio predicted in a note published Tuesday that her “honeymoon” period with voters is over and there will be a “refocus on her role as Biden’s partner and co-pilot.”
The Trump campaign has criticized Harris for failing to stem the record flow of illegal immigrants at the US-Mexico border, and has also signaled it will harshly criticize the Biden-Harris administration’s record on crime and inflation.
An email sent Tuesday afternoon from Republican candidate Biden’s team accused her of releasing “suspected murderers, rapists and other violent criminals” on bail, insulting Israel and misleading the American public about Biden’s “diminished cognitive abilities.”
“She’s a radical leftist, but I don’t want this country to be destroyed by the radical left,” Trump said of Harris during a conference call with reporters.
“Biden has been a little more mainstream so he should have an easier time than her, but I don’t think it’s by much.”
Trump also said he would be open to debating her in September, when she was originally scheduled to face Biden on ABC News.
“I haven’t agreed to anything,” he said. “I did agree to debate Joe Biden. But I would like to debate her. She would be no exception.”
Most Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have already endorsed Harris’ candidacy.
Other Hollywood stars, including entertainers George Clooney, Barbra Streisand and Jamie Lee Curtis, have also endorsed her, potentially raising even more money for her campaign.
Her campaign is still vetting potential running mates for vice presidential nominee.
Historically, vice presidents are chosen to complement the candidate, and strategists believe she may choose a white man from a battleground state for that reason.
Biden is scheduled to speak from the Oval Office on Wednesday to explain his decision to step down. He returned to the White House on Tuesday after several days away from public view as he recovered from COVID-19.
In Washington, Republican members of the US House of Representatives have introduced articles of impeachment against Harris.
The resolution, written by Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee, accuses him of serious crimes and misconduct in the treatment of migrants at the border.
The chances of progress seem slim.
