The Daily Populous Wednesday October 30th, 2024 morning edition
Authored by newsweek.com and submitted by Impressive-Farmer115

More than 75,000 spectators gathered in Washington, D.C., to hear Vice President Kamala Harris' closing argument speech at the same site of former President Donald Trump's infamous "Save America" rally that preceded the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Harris' event at the Ellipse arrived one week before Election Day and followed Trump's closing arguments at Madison Square Garden on Sunday that received backlash for its inflammatory and racist rhetoric.

As the vice president took the stage Tuesday night, her campaign's rapid response director, Ammar Moussa, posted to his account on X, formerly Twitter, that there were "OVER 75,000 people on the National Mall to watch Kamala Harris deliver her closing remarks."

CNN later reported that the Ellipse was at capacity and some guests were directed to an overflow area on the National Mall, per a Harris campaign official.

Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the Ellipse just south of the White House in Washington, D.C., on October 29. The Harris campaign said that more than 75,000 people gathered to... Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the Ellipse just south of the White House in Washington, D.C., on October 29. The Harris campaign said that more than 75,000 people gathered to hear her closing arguments. More BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump held his January 6, 2021, rally at the Ellipse on the same day a mob of his supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol while Congress was certifying the 2020 election in which Trump lost to President Joe Biden. According to the House Select Committee tasked with investigating January 6, around 53,000 people attended Trump's speech before the attack.

Harris' previous crowd size record was set on Friday at her rally in Houston, which included an appearance from Beyoncé. The vice president's campaign said around 30,000 people showed up to the Shell Energy Stadium event, which was focused on reproductive rights.

Trump frequently touts his own rally sizes, although as Newsweek has reported, the former president often exaggerates his crowd numbers. Trump's campaign said that the former president's event in New York City on Sunday filled Madison Square Garden to capacity. The venue can fit a maximum of 19,500 people.

Sunday's event was marred by racist remarks hurled about Latinos, Black people, Jews and Palestinians. Sexist comments were also made about Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by several speakers.

Trump's campaign has spoken out against one comment, made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who said during his speech that Puerto Rico is a "floating island of garbage." The former president's team said that the "joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign." Trump told ABC News' Rachel Scott when asked about the joke on Tuesday, "I don't know him. Someone put him up there. I don't know who he is."

The former president also failed to condemn other statements made at Madison Square Garden during a speech at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, saying instead, "There's never been an event so beautiful."

"The love in that room was breathtaking," he added. "It was like a lovefest, an absolute lovefest. And it was my honor to be involved."

Harris said during her Ellipse speech that Trump "has spent a decade trying to keep the American people divided and afraid of each other."

"That is who he is," she added. "But America, I am here tonight to say that is not who we are."

The vice president also criticized Trump's comments about going after the "enemy from within" if elected to the White House. Despite receiving immense pushback for the comments in recent weeks, Trump repeated the phrase during his Madison Square Garden speech, telling supporters, "We're running against a massive, crooked, malicious leftist machine that's running the Democrat Party. They are smart and vicious, they are the enemy within, we must defeat them."

On Tuesday, Harris told supporters, "Donald Trump intends to use the United States military against American citizens who simply disagree with him. People he calls ...'the enemy from within.'"

Harris added, "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 my table."

Newsweek reached out to Trump's campaign via email Tuesday for comment.

Ketzeph on October 30th, 2024 at 00:43 UTC »

Just left the ellipse. Great speech, incredible energy. It’s like 2008. Trump has had nothing equivalent.

And the “petty tyrant” line was dynamite

GaryTheFiend on October 30th, 2024 at 00:26 UTC »

Please for the love of God, be enough....

TintedApostle on October 30th, 2024 at 00:15 UTC »

and no one felt the need to try to break into any federal buildings.