It’s clear both Republicans and Democrats believe they’re battling for the soul of America, writes US correspondent Logan Church.
A month or so ago, I walked the streets of Philadelphia, complaining about soaring temperatures in the 30s and a thunderstorm, on my way to covering a Donald Trump rally at Temple University.
Today, I walked the streets of Philadelphia, complaining about soaring temperatures in the 30s and a thunderstorm, on my way to covering a Kamala Harris rally at Temple University.
They could not be more similar and different. Let me explain.
Just as with Donald Trump’s rally, the lines for Kamala Harris formed early and stretched for several city blocks.
I made my way up the line today, chatting to Democrat party faithful. All were keen to talk about why they came out (and all were amused that a Kiwi with a funny accent was there talking to them).
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who once called Donald Trump a “weird dude”, joins Harris on the Democrats’ ticket. (Source: 1News)
“I'm a Conservative but I'm supporting the Kamala Harris ticket,” said one man, who came up to speak with me as I set up for a live cross into Breakfast.
“We've got to purge the Republican Party of the crazy people. I'm sorry it's just the way it is.”
Another young man, 17-year-old Micah, believed his future was at stake.
“We feel that the next four years of our life will be really affected ... I’m not allowed to vote yet ... but if a future president Trump [is elected] it will be a treacherous time.”
When I spoke to Republicans last time I was here, all flagged the economy as their primary concern. All said they thought their lives had become harder under President Joe Biden, and desperately wanted change.
No one I spoke to today mentioned the economy. Once. But they all mentioned something else – democracy.
“We've got get this fixed before these nutties take it,” said one woman as she walked past, referring to attempts by former President Trump to claim the 2020 election was stolen from him - despite never providing any evidence this happened.
“I believe in democracy and freedom - that's really the bottom line!” said another man, who was selling Kamala Harris-themed towels that read “The Convict vs The Prosecutor: Harris 2024”.
Given it was both raining and very hot, they were selling like American hotcakes.
I asked several people what they believed was at stake this election.
“Civil rights, human rights, you name it. Democracy. And people who aren't weird or fascist,” said one man, with his own brand of Kamala Harris t-shirts.
The gloves are off
As I travel America, what has become abundantly clear is that both Republicans and Democrats believe they are in the battle for the soul of their nation.
For most of this election cycle, Republicans have been quietly confident, seeing their competition as a man who could barely get up stairs or string two sentences together.
But now their opposition consists of not only a woman who is very good in front of the cameras, but also a number two in Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who coined the most effective attack line against Donald Trump in years - which is, as he said today in Philadelphia, “these guys are... just weird”.
It’s hard for Trump to fight back against that, as publicly saying “I am not weird” would be ...a very weird thing to say.
Both sides are now starting aggressive tours of “swing states”, areas of the US which thanks to the magical and totally illogical system that is the Electoral College, will decide this election – and Pennsylvania (where they both campaigned today) is top of the list.
The Republican leadership however will now be worried.
This election will not be the cakewalk they expected, perhaps best expressed by the text sent out by Donald Trump’s campaign after Kamala Harris announced her Vice Presidential pick this morning, which read in all caps “TIM WALZ WILL UNLEASH HELL ON EARTH”.
The gloves are well and truly off – if they were ever on in the first place.
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