Harris gives first campaign speech in swing state Wisconsin

Harris has a lot of support within her party for the Democratic presidential nomination. In the swing state of Wisconsin, she is canvassing voters and attacking her political opponents.

Washington/Milwaukee – Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris ushered in a new phase of the election campaign in her first speech in her new role in the swing state of Wisconsin. “The road to the White House leads through Wisconsin. (…) And to win in Wisconsin, we’re counting on you, right here in Milwaukee,” said Harris at an appearance in Milwaukee. The two Democratic leaders in the US Congress, Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, had previously expressed their full support for the US Vice President in the election campaign.

It is no coincidence that Harris chose the state of Wisconsin for her first appearance. Wisconsin is a so-called swing state – that is, a state that is not firmly assigned to the Republicans or Democrats in the presidential election on November 5. These contested states are particularly important in the election campaign because they are decisive for the election.

Harris takes on Trump

The 59-year-old took a hard line on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in her speech. She referred to her biography as district attorney of San Francisco and attorney general in her home state of California. “I took on the big banks of Wall Street and held them accountable for fraud. Donald Trump was just found guilty of 34 counts of fraud,” she said.

Trump was found guilty at the end of May in a trial for concealing hush money payments to a porn actress. It is the first time in US history that a former president has been convicted of a crime. In her speech, the US Vice President also addressed other legal problems of the Republican.

New tailwind for Harris

“In this election, we are all faced with the question of what kind of country we want to live in,” Harris shouted. “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?” After Harris’ performance, the song “Freedom” by US superstar Beyoncé was played. US broadcaster CNN reported that Harris had received permission from Beyoncé to play the song.

The campaigner received fresh support from the US Congress. At a joint appearance with the Democratic minority leader in the House of Representatives, Jeffries, the Democratic majority leader in the Senate, Schumer, said: “We are here today to express our support for Vice President Kamala Harris.” Harris will soon be the Democratic candidate and will be elected president on November 5, he predicted.

George Clooney is once again involved in the election campaign

There was also support from prominent quarters. Hollywood star George Clooney is supporting the possible replacement candidate after US President Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race. “President Biden has shown what true leadership means. He is once again saving democracy,” the actor wrote in a statement that was made available to US broadcaster CNN and the New York Times, among others. “We look forward to supporting Vice President Harris in her historic task to the best of our ability.”

In a widely read piece in the New York Times in mid-July, the 63-year-old called on Biden to withdraw from the presidential race. Biden was too old and had not appeared fit at a fundraising gala in Hollywood a few weeks earlier. The harsh opinion piece by the actor, who also supports the Democrats financially, caused a great stir.

Both Biden and Trump meet Netanyahu

Biden announced his withdrawal from the US election campaign by letter on Sunday and suggested his vice president Harris as his replacement candidate. The Democrat had spent almost a week in isolation in his private home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, due to a corona infection. He returned to Washington on Tuesday. His doctor said the 81-year-old’s symptoms had completely subsided. Biden plans to comment on his withdrawal from the presidential race in a speech to the nation on Wednesday evening (local time).

The White House published a new schedule for the Democrat. It also included an appointment with Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. The mood between Biden and Netanyahu has recently been tense because of the Gaza war. Netanyahu is currently on a trip to the USA and plans to give a speech to Congress in Washington on Wednesday. Because of Biden’s corona illness, it was unclear for a long time whether the two would meet in person.

Republican Trump also announced a meeting with Netanyahu. He said he was looking forward to welcoming Netanyahu to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, he wrote on his online mouthpiece Truth Social. The move in the middle of the election campaign is an affront to Biden. Trump repeatedly accuses the Democrat of his alleged lack of leadership leading to the war in Gaza and the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. dpa