Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump are trading barbs as they vie for crucial support from swing states ahead of the 2024 US presidential election. Harris raised concerns about Trump’s physical ability to perform presidential duties, drawing a parallel to the situation of 81-year-old President Joe Biden, who faced similar scrutiny before withdrawing from his re-election bid.
Harris expressed doubts about 78-year-old Trump during a news conference on Friday, highlighting reports of him skipping interviews and debates due to fatigue. “It should be a concern. If he can’t handle the rigors of the campaign trail, is he fit to do the job?” she questioned before a rally in Grand Rapids. “That’s a legitimate question.”
Trump, speaking to reporters in Detroit, dismissed Harris’ comments. “I’ve gone 48 days now without a rest,” he asserted. “I’m not even tired. I’m really exhilarated. You know why? We’re killing her in the polls because the American people don’t want her.”
With just 18 days left until the election, both Harris and Trump are focusing on dominating seven key states that will likely decide the outcome. Trump, in a Fox & Friends interview, criticized negative television ads against him on Fox News and mentioned he would ask Rupert Murdoch, founder of News Corp, to stop airing such ads until Election Day on November 5. “I’m going to say, ‘Rupert, please do it this way and then we’re going to have a victory, cause everyone wants that,'” Trump stated.
In Michigan, Trump sought to garner support from Arab Americans, promising peace in the Middle East under his leadership. “We all ultimately want one thing. We want peace in the Middle East. We’re going to get peace in the Middle East. It’s going to happen very fast. It can happen with the right leadership in Washington,” he said without providing further details.
Harris and Trump are fiercely contesting the state’s Arab American, senior, union, and working-class voters. Trump narrowly won Michigan by 11,000 votes in 2016, but Biden turned the tables in 2020, beating Trump by 155,000 votes.
Harris is adjusting her campaign strategy to attract more Republicans and men of all races. She is also enlisting the help of popular former first lady Michelle Obama, who will campaign for her in Michigan on October 26.
Nationally, Harris’ lead over Trump has narrowed from a late September advantage of 7 percentage points to just 3 points, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling. High food and rent prices remain a concern for Americans, while Trump is amplifying fears related to migrants crossing the US-Mexico border with increasingly extreme rhetoric.
As the election approaches, both candidates are intensifying their efforts to sway undecided voters in these pivotal states, with the outcome likely to hinge on their ability to address key issues and appeal to a broad electorate.
