Balancing Two Messages on a Mall Campaign Night
In the symbol-laden setting of Washington’s Ellipse, a week before the presidential election, Kamala Harris addressed tens of thousands with the campaign’s closing argument. The speech framed the choice as larger than two candidates or two parties, pitting a country rooted in liberty for every American against one ruled by chaos and division. Harris also labeled Trump a petty tyrant.
There were no major new details or deviations from the message she has repeated at rallies and events. The half-hour address echoed a line that in recent days had included calling Trump fascist; this time the word was avoided, and the word democracy was used only once, yet the message was clear as she spoke from the same Mall venue where Trump incited a crowd on January 6, 2021.
The Democratic candidate did not shy away from referencing that episode. At one point she recalled the history of struggles and sacrifices to safeguard freedom, insisting that the liberties were not surrendered to advance anyone’s grip on power. She defined the United States as the greatest idea humanity has ever imagined.
Balancing Two Messages
With the White House in the background and flags as a backdrop, Harris aimed to balance a dual message: a warning about her rival and a positive path forward through her policy agenda, economy, and social plans.
She described Trump as unstable, fixated on revenge, embittered by grievances, and hungry for power without restraint. While she did not mention directly his latest rally in Madison Square Garden, she denounced that Trump has spent a decade trying to keep Americans divided and fearful of one another. That is who he is, but she stated that is not who we are.
“Too long we have lived amid chaos, division, and mutual distrust”, she said, urging Americans to stop pointing fingers and start linking arms. “It is time to turn the page on the drama and conflict, fear and division.”
The Final Stretch
The speech was Harris’s final major attempt to reach undecided voters — those who say they do not yet know her and who will be decisive in a race that polls show tightly contested in key swing states. “I am not perfect; I make mistakes, but I promise to listen, to tell the truth, even when it’s hard to hear”, she said. “I will work every day to build consensus and secure compromises for things to get done.”
Harris also focused on the economy, the top concern of Americans according to polls, continuing to tell her personal story and lay out policy proposals. She stated: “Our biggest challenge now is to lower the cost of living, which was rising before the pandemic and remains high.”
The Democrat embraced reproductive rights and spoke about immigration as well. “Politicians should stop treating immigration as a fear tactic to sway voters and treat it as the serious challenge it is that we must solve together”, she said, referencing Trump’s approach.