By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-10-31 03:30:26 | Updated at 2024-10-31 21:43:02
18 hours ago
Kamala Harris' speeches in three swing states on Wednesday were derailed by hecklers in the critical final stretch of the campaign with the polls on a knife edge.
The vice president was in the middle of her remarks in the battlegrounds of North Carolina and Pennsylvania when the demonstrators started screaming and shouting at her.
The Democratic nominee slapped down the interruptions both times by invoking Donald Trump and claiming he considers his critics the 'enemy.'
Her third rally of the long day also was interrupted.
Protesters have popped up frequently at Harris' rallies and most have targeted the Biden administration's involvement in the war in Gaza.
There are just five full days left of what has been one of the closest presidential races in history.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaking at her rally in Madison Wednesday night. It was the third of three rallies she had across three swing states on October 30. All three of her speeches were disrupted by hecklers protesting the war in Gaza
So Harris tried to move on so she could get to the crux of her speech.
'I will listen to experts,' she said to a member of the audience shouting during a Get Out the Vote rally in Raleigh, North Carolina.
'I will listen to those impacted by the decisions I make. And to people who disagree with me,' she added.
'See, this is the thing. Because you know, we’re actually fighting for a democracy,' she said calmly. 'And unlike Donald Trump, I don’t believe people who disagree with me are the enemy. He wants to put them in jail; I’ll give them a seat at the table.'
The crowd shouted 'Kamala' in unison to drown out the heckler before he was escorted out by security.
Then in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a protester waving a Palestinian flag blew a whistle.
A protester with a Palestinian flag being removed as Harris spoke at her campaign event in Harrisburg, PA
Another protester shouting at the vice president while she spoke in Harrisburg
'We are six days away from an election and ours is about a fight for democracy and your right to be heard, that is what is on the line in this election,' she said.
'Look, everybody has a right to be heard but right now, I am speaking.'
Her supporters booed as Harris dismissed the disruptors.
'At this particular moment, it should be emphasized that, unlike Donald Trump, I don’t believe people who disagree with me are the enemy from within,' she said.
'He wants to put them in jail. I’ll give them a seat at the table.'
At her third event of the day before a packed arena in Madison, the vice president was interrupted once again including by a group that unfurled a banner before being removed.
'We all want the war in Gaza to end and the hostages out,' she responded.
'Everyone has the right to be heard, but right now I am speaking.'
A protester being removed from the vice president's rally in Madison, WI by security
A separate group of protesters unfurl a banner in another part of the arena in Madison before being removed
While the day was hampered by interruptions at all three Get Out the Vote rallies across three states, it did not dampen the celebratory mood of the vice president's supporters as the campaign season heads into the final sprint.
All three events were packed venues filled with crowds of voters who waved signs, danced and turned out in their best Harris-Walz gear.
Harris wrapped up a whirlwind day with a star-studded rally in Madison where for the third time that day she asked battleground state residents for their votes.
‘We have six days left in one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime,’ Harris said after taking the stage before a thunderous crowd.
At all three events, the Democratic presidential nominee expressed confidence in Democrats' chances in the election despite razor-thin polling.
‘Make no mistake, we will win,’ Harris said.
Vice President Harris arriving to speak at her third campaign event of the day in Madison
The vice president was met by a packed arena in Madison, WI where supporters waved American flags and red 'vote' signs
Harris supporters carrying red 'vote' signs in Madison. The University of Wisconsin-Madison's colors are red and white. Young voters are part of the Harris coalition in the state she needs to show up on Election Day to win Wisconsin
Her final rally took place at the Alliant Energy Center under a red banner that read ‘Badgers for Harris-Walz.’
Before the vice president spoke, there were performances by Remi Wolf, Gracie Abrams, Aaron Dessner and Matt Berninger of The National and the band Mumford & Sons, who all urged people to get out and vote.
Madison is home to the University of Wisconsin-Madison where more than 50,000 students go to school.
Young voters are a key part of Democrats coalition in the state and received multiple shoutouts throughout the night from performers as well as Democratic officials.
In an unusual move for Democrats, the entire arena was a sea of red for the occasion including a massive red ‘Freedom’ sign and red ‘vote’ besides the ‘Badgers for Harris-Walz’ sign as red and white are the university’s colors.
Singer Gracie Abrams takes in the crowd before she performed at the vice president's Get Out the Vote rally in Madison on October 30
Abrams performed several songs and also spoke about the importance of voting in the election
The band Mumford & Sons also performed at Harris' star-studded rally in Wisconsin
Dane County is a Democratic stronghold, but the vice president will need strong turnout there to win the state, which is part of Democrats’ so-called ‘blue wall.’
Biden won Dane County with more than 75 percent of the vote in 2020.
Over 13,000 people attended her Madison rally including those in overflow, according to the campaign.
Dane County is the fastest growing in the state, and the Democratic margins grew from 2020 to 2022, according to the campaign.
The rally marked Harris eight visit to the state since launching her campaign over the summer.
During his speech, Governor Tony Evers warned the race in the state ‘will be close, damn close.’
The latest CNN poll of Wisconsin released on Wednesday showed Harris with an edge in the state. It had her at 51 percent and Trump at 45 percent among likely voters.
A massive banner with the word 'freedom' unfurled by supporters at Harris' Madison rally
Her lead in the state comes with some stronger support among white voters and white voters without college degrees compared to other battleground states.
A separate Marquette poll the same day showed Harris at 50 percent and Trump at 49 percent among likely voters in Wisconsin.
More than 1.1 million people in the state have already cast their ballots in the 2024 election in the Badger State.
Supporters at Harris' rally in Harrisburg, PA on October 30
A separate poll out of Pennsylvania on Wednesday showed the race in the crucial swing state tied.
The Monmouth university poll showed 42 percent of registered voters in the Keystone state would definitely or have already cast their ballots for Harris.
Another five percent said they would probably vote for her.
That same poll showed Trump with identical numbers: 42 percent would definitely or have already voted for him while five percent would probably vote for him.
More than 1.5 million people have already cast their ballots in Pennsylvania.
The vice president speaking at her first rally of the day in Raleigh, North Carolina on October 30
The vice president stayed after her remarks in Wisconsin to shake hands and take selfies until much of the arena had already cleared out at the end of the night
A series of recent polls show the race in North Carolina in a dead heat as well.
Despite the long day, the vice president stuck around to take selfies and shake hands with supporters as she finished up in Wisconsin.
By the time she left, most of the crowd had already exited the stadium.
On Thursday, the vice president continues her battleground state swing with a stop in Phoenix, Arizona before she campaigns in Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada.
