As the presidential election approaches, each candidate has made their final pitches to voters. Both candidates have failed to pull ahead of each other by any significant amount in the polls, so they are rounding out their desperate pleas to voters before Nov. 5.
Madison Square Garden Rally (Trump’s closing speech)
Trump held a massive rally on Oct. 2 in New York City, and it has been deemed as controversial. Many media outlets and spectators of the event have reacted to comments made at the rally with disgust. Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made an appearance at the Trump rally and spewed many racist jokes. A specific “joke” that caused major outrage was when Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico an “island of garbage”, according to a BBC article from Oct. 29. This was not the only joke that caused outrage. Grant Cardone, a famous businessman and Trump supporter, called the politicians supporting Kamala her “pimps.” Various racist, misogynistic and anti-semitic jokes have brought drama to the Trump campaign. On the contrary, supporters of former president Trump felt uplifted by the rally and were excited by the energy of the room. Political strategists are wondering if/how this rally will have an effect on the results of the election, according to a Fox News article from Oct. 28.
Kamala Harris’ closing speech at the Ellipse
Kamala Harris made a closing speech at the Ellipse, the same place where Trump spoke on Jan. 6 after the insurrection at the Capitol. She argued to voters why she would make a better president than Trump. She capitalized on the symbolism of the venue to remind Americans how Donald Trump handled the Jan. 6 insurrection. She also pointed out the importance of abortion rights, and stated that if Trump becomes president, women will not have choice over their own bodies, according to an MSNBC article from Oct. 30.
Ballot Boxes Arson
Hundreds of ballots have been set on fire and destroyed, specifically on the west coast. Officials have notified voters whose ballots could have potentially caught on fire as investigators search for suspects involved in these cases. Police have revealed that they have a possible suspect, but it seems that there may be multiple people, according to a USA Today article from Oct. 31. It is unclear if ballot boxes will continue to be set on fire until election day. There has already been speculation by Trump and his allies that early vote ballots are being rigged for the 2024 presidential election, and situations like this are supporting this notion.
