GOP leaders McConnell and Johnson say Harris’ campaign rhetoric has “fanned the flames beneath a boiling cauldron of political animus”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Mike Johnson, the top Republicans in Congress, criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for recent comments made about former President Donald Trump on the campaign trail, warning that they invite political violence.
“Vice President Harris may want the American people to entrust her with the sacred duty of executive authority,” they said in a joint statement. “But first, she must abandon the base and irresponsible rhetoric that endangers both American lives and institutions.”
The Republicans were responding to Harris calling Trump a “fascist” during a CNN town hall on Wednesday. Her characterization of her opponent in the presidential race echoed criticism from John Kelly, Trump’s former White House chief of staff, who told the New York Times that the former president met the definition of a fascist.
Labeling a political opponent as a ‘fascist,’ risks inviting yet another would-be assassin to try robbing voters of their choice before Election Day,” McConnell and Johnson said.
They said Harris’ warning against political violence after a second assassination attempt against Trump in September rings hollow.
“In the weeks since that second sobering reminder, the Democratic nominee for president of the United States has only fanned the flames beneath a boiling cauldron of political animus,” the Republican congressional leaders said. “Her most recent and most reckless invocations of the darkest evil of the 20th century seem to dare it to boil over. The vice president’s words more closely resemble those of President Trump’s second would-be assassin than her own earlier appeal to civility.”
More than 32 million people have cast ballots during early voting
With early voting underway in all seven battleground states and in another three dozen states, millions of Americans have cast their ballots already.
More than 32 million people have voted early so far, according to data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab, with the most voting by mail. Democrats are outpacing Republicans in casting their ballots early, data from 25 states that report party registration shows.
More Republicans have cast roughly 452,000 more ballots in person so far, while more Democrats have returned 1.3 million more mail ballots than registered GOP voters, according to the Election Lab.
Former Trump White House staffers back John Kelly on his warning about Trump
Two days after former Trump White House chief of staff John Kelly said that his ex-boss fits the definition of a fascist and occasionally remarked that Adolf Hitler “did some good things,” 13 more members of the Trump administration penned an open letter backing up Kelly’s claims.
“Donald Trump’s disdain for the American military and admiration for dictators like Hitler is rooted in his desire for absolute, unchecked power,” wrote the group, which includes former national security, communications and other White House staff. “This is a man who threw his own Vice President – Mike Pence – at a violent mob in a desperate bid to hold on to power.”
Politico first reported on the letter Friday.
Kelly, retired U.S. Marine Corps general, told The New York Times and the Atlantic in recent interviews that Trump “could never wrap his arms around why people would serve the country in uniform” and “admires people who are dictators.”
By Nidia Cavazos, Graham Kates
Trump to record interview with Joe Rogan in Austin
Trump will be in Austin to record an interview with Joe Rogan for his podcast Friday. “The Joe Rogan Experience” is the most popular podcast in the country, with more than 14 million followers on Spotify and 17.5 million subscribers on YouTube and appeals heavily to young, largely male audiences.
Trump previously criticized Rogan for expressing support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Rogan has since said he didn’t endorse RFK Jr., but appreciated him and his policies.
Beyoncé to appear with Harris in Houston
AP / Chris Pizzello
Megastar Beyoncé is appearing with Harris at a rally in Houston Friday, a source familiar with the event told CBS News. Speculation swirled for months about whether the singer would throw her support behind the Democratic nominee, especially after Taylor Swift announced she would vote for Harris in September.
The appearance in Houston, Beyoncé’s hometown, comes 11 days before Election Day. Harris has been using Beyoncé’s “Freedom” as her walk-on song at rallies.
Beyoncé has a long history of supporting Democratic candidates, including President Obama in 2008 and 2012, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016 and President Biden in 2020. She also backed former Rep. Beto O’Rourke in his failed 2018 Texas Senate race.
Springsteen and Obama took the stage Thursday with Harris at her biggest rally so far
Joe Raedle / Getty Images
Before former President Obama and Harris took the stage at a rally Thursday in Atlanta, Bruce Springsteen performed “The Promised Land,” “Land of Hope and Dreams” and “Dancing in the Dark.”
Springsteen also told the crowd of about 23,000, estimated by Harris’ campaign to be her largest to date, that “Donald Trump is running to be an American tyrant.”
The rock star endorsed Harris earlier this month, arguing that she supports a more unified and inclusive country while calling Trump “the most dangerous candidate for president in my lifetime.”
