WASHINGTON ― In her final appeal against Donald Trump’s potential return to the presidency, Kamala Harris labeled her Republican opponent as “consumed with grievance” and positioned herself as an advocate for the needs of American citizens. This speech, delivered on Tuesday night, was framed as a “closing argument” leading up to next week’s election.

Harris aimed to create a stark contrast between her and Trump to win over undecided voters in seven closely contested battleground states. The campaign reported that approximately 75,000 participants gathered at the Ellipse on the National Mall, marking it as the largest event of Harris’ campaign.

“America, we know what Donald Trump has in store for us: more chaos, more division, and policies that benefit only the wealthiest, while harming everyone else,” Harris stated during her 30-minute speech, as Trump held a rally in Pennsylvania. “I present a different direction.”

However, Harris’ message was swiftly overshadowed by President Joe Biden, who undermined one of her central themes of unity by seemingly referring to Trump’s supporters as “garbage” at a separate campaign event.

Here are six key insights from the speech:

‘We know who Donald Trump is,’ Harris insists

Harris characterized Trump, the Republican candidate, as a spiteful “petty tyrant” focused solely on his interests and “unchecked power,” asserting that he would bring an “enemies list” to the White House, whereas she would come with a “to-do list” of concerns to address.

“Look, we are aware of who Donald Trump is,” Harris remarked. “He is the individual who stood at this very location almost four years ago and incited an armed mob to storm the United States Capitol to overturn the outcome of a legitimate election.”

By choosing the Ellipse for her speech, Harris not only referenced the events of January 6, when Trump supporters attempted to disrupt the certification of Biden’s election victory but also aimed to remind the public of the seriousness of presidential duties, according to the Democratic campaign.

Harris remarked that one of Trump’s major goals is to “free the violent extremists” responsible for the January 6 incident, alluding to his pledge to “absolutely” pardon convicted felons if they are found innocent. She criticized Trump for labeling his opponents as “the enemy within.”

“This is not a presidential candidate thinking about how to improve your life,” Harris stated. “Donald Trump has spent ten years trying to keep Americans divided and fearful of one another. That is who he is, but America, I stand before you tonight to affirm that is not what we stand for.”

A call for unity and ‘locking arms’

Harris advocated for unity, arguing that while Trump insults and endangers his opponents, she would offer them a collaborative approach.

“I don’t see those who disagree with me as enemies,” Harris said. “He aims to imprison them. I, on the other hand, will welcome them at the table.”

This appeal appeared directed towards Republican voters who are disenchanted with Trump but remain undecided about casting their vote for a Democrat. Throughout her campaign, Harris has pointed out her backing from former Republican U.S. Representative Liz Cheney and over 230 former officials from prior Republican administrations.

“We must cease the blame game and begin to join forces,” Harris urged. “It’s time to move beyond the drama, the conflict, the fear, and division. A new generation of leadership is required in America.”

Harris made a commitment to her doubters.

“To be candid, I am not flawless. I do make mistakes,” Harris admitted. “But here’s my guarantee: I will always be open to listening to you, even if you choose not to vote for me. I will always be truthful with you, even when the truth is hard to deliver.”

Biden undermines message, sparking GOP backlash

However, the unity theme of Harris’ message faced a setback from comments made that same night by Biden, who did not attend the event and has been largely absent from Harris’ campaign activities.

During a campaign call aimed at Latino voters, Biden appeared to criticize Trump, stating, “The way he demonizes Latinos is immoral and goes against American values.”

Biden’s comments were in response to a controversial joke made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at a Trump rally in New York’s Madison Square Garden, where he referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating pile of garbage.”

Republicans quickly pounced on Biden’s comments. Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaking at a Trump rally in Allentown, Pa., said, “Just now, Joe Biden suggested that our supporters are garbage. We are not garbage; we are patriots who love America.”

In an effort to clarify, Biden later stated that he was referring to the comedian, a supporter of Trump, when he used the term “garbage.” He said, “Today, I was talking about the hateful comments regarding Puerto Rico made by a supporter of Trump, which I can only describe as garbage. The way he demonizes Latinos is unacceptable, and that’s all I intended. Those comments do not represent our nation’s values.”

Targeting a small group of undecided voters

A spokesperson for the Trump campaign, Karoline Leavitt, criticized Vice President Harris’ speech, accusing her of “lying, name-calling, and focusing on the past” to deflect from the failures of the Biden-Harris administration.

Before the speech, the Harris campaign indicated that their closing argument was directed at two distinct groups of undecided voters, totaling about 3% to 5% of the electorate, who could tip a tightly contested election.

One group is the “persuade to participate” voters, as described by a Harris official to YSL News. This includes younger voters, voters of color, and others who are considering supporting Harris but need further motivation. This group is often referred to as “low-information voters” who aren’t closely following the campaign’s daily developments.

The second group consists of more informed traditional swing voters—independents and Republicans from suburban regions who may have backed Nikki Haley in the GOP primaries against Trump but have not yet pledged their support to Harris.

Jen O’Malley Dillon, Harris campaign chair, told reporters, “These are the very voters we’ve been reaching out to consistently. We believe there’s a real chance to win over support from Trump backers from the past.”

Introduction at the eleventh hour

Harris acknowledged the unique context of this election, noting that she became the Democratic nominee only 100 days ago after Biden withdrew from the race.

With just days remaining until Election Day, she has organized a brief campaign to introduce herself to voters—yet still many claim they don’t know enough about her.

“I understand this hasn’t been a usual campaign,” Harris said, eliciting some laughter from the audience. “Many of you might still be getting to know who I am.”

She emphasized her experience outside Washington, stating, “I know that good ideas don’t solely emerge from here.” Harris highlighted her achievements as a prosecutor fighting against “bad actors and influential interests.”

“What I learned from my mother was a relentless pursuit to hold accountable those who misuse their resources or power to exploit others and the determination to protect hard-working Americans who often go unnoticed and deserve to be heard.”

Harris on Biden: ‘My presidency will be unique’

In her address, Harris aimed to tackle a recurring question about her campaign: how her presidency would differ from Biden’s administration over the last four years.

“I will bring my personal experiences and fresh ideas to the Oval Office. My presidency will be different because the challenges we face are distinct,” Harris stated.

She recalled that when Biden and she took office in January 2021, the nation’s priority was addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and revitalizing the economy. “Now our greatest challenge is to reduce costs, which were on the rise even before the pandemic, and they remain too high. I understand this,” Harris added.

She has been navigating the tightrope of establishing her own identity while remaining loyal to President Biden, whose approval ratings have remained low for much of his time in office.

Concluding her speech with a patriotic message, Harris paid tribute to those who fought in Normandy and for civil rights and women’s equality.

“They didn’t fight, sacrifice, or give their lives for us to surrender our fundamental freedoms. They didn’t do that just to see us submit to the wishes of a petty tyrant,” she remarked, referencing Trump.

“In these United States of America, we are not meant to be pawns in the schemes of power-hungry wannabe dictators. The United States of America is the greatest idea humanity has ever envisioned,” Harris proclaimed.