National
In a final push to voters, Vice President Kamala Harris (D-CA) has capitalized on comments to call former President Donald Trump (R-FL) a “fascist” just days ahead of the crucial election.
Harris’ comments come off the heels of a New York Times interview with John Kelly, a retired Marine Corps General who served as Trump’s Chief of Staff from 2017 until 2019. In the interview, which was also published by The Atlantic, Kelly claims that Trump is, by definition, a “fascist,” and that the president suggested that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler “did some good things.”
When asked if Harris believed that Trump is a fascist, she replied, “Yes, I do.” She then doubled down on this belief, saying herself that if Trump were to be re-elected, he would be a “president who admires dictators and is a fascist.”
Kelly’s comments were described by the Vice President as a “911 call to the American people.”
Harris seizing on these comments is reminiscent, although not quite as incendiary, as Hillary Clinton’s (D-NY) famous “basket of deplorables” comment about Trump supporters in the closing weeks of the 2016 election. Some said, and still hold, that that comment was the nail in the coffin for her campaign.
President Joe Biden (D-DE) also took a swing at Trump’s supporters in the wake of the president’s Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday. Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made a joke about Puerto Rico being a “floating island of garbage,” which was quickly denounced in unison by the media.
When asked about the comment, Biden replied, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American. It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been.”
A White House spokesperson clarified that Biden was referring to the “hateful rhetoric” as “garbage,” not Trump’s supporters.
Biden later personally clarified what he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporters at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage — which is the only word I can think of to describe it. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That’s all I meant to say. The comments at that rally don’t reflect who we are as a nation.”
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) quickly denounced the comment: “Moments ago, Joe Biden stated that our supporters, our patriots, are garbage. He’s talking about everyday Americans who love their country.”
Even prominent Democrats distanced themselves from their tickets’ response to the joke. Governor Josh Shapiro (D-PA), who was seen as a frontrunner as Harris’ running mate, said that he would “never insult the good people of Pennsylvania or any Americans even if they chose to support a candidate that I didn’t support.”
State
President Trump held his historic rally at Madison Square Garden in the heart of New York City on Sunday evening (pictured above).
The Big Apple was the site of a most unexpected campaign stop from the Republican nominee, as New York State has not backed a Republican nominee since 1984. Not generally considered to be competitive this cycle, Trump and many others agree there’s a large amount of quiet support for him here.
The MSG rally was standing-room only within the venue, with many more outside watching on jumbotron televisions. Reports say that almost 250,000 people RSVP’d for the event.
The rally was also something of a homecoming for the former president, with his deep, lifelong ties to New York on full display as he came back to the city he once called home.
A long list of guests also greatly increased the rally’s energy. Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R, NY-21), Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R, LA-04), Vice Presidential nominee Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH), wrestling star Hulk Hogan, CEO of SpaceX and X, formerly known as Twitter, Elon Musk, television psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw, former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (R, HI-02) – who recently registered as a Republican – former Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy (R-OH), and former FOX News host Tucker Carlson were just a few on the list of star-studded speakers who entertained a packed house.
Supporters were also treated to a rare public appearance from former First Lady Melania Trump, who introduced her husband to the stage.
Lines wrapped around Eighth Avenue and Thirty-Fourth Street, with the famed street entertainer, the Naked Cowboy (pictured above), serenading the diverse crowd of rally goers with his endorsement of Trump.
Trump utilized the historic venue to introduce a new promise to voters: tax credits for caregivers.
Trump also spoke kindly of Mayor Eric Adams (D), who defended Trump’s prerogative to have a rally in New York, despite New York Democrats lambasting the event before its inception.
Local
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) recently unveiled the County’s new Early Voting and Training Center located at the Board of Elections in Yaphank.
The center will serve as a hub for early voting and training of poll inspectors, poll coordinators, and other essential election personnel.
Suffolk County is committed to ensuring secure elections in our communities. The opening of the Early Voting and Training Center and ongoing measures to provide the Board of Elections with the necessary resources and infrastructure signifies our long-term commitment to guaranteeing that our elections are protected,” said Romaine (pictured below).
The $2.8 million center is part of the County’s ongoing investment into election infrastructure and security. The center is also equipped to deal with the even-year election law passed by Albany late last year, should the law be reinstated on appeal. It was recently knocked down as an unconstitutional oversight of home rule.
“Building this center is a crucial step in guaranteeing that all elections in Suffolk County are run with the highest levels of professionalism and integrity. We have established a state-of-the-art Early Voting Center, centrally located and easily accessible from major thoroughfares for our voters,” said Suffolk County Board of Elections Republican Commissioner Betty Manzella.
“The construction of this early voting and training center will enable the Board to train hundreds of election workers annually with enhanced hands-on experience to facilitate a better voter experience for our residents,” said Democratic Commissioner John Alberts.
The center will also serve as an early voting hub. Early voting began on October 26 and runs until Sunday, November 3. The center is one of twenty-eight early voting locations across the county. Residents can vote in any one of them, regardless of their residence. The H. Lee Dennison Building can also be used as an early voting site.
