Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden is one of the highlights of a busy travel schedule as both sides rush to mobilize voters ahead of Election Day.
Lauren Frayer, host:
There’s just over a week left until Election Day. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are both making closing arguments in what is becoming an extremely close race for the White House. NPR’s Luke Garrett joins us to find out how candidates are spending their final days on the campaign trail. Hello, Luke.
Luke Garrett: Hi, Lauren. Thank you for having me.
Freya: Thank you for coming. Former President Luke is holding a rally at Madison Square Garden with nine days left until the election. Do you think he will beat New York? What is his strategy?
GARRETT = BYLINE: Yes, Trump thinks he can win in New York, and he said so at his September rally on Long Island.
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DONALD TRUMP: And the reason I’m here is because it hasn’t been done in decades. We’re going to beat New York, which hasn’t been done in a long time.
GARRETT, BYLINE: In 2016 and 2020, the former president lost the Empire State by about 23 points, and the latest polling average has her trailing Harris by 15 points. Nevertheless, the Trump campaign is pouring significant resources and star power into tonight’s rally at Madison Square Garden.
FREYER: So if New York isn’t involved with President Trump, why is it investing so much in this event?
GARRETT = BYLINE: Well, tonight’s guest list gives us some clues as to why. Tonight, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and New York State Representative Elise Stefanik will join President Trump on stage. Republicans won several races between Long Island and Syracuse during the 2022 midterm elections, narrowly gaining a majority in the House. This year, five New York state Republicans are defending their seats in very tight races against Democrats. So while Trump may not be able to win New York, his campaign is working hard to ensure that Republicans maintain the House majority.
Freyer: OK, let’s move on to the Democratic Party. How is Harris spending his last week on the campaign trail?
Garrett = Signed: Today, Harris is traveling through Pennsylvania, perhaps the most important battleground state. Harris has been meeting with congregations from the West Philadelphia Congress of Black Churches as part of the “Souls to the Polls” campaign. The vice president is also spending a lot of time at local barbershops, speaking directly to young black men, the voters the Harris campaign is really counting on. Polls show young black men are increasingly interested and supporting Trump and his campaign. Cedric Richmond, co-chair of the Harris-Waltz campaign, told NPR that he hopes black men will rally around Harris because of her economic vision. Richmond says this election will be decided by black men.
CEDRIC RICHMOND: And the message to African-American men, black men is, hey, you have a chance here to take your future into your own hands and decide what you want. That’s it. And because you guys are a very important voting bloc and this race is going to be close, you have a chance to make a difference here and a chance to decide who wins this campaign.
GARRETT = BYLINE: And Harris is holding a rally in Philadelphia tonight. And on Tuesday, Harris is scheduled to deliver closing arguments at the Ellipse on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The rally follows President Trump’s lead in the march to the U.S. Capitol that turned violent on January 6, 2021. will be held at the same location. The vice president will focus on “turning the page and moving the country forward,” the campaign said.
Freya: Luke, what stands out to you most about the last few days of the presidential campaign?
GARRETT, BYLINE: Both Ms. Harris and Mr. Trump have little time left to get before voters, offer a vision for the future and urge Americans to take the time to vote. So these last days are a time to go big or go home. The Harris campaign has been doing this with rallies featuring superstars like Beyoncé and Bruce Springsteen, all hoping to garner votes. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign is making noise tonight with a rally at Madison Square Garden, a place steeped in political history. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered one of his most important speeches in New York as he rallied against the establishment. Three years later, in 1939, nearly 20,000 people gathered here for a pro-Hitler rally. And in 1962, Marilyn Monroe sang Happy Birthday to 45-year-old President John F. Kennedy.
Freya: Wow, there’s a lot of history there. That’s NPR’s Luke Garrett. thanks so much.
Garrett = Signed: Thank you.
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