New York, United States | AFP | Monday 10/27/2024 – Donald Trump filled the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York with red caps on Sunday, where he presented himself as the savior of the United States “destroyed” by Kamala Harris, during a meeting marked by insults against Puerto Ricans which caused a lot of reaction.
“You have destroyed the country (…) Kamala, you are fired, go away!”, launched the Republican, who was counting on “the most famous arena in the world”, with a capacity of 20,000 places, to demonstrate its popularity in the heart of New York, a Democratic and progressive bastion.
Conversely, Kamala Harris opted on Sunday for small events, almost door-to-door, in Philadelphia with an emphasis on black and Latino communities to build up votes in one of the seven contested states. which will be decisive in the election on November 5 with the outcome still uncertain.
In New York, where he was born and made his fortune in real estate – several skyscrapers there bear his name -, before being condemned several times by civil and criminal courts, Donald Trump promised to “repair ” what “Kamala broke”, during a meeting where, a rare event in the campaign, he was introduced by his wife and former first lady of the United States Melania Trump, who has been discreet until now.
Among the room drivers, between Elon Musk, Robert Francis Kennedy Jr, the wrestler Hulk Hogan, or the former ultraconservative Fox News host Tucker Carlson, a comedian, Tony Hinchcliffe, stood out by comparing Puerto Rico, many of which natives reside in New York, on “a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean.”
– Crucifix –
The sequence was quickly denounced on social networks, notably by the candidate’s campaign team, which went to a Puerto Rican restaurant in Philadelphia on Sunday.
And several Puerto Rican stars, such as the prince of reggaeton Bad Bunny, and Ricky Martin, have shown their support for Kamala Harris by relaying videos of the Democrat on Instagram.
“This is what they think of us,” wrote Ricky Martin, referring to Donald Trump’s rally. And to add to his 18 million subscribers: “vote for @kamalaharris”.
At the podium, one of Donald Trump’s hard-right advisors, Stephen Miller, also said that “America is for Americans and Americans only”, while a conservative activist described Kamala Harris as a “antichrist” and brandished a crucifix in front of the applauding crowd.
Using provocations to overwhelm his adversaries with all evil, Donald Trump once again accused Kamala Harris, an “incompetent” vice-president, of having opened the floodgates to America to bring in millions of “criminal” migrants.
He also promised to make the cost of living “affordable again in America”, promising tax cuts, while inflation is handicapping the economic record of the Democratic administration.
“He did a lot for us, people have hope,” said Gail Lopez, 55, among the crowds crowding in front of the enclosure, sometimes several hours in advance. And added: “I think he will end the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East”, as promised by the billionaire, who at 78 would be the oldest president in the history of the United States to take office if elected.
– “Real fear” –
The 60-year-old vice-president, a former prosecutor, promised to draw up her own “indictment” against Trump on Tuesday a stone’s throw from the White House, in the very place where the latter had harangued his supporters on January 6, 2021 just before They don’t attack the Capitol.
“I’m doing it here, because I think it’s very important for the American people to think about who will occupy the Oval Office on January 20,” she explained in an interview on CBS on Sunday, referring to the “danger” represented by Donald Trump and his policies.
“We must not wake up the day after the election and have regrets,” she said on Sunday in Philadelphia.
In the big Pennsylvania city, she campaigned neighborhood after neighborhood, hugging voters, cuddling babies and greeting customers in businesses to grab every possible vote.
The day before, she took the stage with Michelle Obama, one of America’s favorite personalities.
The former first lady of the United States expressed her “real fear” of seeing Donald Trump return to the White House, who never acknowledged his defeat in 2020 and was indicted by federal justice for attempts to illegally reverse the results of the vote.
