As Election Day draws closer, the divide between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump has become a chasm.
With the help of well-known supporters like Beyoncé, Usher, and Bruce Springsteen who gathered in cities across the country to support her inclusive platform, Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has spent the final days of her campaign calling for unity among Americans.
Meanwhile, Trump, the Republican nominee, took the stage at Madison Square Garden in New York, delivering a closing pitch that unleashed xenophobic, racially charged rhetoric, painting an America under siege and promising a wave of mass deportations starting on day one.
Beyoncé joined Harris onstage in Houston on Friday, stating, “I’m not here as a celebrity. I’m here as a mother.”
Springsteen spoke to the vice president’s core values, noting, “She believes in the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power.”
The entertainers championed a vision that they argue will protect democracy, safeguard freedoms, and promote unity.
In contrast, in New York on Sunday, Trump delivered a divisive tirade at the World’s Most Famous Arena, where just blocks away, he was found guilty of 34 felony charges this year and only a few miles from the court that held him responsible for sexual assault.
His civil conviction on massive business fraud also occurred across town from the Garden.
Trump’s rally, marketed as a historic comeback, was instead a showcase of his campaign’s unrestrained hostility. He anchored his speech on his promise of a massive deportation program, calling the country “occupied” by immigrants — a message reminiscent of historical demagogues.
Outside, the Democrats made their own statements, projecting the messages “Trump is Unhinged” and “Trump Praised Hitler” across the storied arena’s exterior.
Before Trump even reached the podium, his supporters stoked racial hatred and fear.
Former congressional candidate David Rem attacked Harris, calling her “the antichrist” and “the devil” while waving a cross.
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe plunged into outright racism, referring to Puerto Rico as “a floating island of garbage” and demeaning Latinos with, “These Latinos, they love making babies, too.”
Radio host Sid Rosenberg went further, railing against migrants living in New York and declaring, “You got homeless and veterans — Americans — sleeping on their own feces on a bench in Central Park. But the f—ing illegals, they get whatever they want, don’t they?”
Trump’s speech bristled with falsehoods and conspiracy-laden claims. Echoing his 2016 rhetoric, he argued that migrants are to blame for economic woes, pushing the narrative that his leadership alone could restore prosperity.
“Are you better off now than you were four years ago,” he asked, promising to end inflation and “bring back the American dream” despite his previous term’s failure.
Harris’ final rally, scheduled for Tuesday, will occur on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., a deliberate echo of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection that Trump incited.
The vice president’s campaign has drawn strength from powerful allies who recognize the stakes of the election.
Reflecting on Trump’s divisive legacy, Tyler Perry said, “In this Donald Trump America, there is no dream that looks like me.”
Springsteen considered American values and principles when speaking to the audience at the Harris rally.
“There is only one candidate in this election who holds those principles dear: Kamala Harris. … Trump is running to be an American tyrant. He does not understand this country, its history, or what it means to be deeply American,” Springsteen declared.
Samuel L. Jackson, standing firmly behind Harris, reminded audiences of the Democratic presidential nominee’s background, from California’s attorney general, to the Senate, and now as vice president.
“She’s running on a proven track record of fighting for the people … of taking on the toughest fights,” Jackson said.