Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.
| Photo Credit: REUTERS
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump headed into a newly intense phase of the U.S. presidential campaign on Monday (September 16, 2024), with tensions heightened after a second apparent assassination attempt against the Republican former President.
The arrest on Sunday (September 15, 2024) of a gunman on Donald Trump’s Florida golf course came the same day as more bomb threats poured into Springfield, Ohio, a small Midwestern city at the center of Republican-led conspiracies against immigrants.
But the dueling campaigns are set to march on with little interruption.
Vice President Harris, the Democratic nominee who will face Mr. Trump at the polls on November 5, said in a statement on Sunday that she was “disturbed by the possible assassination attempt” and “thankful that former President Trump is safe.”
The same day as the apparent assassination attempt, Clark State College in Springfield announced it would hold classes virtually this week after receiving bomb and shooting threats at the weekend. It was the fourth consecutive day of threats of bombings and other violence that have targeted the local city hall, public schools and nearby college Wittenberg University, following racist rumours about local Haitian immigrants pushed by Republicans including Mr. Trump.
‘Living in fear’
What started as municipal growing pains in a rapidly expanding city have morphed into allegations of an “invasion” by “illegal” Haitian newcomers, baselessly accused of stealing and eating people’s pets and causing a crime wave. Some Haitians living in the city have said they are scared for their lives.
Adding to the country’s acrimonious political atmosphere, Mr. Trump posted on his Truth Social website that “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” The superstar singer/songwriter posted a message on Instagram after last week’s debate saying she would be voting for Ms. Harris, calling her a “steady-handed, gifted leader.” Celebrity endorsements rarely carry enormous weight but the hugely popular Swift is seen as being in a class of her own, with more than 400 million followers on social media platforms .
It was not clear what Mr. Trump hoped to gain by attacking Ms. Swift, although he may calculate that any publicity is better than none.
He has been criticised, even by fellow Republicans, for his recent association with conspiracy-minded right-wing influencer Laura Loomer, who has at times joined him on his campaign plane. The 31-year-old Ms. Loomer has called the September 11, 2001, terror attacks an “inside job” and said some of the country’s recent mass shootings were staged by Democrats There is no evidence to support any of those claims.
The race between Mr. Trump and Ms. Harris remains tight across the battleground States that will decide the election.
Published – September 17, 2024 09:04 am IST
