Washington [US], October 31: In the final stages of the campaign, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are trying to deliver the most convincing messages.
With just one week left before Election Day, the race for the White House has become more intense than ever, as US Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her final message on October 29 at the place where former President Donald Trump spoke before the Capitol Hill riot on January 6, 2021. On the same day, Mr. Trump campaigned in Pennsylvania, seeking more important votes in the battleground state.
Two perspectives
At the Ellipse in Washington DC , Ms. Harris warned that Mr. Trump would "take revenge" on political opponents, including ordinary people. "In less than 90 days, Mr. Trump or I will enter the Oval Office. On Day 1, if elected, Mr. Trump will enter with a list of enemies. If elected, I will enter with a list of priorities that I will accomplish for the American people," CNN quoted her as saying. She described the election as a life-or-death choice between the freedoms she pledged to protect and the "chaos and division" that she said would happen if Mr. Trump returned to the White House. In a speech of about 30 minutes, the vice president pledged to expand Medicare, protect women's reproductive rights and "value compromise, while Mr. Trump loves conflict." She reiterated that the administration's priority four years ago was ending the Covid-19 pandemic and restoring the economy, while the biggest challenge now is reducing costs, which had been rising before the pandemic.
In Allentown, Pennsylvania, Trump began his speech with the question he has asked at rallies over the past week. "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" he said, referring to his accomplishments in his previous term. The crowd responded with a "No." For months, Trump and Harris have laid out different visions for the country, NBC News reported. The common challenge for both sides is to convince voters that their vision is the right one. The former president focused heavily on his pledge to crack down on illegal immigration, lower energy prices and raise taxes on foreign goods.
Tight race
As the election nears, polls have yet to show which candidate is the clear favorite. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on October 29 showed Harris's lead over Trump narrowing to 44% to 43% among 1,150 respondents. Harris has led in every Reuters/Ipsos poll since she launched her presidential bid, although her lead has been shrinking since late September. Notably, Trump leads Harris on many issues seen as urgent, with a 47% to 37% margin on his approach to the economy, unemployment and jobs . Trump also leads on his approach to immigration, 48% to 33%. The poll reflects Harris's advantage on dealing with political extremism and threats to democracy, with a 40% to 38% margin. Twenty-six percent see jobs and the economy as the most pressing issue, compared with other issues such as political extremism (24%) and immigration (18%).
Another national poll also shows Mr. Trump narrowing the gap. A survey by Morning Consult (USA) released on October 29 with the participation of 8,807 likely voters showed Ms. Harris leading by 50% - 47%, narrowing the gap by 4 percentage points compared to last week's survey. The survey shows that Republican voters are more concerned about economic issues, national security, crime and immigration . Meanwhile, Democratic voters are more confident about health care, climate change and abortion rights. Regarding early voting, CNN reported that more than 50.5 million voters have voted in person or by mail.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper