Kamala Harris Calls for a 'New Generation of Leadership' in Closing Speech
With the presidential race neck and neck, Kamala Harris delivered her closing argument speech from a park near the White House—where Donald Trump spoke in 2021 before his supporters stormed the Capitol. Harris painted her opponent as a divisive leader, more focused on using the presidency to target enemies than serving the American people.
“We know who Donald Trump is,” she said on Tuesday. “He is the person who stood at this very spot nearly four years ago and sent an armed mob to the United States Capitol to overturn the will of the people in a free and fair election.”
Harris opened with a stark warning about an “unstable” and “unhinged” Trump, driven by revenge. But she quickly shifted to lay out what she described as her “different path.”
Harris admitted that many people still don't know her, but she promised to change that.
“I’ll be honest with you: I’m not perfect. I make mistakes. But here’s what I promise you: I will always listen to you, even if you don’t vote for me," as she spoke about her background and career.
Harris outlined key policies she’d pursue if elected, focusing on supporting first-time homeowners with down payments and easing the burden on the “sandwich generation”—adults caring for both young children and aging parents—by expanding Medicare to cover elder care.
She also promised to revive a bipartisan border security bill that stalled last year after Trump pushed Republicans to abandon it.
A major focus of her speech was restoring abortion rights. "I will fight to restore what Donald Trump and his hand-selected Supreme Court justice took away from the women of America,” Harris declared. She reminded voters that the court, now shaped by three Trump appointees, overturned federal abortion protections in 2022. The issue has become a driving force for Democrats in the 2024 election.
With less than a week left before election day, Harris made her stance clear and explained what she plans to do when she enters the White House.
“On Day One, if elected, Donald Trump would walk into that office with an enemies list,” she said. “When elected, I will walk in with a to-do list.”