In a move steeped in symbolism, Vice President Kamala Harris will deliver her campaign’s ‘closing argument’ on Tuesday, October 29, at the Ellipse near the White House. This location holds significant weight in American political history, as it was the site of Donald Trump’s infamous ‘Stop the Steal’ rally on January 6, 2021, which preceded the deadly mob attack on the US Capitol.
Harris’s campaign has stated she will give her speech at the Ellipse exactly one week before Election Day, November 5. According to ABC News, Harris is expected to urge voters to ‘turn the page’ on the Trump era and embrace a new era of leadership.
The choice of the Ellipse as the venue is deliberate and carries symbolic significance. It evokes memories of Trump’s 2021 speech, delivered as the US Congress was convening to certify Joe Biden’s victory in the November 2020 election. At that rally, Trump baselessly alleged voter fraud and urged his supporters to fight. His words fueled the violence that ensued, with hundreds storming the Capitol and engaging in arson and rioting in what many consider an attempted self-coup d’état.
Harris’s decision to speak at this location is intended to draw a stark contrast between her vision for the country and Trump’s continued dissemination of ‘lies’ about the 2020 election. She aims to highlight the dangers she believes his return to the White House would pose to the nation, as reported by the Associated Press.
Preparations are underway for the speech, including the installation of tall black fencing to secure the perimeter of the Ellipse, according to a CNN report. The event’s National Park Service permit anticipates an audience of 20,000 people, with potential overflow onto the National Mall.
This will be Harris’s first major outdoor campaign speech in Washington, as most of her rallies this year have been held in arenas or stadiums in key battleground states. The Vice President’s speech at the Ellipse is seen as her final opportunity to present her case to voters and contrast her campaign with Trump’s, before Election Day.
Harris is expected to address key issues such as the economy, lowering prescription drug costs, and her broader middle-class agenda. However, according to CNN, the sharpest contrasts will likely focus on Trump’s character and his continued attempts to undermine the legitimacy of the 2020 election.
The choice of the Ellipse serves as a powerful reminder of the events of January 6, 2021, and the threats to American democracy posed by Trump’s actions and rhetoric. Harris’s speech, delivered at the site of those events, is likely to be a pivotal moment in the 2024 election campaign, setting the stage for a final showdown between the two competing visions for America’s future.
