US Elections #1: Closing Argument Speech by Kamala Harris on October 29, 2024, in Washington D.C.
In this series of articles about the US elections, we will cover the American general elections that will take place on November 5 by looking into both candidates, their campaigns, platforms, and policy proposals. The results will subsequently be analyzed, as well as their impacts. Finally, conferences, speeches and other important events will be covered. Welcome to Washington D.C. for the first stop of our series, in the heart of the American political system.
Author: Max Cocard
Close to 75,000 people gathered at the Ellipse, behind the White House, in Washington D.C., on Tuesday evening in order to attend one of Kamala Harris’ last campaign speeches before the decisive November 5 elections.
The mild weather and cloudless sky allowed for a smooth campaign event, only marginally impacted by a relatively small pro-Palestinian protest, demanding an arms embargo on Israel. The stage was set with countless American flags waved by the spectators as well as the sign “Freedom” everywhere. The symbolism of the location was particularly striking, as it was here that Donald Trump held his speech leading to the January 6 events in 2021.
Young, old, men and women all gathered to listen to who could be America’s first ever female president. Hats, t-shirts, pins and other merch supporting the Harris-Waltz campaign were omnipresent. Security personnel and journalists were also significant in numbers.
A Strategic Build-Up to Vice President Harris’ Appearance
The first hour included music, campaign videos and extracts, the national anthem, as well as campaign speeches by seemingly “regular” Americans, carefully selected by the Democrats to talk about specific issues.
They covered key electoral themes, from abortion rights, small businesses, the economy, and military veterans to healthcare, the cost of living, January 6, and agriculture. They drew on the personal stories of citizens directly touched by these issues and highlighted how the Harris campaign could help them in their daily lives. Most importantly, they mentioned key swing states such as Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania, where the outcome of the elections is ultimately going to be decided. Their messages, addressed to the D.C. crowd, seemed aimed at a national audience.
Finally, the national anthem was performed right before Kamala Harris made her way onto the stage. The current vice-president and Democratic candidate delivered a powerful speech, despite the fact that this marked the final leg of her all-consuming campaign filled with near-daily appearances on her trail throughout the United States these past few weeks. With a regular and controlled flow she addressed the D.C. crowd in a thirty-minute speech, only interrupted by enthusiastic chants such as “USA, USA, USA”, “Kamala, Kamala, Kamala”, and “We are not going back”.
The Harris Campaign’s Key Themes, as Outlined in her Speech
The themes tackled throughout her speech were unsurprisingly the same as during the rest of her campaign. She began with a reminder of how crucial this year’s elections would be for the United States. She stated: “this election is more than just a choice between two parties and candidates. It is a choice between whether we have a country in freedom or ruled by chaos and division”.
One of the key takeaways of her speech was the description of Trump as dangerous for democracy, as well as for American citizens. At the very place where January 6 occurred nearly four years prior, she reminded everyone that Trump encouraged this “armed mob” and that he has an “enemies list”, as opposed to her “to-do list”.
She then called for a new generation of leadership, willing to listen to the people and compromise.This willingness would include working with all parties, including Republicans and independents. She dedicated her campaign to “Americans who are working hard and still struggling everyday”. Thus, she opposed further tax cuts for the rich–as was the case under the Trump Administration–and proposed a federal ban on price gouging for groceries in order to honor the dignity of work. She also addressed housing and its financial pressure on middle-class families, as well as proposed an expansion of MEDICARE.
Youth was another central theme of her speech, with a proposed child tax credit in order to lift American children out of poverty, as well as efforts to lower the cost of childcare.
Another key element concerned women’s rights and bodily autonomy. Harris expressed her desire to fight to restore the right to abortion in all US states, as currently 1/3rd of women in America live in a state with abortion bans since the controversial 2022 Supreme Court ruling Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. She specifically claimed that Trump, on the other hand, would further seek to “monitor women’s pregnancies”. With a message addressed to religious Americans, she made it clear that “one does not have to abandon their faith to simply agree the government should not interfere in women’s lives”.
Harris also expressed strong positions regarding immigration and foreign affairs. She argued in favor of compromises regarding the border situation, emphasizing the need for both parties to work together to find solutions. She promised to fight against the chaos and violence caused by transnational criminal organizations and pledged to “prosecute the cartels”. At the same time, she stressed the need for an immigration reform allowing for an earned pathway to citizenship. Regarding foreign affairs, “as commander in chief, [she] will make sure that America has the strongest, most lethal force in the world”, as well as ensure that US soldiers are properly honored and respected, all the while strengthening “America’s global leadership” alongside strategic allies.
The American Public Reacts in the Final Leg of her Campaign
Her “closing argument speech” was intended to demonstrate her superiority over her Republican rival, in front of the overall sympathetic D.C. crowd–already widely in support of her policy proposals–but also addressing the rest of the United States watching her address on live television. Her concluding remarks insisted that “Trump will cause more chaos, divisions, and policies which only benefit the ones at the very top”. On the contrary, she pledges to “seek common ground and common-sense solutions”. Constructing a narrative, rooted in the American dream of ideals of freedom and opportunity, that she herself experienced, she describes her candidacy as one overcoming “fractions and divisions” in addition to “fighting for the people”, regardless of whether she has their vote.
Most spectators seemed convinced by her performance, as most of them were already Democratic partisans:
It was Isabella’s* first time at a presidential rally, as this is the first time she has the right to vote. She believes that the results are going to be close and that scares her, especially regarding potential claims of “a stolen election” and “backlash, regardless of who wins”. Finally, Inauguration Day and potential protests are also elements of concern. Overall, she considers the rally was a great experience and was especially pleased by the diversity of Democratic supporters forming an overall “bigger and more supportive community”.
Peter* believes that Kamala Harris is much calmer, more moderate and–simply put–“more normal” than Donald Trump. Both candidates’ campaign rhetoric has been too aggressive for his liking with personal attacks being the norm rather than the exception. He believes that these elections are very important for the near future of the world. Due to Peter’s family’s European roots, he also cares about the future of transatlantic relations, especially regarding NATO and the Eastern front. Yet, despite the historic importance of these elections, Peter expresses his belief in the bureaucracy and administration doing their job–regardless of the winner–and serving as “safeguards for democracy”, if needed.
Katelyn* came because she “thought it would be important to support Kamala, given how close the race is”. She is also uncertain and scared about the results and “really hopes that Kamala will win”. She liked Harris’s speech although she wonders if it would have been more useful to solely focus on swing states and perhaps skip D.C. this close to the election’s date.
Key issues of the interviewed people were mostly reproductive rights (including, but not limited to birth control and access to abortion), as well as safeguarding democracy and opposing Republicans’ Project 2025.The final, prioritized issue for interviewees was the promotion of economic growth, especially for those “struggling to finish the month and to afford basic necessities”, as Katelyn* explained.
*All names have been altered to preserve anonymity.
In this series, we cover the US elections in detail. Stay tuned for more information as the elections approach.
