It’s Monday — welcome back! Who dressed their children and pets in adorable costumes this past weekend?! I would LOVE to see photos. Here’s what’s happening eight days out from the election:
- One of Trump’s warmup speakers in NYC called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage,” sparking bipartisan backlash.
- It wasn’t just one speaker. Several of Trump’s opening acts made vulgar and racist comments.
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Bruce Springsteen and Maggie Rogers are campaigning for Harris today.
- Trump is campaigning in Georgia; Harris is in Michigan.
I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. |
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That was like Thanksgiving dinner with that one great uncle who makes off-color jokes: |
With just more than a week until Election Day, former President Trump held a rally in deep blue New York City, an area he's highly unlikely to ever win. The rally has been getting a lot of attention, but not from the main act himself.
Trump loyalists spewed racist and vulgar remarks during the warm-up, hurling insults at Puerto Rico, Vice President Harris, Palestinians and more. For example:
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who goes by Kill Tony, made derogatory remarks about Puerto Rico: “There’s a lot going on. Like I don’t know if you know this but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico.” ^This line has angered a lot of people on both sides of the aisle.
Hinchliffe also made vulgar comments about Latinos "making babies": 📹 Watch the clip
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Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson insulted Harris’s heritage: “It’s gonna be pretty hard [for Democrats] … to look in the eye to America with a straight face … and say, ‘You know what? Kamala Harris, she got 85 million votes because she’s just so impressive. As the first Samoan-Malaysian low-IQ former California prosecutor ever to be elected president,’” Carlson said sarcastically. 📹 Watch Carlson’s remarks
- Former Trump White House aide Stephen Miller on America: “America is for Americans and Americans only.”
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From New York City radio host Sid Rosenberg: “She is some sick b------, that Hillary Clinton. What a sick son of a b----. The whole f---ing party. A bunch of degenerates. Jew-haters and low lives, every one of them.” 📹 Watch the clip
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💡 Why this matters: It was an interesting choice to prioritize New York City over a battleground in the final week of the dead-even campaign. But what’s more interesting is the content of the rally. It wasn’t directed at undecided, independent, battleground voters. Instead, it was red meat for his most loyal supporters filled with controversial remarks.
Read more: ‘5 takeaways from Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally’ Related — ‘Trump at the Garden: A Closing Carnival of Grievances, Misogyny and Racism’: The New York Times |
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➤ HOW THE COMMENTS ARE PLAYING: |
The derogatory comments, particularly about Puerto Rico, have sparked bipartisan backlash.
The Trump campaign distanced itself from the comedian's remarks. “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” senior adviser Danielle Alvarez said in a statement.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said the comments are “not funny” and “not true,” arguing that Hinchcliffe’s joke “bombed for a reason.” Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (R-Fla.) posted that Puerto Rico is “home to many of the most patriotic Americans I know.” More GOP reactions
Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny reposted a video from Harris, where she admonishes the comments about the island. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) equated the rally to “mini January 6 rallies" and “mini Stop the Steal rallies." 📹 Watch the clip
Senior Harris campaign aide David Plouffe called it “remarkable” the Trump’s opening speakers “are all creating controversy and content that will hurt him,” Plouffe posted on X. And New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) told MSNBC that she thinks Trump’s MSG rally was a “white flag of surrender.”
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➤ TRUMP HAS MADE SIMILARLY CONTROVERSIAL COMMENTS: |
During an Arizona rally last week, Trump compared America to a “garbage can for the world,” referring to immigrants. |
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➤ MORE READS FROM THE TRAIL: |
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➤ WHEN WILL WE KNOW THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION?: |
It took five days for the 2020 presidential race to be called, but it may not take that long this year.
Why 2020 took so long: There was a huge surge in 2020 mail-in voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some key states weren’t prepared to handle it.
That doesn’t necessarily mean we will know the outcome on election night, but it’s something to keep in mind. Read Jared Gans’s explainer |
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➤ WHERE DOES POLLING STAND?: |
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🍫 Celebrate: Today is National Chocolate Day! 🏐 Do you play Connections?: The Athletic and The New York Times are launching a sports themed version of the popular Connections game.
🧠 If you hate remembering all of your passwords: Vox’s Adam Clark Estes writes how passwords may be a thing of the past because of passkeys. Read the explainer |
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The House and Senate are out. President Biden will return to Washington, and Vice President Harris is in Michigan. (all times Eastern) |
- 1:20 p.m.: Biden returns from Delaware.
- 2:20 p.m.: Harris campaigns in Saginaw, Mich. 💻 Livestream
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3 p.m.: Biden thanks service members who provided support in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
- 3 p.m.: Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) campaigns in Wausau, Wis. 💻 Livestream
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3 p.m.: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) campaigns in Waukesha, Wis. 💻 Livestream
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3:45 p.m.: Biden calls elected officials impacted by Hurricane Helene to discuss recovery and rebuilding efforts.
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4 p.m.: Former President Trump is interviewed at the National Faith Summit in Atlanta. 💻 Livestream
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5 p.m.: Second gentleman Doug Emhoff speaks in Pittsburgh. 💻 Livestream
- 5:20 p.m.: Harris campaigns in Macomb County, Mich. 💻 Livestream
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5:30 p.m.: Biden speaks at a Diwali reception at the White House. 💻 Livestream
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6 p.m.: Trump campaigns in Atlanta. 💻 Livestream
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6:30 p.m.: Vance campaigns in Racine, Wis. 💻 Livestream
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7 p.m.: Former President Obama and singer Bruce Springsteen campaign for Harris in Philadelphia. 💻 Livestream
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7:15 p.m.: Harris and Walz campaign with singer Maggie Rogers in Ann Arbor, Mich. 💻 Livestream
- 10:20 p.m.: Harris returns to Washington.
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If you’ve made it this far, check out this otter making ice chips look delectable. |
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