Washington (AFP) – Four years ago, a Washington park became central to one of the most infamous moments in US political history. But on Tuesday, it was packed full of cheering Kamala Harris supporters waving “FREEDOM” signs. Harris’s closing argument to voters took place on the same spot where Donald Trump gave a fiery speech on January 6, 2021, to his backers, who then rioted at the Capitol building to try to undo President Joe Biden’s election win.
Yet on a clear, cool October evening, Harris voter Juanita Russell clapped and danced after the vice president spoke to what her campaign said was a crowd of 75,000, hoping that the past is dead and gone. “(The rally) had to be here. We had to take back this space,” she said of a deeply symbolic site as Trump is a coin-toss election away from potentially returning to the White House. “This is sending a message. Never again,” said the 58-year-old Washington local.
The passions of what has been a divisive and long election campaign, now just days from its November 5 climax, were clear and close to the surface for many at the so-called Ellipse, which is visible from the White House. Sue and Daniel Settle drove 14 hours from midwestern Illinois because they were being driven berserk by TV coverage and social media updates on the election. “We had to do something,” said Daniel, 68.
– ‘Preserve our democracy’ –
The events of January 6 were still very clear in both of their minds, they said, especially that Trump had been impeached but acquitted for his role in the insurrection. The eruption of violence forced them to break their household rule of no TV or computers on Wednesdays. Instead, they spent the day watching in horror. “I think having this rally in this place is important because she’s going to preserve our democracy and not destroy it, like he tried to,” said 67-year-old Sue Settle.
Elsewhere in the line that would at one point stretch over two miles (three kilometers) and force Harris fans to wait for three hours, Craig Bauer fought back tears prompted by the fallout of January 6. “It says that you’re not going to make this a bad place,” the 54-year-old from Virginia added of the choice of rally site. “You’re not going to take this from the American people.”
– ‘Worst fear’ –
Tensions are soaring in the too-close-to-call race, fueled by fears that Trump could again refuse to recognize a defeat, as he did in 2020. He could, of course, also simply come in first. “My worst fear is that Trump wins,” said 42-year-old rally attendee Sam Kitchen, who noted he feels “incredibly nervous” about the outcome of an election that opinion polls suggest is effectively tied. He went on to say that “hopefully we can put that history behind us.”
“The best outcome is Harris wins and it sticks and there’s no violence,” he added. Syaira Liverpool, 21, a student at Washington’s historically Black Howard University, was excited about the rally’s location after casting her first ballot in a presidential election for Harris. “It’s a statement. I really hope people see it that way,” she added, noting the stress of the election is building as the day gets closer. “I’m getting very nervous. I’m not gonna lie,” she said. “But I really do have faith in her.”
© 2024 AFP
