US campaign - Debut in Swing State: Harris attacks Trump in Wisconsin
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris kicked off her campaign in strategically important state Wisconsin and presented herself as an alternative to the Republican candidate Donald Trump. "You all helped us win in 2020, and we will win again in 2024," Harris told cheering supporters in Milwaukee. This was Harris' first major campaign speech in her new role. The U.S. Vice President is launching her bid for the U.S. Presidency with strong support from the Democrats and record amounts of donations.
Wisconsin is a crucial Swing State
Harris couldn't have randomly chosen Wisconsin as her campaign launchpad. This Midwestern U.S. state, which borders the Upper and Michigan lakes, is a so-called Swing State. In these closely contested states, it's not yet clear which candidate, Republican or Democrat, will win. Therefore, these states are pivotal.
Wisconsin, with its nearly six million inhabitants, is agriculturally oriented. Last week, the Republican Party convention took place in Milwaukee, where Harris also spoke - Trump was officially nominated as his party's candidate there. In the 2020 Presidential election, Democrat Joe Biden won in Wisconsin by a hair's breadth against Trump. This race is expected to be extremely close once again.
Unique electoral system in the USA
U.S. Presidents are not directly elected by the citizens but by electors. Their votes almost entirely go to the winner in the respective state, regardless of how close the result was. To enter the White House, a candidate needs 270 electors' votes. In addition to Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, and Georgia are among the closely contested states in the Presidential election on November 5th.
Because of the electoral system, a candidate can receive the most voter votes nationwide but not the most electors. This happened in 2016, when the Democrat Hillary Clinton led in popular votes by over 2.8 million but Trump took the White House.
A recent Ipsos and Reuters poll shows Harris with 44% support nationally, two percentage points ahead of Trump. The difference is within the margin of error and therefore not very meaningful. Given the unique electoral system in the U.S., national polls are merely a temperature gauge. Whether Harris can defeat Trump is uncertain.
Harris presents herself as a tough prosecutor
In her Wisconsin speech, Harris used her biography to score points - she was the District Attorney of San Francisco and the Attorney General of her home state California. "I know Donald Trump's type," she said, hinting that this could be a campaign strategy. "I've taken on the big banks of Wall Street and held them accountable for fraud. Donald Trump was just found guilty of tax fraud in 34 counts," she said.
Trump was found guilty of tax fraud at the end of May. It's the first time in U.S. history that a former President has been convicted of a crime. In her speech, Harris also addressed other legal issues involving the Republicans. "Do we want to live in a country of freedom, compassion, and the rule of law, or in a country of chaos, fear, and hate?" she asked.
Kamala Harris secures a new Trump nickname.
Harris secured the support of Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries prior to this. The ranks of the Democrats had already rallied behind her. In an opinion piece in the "New York Times," former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrote: "I know Kamala Harris can beat Donald Trump."
Estimates from US media suggest that Harris currently has sufficient delegates from the Democrats to be nominated as their candidate. The Democrats will choose their nominee or nominee no later than the Republican Party convention in Chicago, which begins on August 19. Additionally, Harris' team reportedly raised a record amount of donations since Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race on Sunday. CNN referred to it as a "dream start" for the 59-year-old Democrat, but made it clear that the task ahead was "monumental."
Trump lashes out
Trump is trying to prevent Harris from accessing funds that Biden collected while he was still a presidential candidate. Trump's team reportedly filed a complaint with the relevant authority. This step was not surprising. The Republican reportedly told the "New York Times" that he was willing to participate in a TV debate with Harris.
On his platform Truth Social, the 78-year-old insulted his political opponent as "Lyin’ Kamala Harris" - or "Lying Kamala Harris." Previously, he called her "Laughing Kamala" ("Laughing Kamala"), presumably because of Harris' noticeable laughing. Trump frequently coins derogatory nicknames for his rivals. Biden, for example, is referred to as "Sleepy Joe" ("Sleepy Joe"), and Democratic party leader Nancy Pelosi as "Crazy Nancy" ("Crazy Nancy").
"Brat" and "Veep" - Harris is a hit on the net
Harris can currently look forward to support from Hollywood and the music world. Actor George Clooney has thrown his weight behind the Democrat. After Harris' appearance, the song "Freedom" by US superstar Beyoncé was played. CNN reported that Harris had been given permission by Beyoncé to play the song. Singer Charli XCX also reportedly threw her support behind the 59-year-old, sparking a wave of solidarity on the net. The British singer wrote "Kamala IS brat" on the platform X. "Brat" is the title of her new album, and the singer says it represents a certain way of life.
Numerous clips circulated on the internet that reminded people of the TV series "Veep." In the bitterly sarcastic satire, Julia Louis-Dreyfus played a Vice President who eventually became President. The portal "Deadline" reported that the series saw a sudden increase in viewership on the streaming platform Max. "Veep" producer David Mandel urged people to donate to Harris. Trump had previously struggled to secure support from the more liberal entertainment industry. At the Republican Party convention, singer Kid Rock and former wrestler Hulk Hogan performed.
Meeting with Netanyahu
Harris met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, where they discussed various issues, including the ongoing peace process in the Middle East and the Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu expressed his support for Harris, stating that he believed she would make an excellent president. Harris reiterated her commitment to a strong US-Israel relationship and her belief in a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The meeting took place in Washington D.C. and was closed to the press.
In the US capital Washington, business continues as usual. US President Biden returned to the White House after his Corona infection. The 81-year-old intends to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, who will give a speech before the US Congress on this Wednesday. Reports suggest a meeting between Netanyahu and Harris is also planned. The relationship between Netanyahu and Biden is cool - and not just since the Democratic criticism of Netanyahu's military actions in the Gaza Strip.
Republican Trump also announced he would receive Netanyahu - on Friday in Florida. This step in the middle of the campaign is an affront to Biden. Trump repeatedly accuses the Democrat of his alleged leadership weakness leading to the war in Gaza and the Russian aggression war in Ukraine.
Days of the week translation:- Mittwoch (Wednesday)- Donnerstag (Thursday)- Freitag (Friday)
- Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, launched her campaign in Wisconsin, a crucial Swing State, positioning herself as an opponent to Republican candidate Donald Trump.
- Harris' decision to start her campaign in Wisconsin was strategically important, as it's a closely contested state in the US election, where the outcome is yet unclear.
- In her campaign speech in Milwaukee, Harris reminded the audience of her past as a District Attorney and Attorney General, hinting at her experience dealing with Donald Trump's type.
- The 2020 Presidential election saw Donald Trump win in Wisconsin by a narrow margin against Democrat Joe Biden, making the state a highly contested area once again in 2024.
- According to a recent Ipsos and Reuters poll, Kamala Harris leads Trump by 44% to 42%, a difference within the margin of error, making it uncertain whether Harris can defeat Trump in the US election.
- The unique electoral system in the USA allows a candidate to take the White House with a majority of electoral votes, even if they receive fewer overall votes.
- Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race on Sunday, paving the way for Harris to raise significant donations towards her campaign, as reported by CNN.
- Nancy Pelosi, the leader of the Democrats, was referred to by Donald Trump as "Crazy Nancy" in a derogatory manner during the 2016 US election campaign.
- Kamala Harris recently secured the endorsement of former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who wrote in the New York Times that she believed Harris could beat Trump in the US election.
- The Republicans have filed a complaint against Kamala Harris in an attempt to prevent her from accessing funds that were collected during Joe Biden's presidential campaign.
- The US election campaign between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is expected to become a heated and contentious battle, with both sides seeking to secure the 270 electoral votes needed to claim the White House in November.
