Warning issued by Harris, highlighting Trump's allegedly unstable pursuit of complete authority.
The vice president warned on Monday that the ex-president was "unstable," "unbalanced," and seeking "unrestricted power," as she stimulated a sense of urgency within her campaign with just 21 days remaining.
She urged the public to attend his rallies and pay attention to his words, asserting that his actions and rhetoric revealed his true intentions if he were to be re-elected as president.
Meanwhile, Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz went a step further, suggesting that the ex-president's musings about using the military against domestic adversaries he labeled as "enemies within" could even amount to treason.
Harris and her team also heavily questioned the ex-president's mental capacity and ability to serve another term, shifting the focus back onto the Republican nominee who had previously levied similar accusations against President Joe Biden.
To address concerns about her allegedly sluggish momentum, Harris announced a major new initiative to attract Black male voters, amid growing apprehensions that Trump was making inroads into a vital Democratic support base or that they might not cast their votes.
In an effort to win over Republicans disillusioned with the ex-president, Harris also announced that she would participate in her first formal interview with Fox News, previously avoiding unscripted events to distinguish herself from Trump's constant presence in conservative media.
A contest for Pennsylvania
Harris' attempts to control the pace of the election's climax came as both candidates campaigned in contrasting corners of Pennsylvania. This critical swing state, which holds 19 electoral votes, could potentially tip the scales in determining the White House winner. Like several other battleground states, Pennsylvania is currently considered a toss-up, according to recent polls.
Harris is navigating the final stretch of her political career under intense scrutiny. The choices she makes in the following three weeks will be closely watched by undecided voters and those still deliberating over their vote. She must also rouse wavering or disenchanted Democratic-leaning voters who may not show up to vote on Election Day.
Beyond this, Harris is confronted with one of the most challenging political assignments in decades, having taken over from Biden as the Democratic candidate just a few months prior to the election. She must persuade a dissatisfied electorate that she is a change agent, despite being associated with an unpopular administration. Simultaneously, she must dismantle Trump's formidable campaign, which has demonstrated that he will stop at little to regain power.
However, Harris' attempts to clinch a victory against Trumps are facing complications due to his refusal to participate in a second debate following her strong performance in their initial encounter in September, which provided her campaign with a significant boost.
'You've heard his words'
In a new segment of her stump speech, Harris played a recording for her enthusiastic crowd in Erie, featuring Trump's statement on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" that he might use the National Guard or regular military against "the enemy within."
"You've heard his words," Harris said. "He's talking about the enemy within Pennsylvania...he considers anybody who doesn't support him or who will not submit to his will as an enemy of our country." The vice president added: "Donald Trump is growing increasingly unstable and unhinged, and he is seeking unrestricted power."
Before Harris took the stage, her running mate unveiled the most explicit assessment yet by the Democratic ticket of Trump's potential threat to fundamental political freedoms if he were to win a second term. Walz, the Minnesota governor, expressed his discomfort at the idea of a president using troops against U.S. citizens.
And Walz highlighted a comment by the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, that Trump was a "fascist at his core," which was reported in Bob Woodward's new book "War." Walz concluded: "Take that to heart, and don't be afraid to say it, because that's exactly who he is. That's exactly who he is."
Trump's vice presidential nominee JD Vance, however, defended his candidate's comments. "Is it justifiable to use those resources if they're rioting and looting and destroying cities? Of course it is," the Ohio senator said in Minneapolis. "I think it depends on what's really happening."
As Democratic rhetoric against Trump intensifies, Democrats are starting to consider the possible consequences of the ex-president winning a close election and securing a second term that is likely to be even less constrained than his first. Former President Barack Obama set the tone during his own visit to Pennsylvania last week.
Harris hinted in an interview with Roland Martin that Trump had something to hide. "He won't debate me again. I've released my medical records, but he refuses to reveal his medical records. And you must wonder what his team is hiding, why they're hesitant, as if he's not fit, not stable, and not ready for the level of transparency required by the American people."
In an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," second gentleman Doug Emhoff questioned the ex-president's mental and physical condition. Like his wife, he cited Trump's decision to back out of a "60 Minutes" interview and stated, "It's evident just by observing him, listening to him, you can perceive the deterioration before your eyes."
He added: "He's becoming a diminished version of already a terrible person, and he's just getting progressively worse."
At her rally in Erie, Harris put on a lively show, attempting to assuage Democratic fears that her surge in popularity following her takeover from Biden in July hasn't resulted in a substantial lead over the former president.
"We're going to win, we're going to win," she declared, grinning widely.
Erie County, situated in the far northwestern corner of Pennsylvania, serves as a microcosm of the broader national battle between Harris and Trump in the upcoming three weeks. Biden won the county by a margin of 1% in 2020, while Trump clinched the county by almost 2,000 votes in 2016, en route to the White House. The city of Erie is a Democratic stronghold, but the competition between Harris and Trump will be fierce amongst moderate voters in the suburbs. Trump aims to secure substantial margins in rural and farming communities.
The impeached ex-president made an appearance at a town hall in Oaks, northeast of Philadelphia, with South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who enjoys significant popularity in the conservative media circuit.
The event centered around issues like living costs and housing, which Trump's team believes are key to securing the election. The most pressing question before undecided voters in the coming days is whether the financial strain faced by many American families, such as high grocery prices, will outweigh apprehensions over Trump's extremism and threats to democracy.
Harris wasn't the only candidate catering to a crucial demographic on Monday. (She announced plans to enhance finance access for Black men looking to establish businesses and a health initiative to increase screenings for conditions disproportionately affecting the community). Trump aimed to make inroads with young men, who are typically low-turnout voters, but could potentially bolster his voter base.
He joined the Nelk Boys' "Full Send" podcast, which boasts over 2 million subscribers on YouTube, and discussed UFC martial arts stars with ease and authenticity, a trait appreciated by many voters. He also hinted at a potential appearance on Joe Rogan's widely popular podcast, the latest instance of both candidates leveraging non-traditional media outlets to reach potential voters who often don't cast ballots.
In response to the ex-president's comments about using military forces against domestic adversaries, Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz suggested that this could be considered treason. The Vice President Kamala Harris strongly criticized the ex-president's actions and rhetoric, stating that his behavior revealed his true intentions if he were to be re-elected as president and questioned his mental capacity to serve another term, highlighting politics as a key concern.
