By Erica L. Green
On Sunday, Vice President Kamala Harris swiftly reacted to condemn the racist and provocative comments from speakers at a rally for former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Prior to Trump emerging on stage, preliminary speakers labeled Puerto Rico as an “island of garbage,” called Harris “the devil” and “the Antichrist,” and made offensive remarks regarding Latinos in general as well as specific communities like African Americans, Palestinians, and Jews.
These comments surfaced as Harris concluded her day in Philadelphia, where she engaged with Pennsylvania’s large Puerto Rican community by visiting a local Puerto Rican eatery. While there, she discussed a new initiative she unveiled to foster economic opportunities in Puerto Rico, recounted her visit post-Hurricane Maria, and emphasized that even as a senator, she felt a “need and an obligation” to address Puerto Rico’s needs.
“This isn’t a new focus for me,” she expressed, receiving a warm welcome from attendees who chanted, “Sí, se puede.”
Before the Trump gathering, Harris had already targeted her Republican opponent in a video directed at Puerto Rican voters, reminding them that under Trump, federal assistance to the island was withheld following consecutive hurricanes, and he only offered “paper towels and insults.”
“I will always remember what Donald Trump did, and what he chose not to do, when Puerto Rico was in dire need of a compassionate and capable leader,” she said.
The video received significant attention, with Puerto Rican megastar Bad Bunny sharing it on Instagram. He stands as one of the most prominent recording artists globally and a leading Latino figure. Other Puerto Rican celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin, also shared the video.
“Quite a juxtaposition,” remarked Kevin Munoz, a Harris campaign spokesperson, in a statement, referring to the derogatory language at the Trump event as “unsurprising.” The campaign also released a statement titled “All the Wild Moments (So Far) at Trump’s ‘Closing Argument’ Madison Square Garden Rally.”
The Trump campaign seemed cautious about the potential backlash from the “island of garbage” comment and similar remarks. Senior adviser Danielle Alvarez stated, “This joke does not represent the sentiments of President Trump or the campaign.”
Following a series of star-studded events, Harris concentrated on grassroots campaigning in Philadelphia on Sunday as her campaign pushed to galvanize working-class voters and communities of color ahead of the election.
In neighborhoods throughout the city, Harris delivered customized messages to various voter demographics while continuing her campaign’s objective of securing the essential “blue wall” states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. This marked Harris’ 14th trip to Pennsylvania since her nomination as the Democratic presidential candidate, and her seventh visit to the Philadelphia area.
“Victory starts in Philly,” she declared while visiting a Black bookstore, Hakim’s Bookstore and Gift Shop. “It starts in Pennsylvania.”
Harris initiated her day at a predominantly Black church, where she cautioned attendees that “these next nine days will challenge us,” inspiring them to their feet with her statement, “We were created for a time like this.”
At a barbershop, Philly Cuts, she discussed the importance of recruiting and retaining more Black male teachers, a key aspect of an economic initiative her campaign introduced this month targeting Black men. Harris spent an hour at the barbershop engaging with several Black men and was invited to sit in a “special” chair at the back; the barbers claimed that every candidate who sat in that chair had emerged victorious in their elections.
Darryl Thomas, 52, the proprietor of Philly Cuts, shared that Harris engaged extensively in conversations about the expectations of Black men from their next president. He noted that there was “good dialogue” within the group.
“Black males are the most marginalized individuals in America,” he remarked. “This is a moment when the field should be leveled and equitable. We’re not requesting handouts.”
Harris concluded her day with a get-out-the-vote rally at a community center, where she encouraged enthusiastic supporters to embrace their “power” to make their voices count at the polls.
“There’s too much at stake, and we cannot allow ourselves to wake up the day after the election with regrets about what we could have accomplished in these next nine days,” she urged. “Let’s commit these next nine days to knowing we did everything in our power.”
