What's happening on the campaign trail today
- Former President Barack Obama and singer Bruce Springsteen are appearing in Philadelphia at a "When We Vote We Win" concert as Vice President Kamala Harris campaigns in Michigan.
- Former President Donald Trump is spending the day in Georgia, where he attended the National Faith Summit near Atlanta before a rally at Georgia Tech.
- Both vice presidential nominees, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, held events in the critical battleground state of Wisconsin.
Trump calls Michelle Obama ‘nasty’ during Atlanta rally
Speaking in Atlanta, Trump criticized former first lady Michelle Obama, calling her “nasty” and saying she opened up a box by going after him.
“You know who is nasty to me? Michelle Obama. I always tried to be so nice and respectful. She opened up a little bit of a little bit of a box. She opened up a little bit of something. She was nasty,” Trump said.
A spokesperson for Obama did not immediately respond to a request for comment this evening.
Obama campaigned with Harris on Saturday — her first appearance on the 2024 campaign trail. She slammed Trump for “gross incompetence,” saying that he was not capable of putting together a “coherent argument” and that he had “no honesty, no decency [and] no morals.”
Jeff Bezos defends Washington Post’s decision to stop presidential endorsements
Jeff Bezos, the billionaire Amazon founder who owns The Washington Post, defended the newspaper’s decision to stop endorsing presidential candidates, arguing in part that the move is a way to shore up credibility and combat perceptions of political bias.
“Presidential endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election. No undecided voters in Pennsylvania are going to say, ‘I’m going with Newspaper A’s endorsement.’ None. What presidential endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias. A perception of non-independence. Ending them is a principled decision, and it’s the right one,” Bezos wrote in a nine-paragraph article published on the Post’s website tonight.
Bezos published his comments three days after Will Lewis, the publisher and chief executive officer of the Post, announced that the storied publication would not make a presidential endorsement this year or “in any future presidential election” — breaking with decades of tradition. The announcement sparked immediate backlash from readers, current and former staff members, an employee guild and liberal social media influencers.
Pro-Palestinian protesters interrupt Harris’ remarks in Michigan
A group of roughly a dozen pro-Palestinian protesters, many of whom appeared to be students, were escorted out of Harris’ rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan, tonight after they began protesting the war in Gaza about 10 minutes into her remarks.
The protesters chanted: “Israel bombs, Kamala pays, how many kids will you kill today?”
Harris responded by pledging her support to end the war and free the hostages.
“Hey guys, I hear you. On the subject of Gaza, we all want this war to end as soon as possible and get the hostages out, and I will do everything in my power to make it so,” she said.
Democrats have faced tensions with some Arab American voters in the critical battleground state this cycle amid frustration over the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
Comedian workshopped Puerto Rico remarks the night before
The comedian who let loose a series of racist jokes, some about Puerto Rico, at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally last night workshopped the material the night before at a local comedy club.
The comedian, Tony Hinchcliffe, called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage” to warm up the New York City crowd — drawing immediate criticism from across the political spectrum and derailing what was supposed to be a night highlighting Trump in the final stretch of the campaign.
It was not the first time Hinchcliffe had used the Puerto Rico line — he practiced it at The Stand comedy club in New York City, where he made a surprise appearance Saturday night, according to an NBC News producer and three other people who happened to be in the audience.
Vance says 'dips---' is the best term to describe a Harris supporter
Speaking at a rally in Racine, Wisconsin, Vance said the term "dips---" is the best way to describe a Harris supporter, while he distorted her position on border security.
“I decided to look up what is the exact phrase that I would use for a person who thinks those brave men were fighting for what Kamala Harris is fighting for today,” Vance said. “And I looked in the dictionary, I thought very hard about it, and I came up with the perfect term. If you think those brave men were fighting for an open border and sex change surgeries for illegal aliens, the proper term for you is ‘dips---.’”
Vance was trying to make the case that soldiers from World War II would support Trump — an argument he made earlier today on a post on X.
Expletives have become more common on the campaign trail in recent weeks.
Last week, Walz called Elon Musk a “dips---,” an insult he said he stood by earlier today when he spoke in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Days before that, Trump called Harris a “s--- vice president” at a rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
House Democratic leader blasts 'bigotry' and 'vile rhetoric' at Trump's rally
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in a statement today that the “level of bigotry, immorality and vile rhetoric on display” at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally “was shocking, even for a candidate who has trafficked in hatred and division for years.”
Jeffries criticized speakers’ comments at the rally as “racist, dangerous and un-American.”
“The unadulterated hatred directed at Puerto Ricans, the Jewish community, women, Latinos, African-Americans, Muslim Americans and decent people of every race by Donald Trump and far right extremists is disqualifying,” Jeffries said. “These people are unfit to govern and must forever be banished to the dustbin of history in November.”
A joint Trump-Haley event before Election Day is increasingly unlikely
A joint appearance by Trump and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley before Election Day appears increasingly unlikely, according to a senior Trump adviser who asked for anonymity to describe sensitive internal conversations.
The source said that getting the two former rivals' schedules to mesh has been difficult and that time is running short.
Ballot drop box fires in Oregon and Washington are likely connected, officials say
Ballot drop boxes in Portland, Oregon, and neighboring Vancouver, Washington, were set on fire this morning in what authorities believe are connected incidents about a week out from Election Day.
An identical Volvo was spotted at both scenes, and the use of an “incendiary device” in Portland was “similar in nature” to what occurred in Vancouver, the cities’ police departments said. Portland police described the act as targeted and intentional.
Three ballots were damaged in Portland, while potentially “hundreds” were affected in Vancouver, local officials said.
Harris’ campaign launches ad seizing on Trump ally’s racist comments about Puerto Ricans
Reporting from Washington, D.C.
Harris’ campaign is seizing on racist comments about Puerto Ricans yesterday at a Trump ally to launch a digital ad targeting Latino voters that argues they “deserve better” than what Trump has to offer.
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made crude jokes about Latinos and called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage” during the pre-program at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally.
The 30-second spot will run online in battleground states on platforms like youtube TV, Hulu and Snapchat, where Latinos consume a lot of their media, according to a Harris campaign official who first shared the details with NBC News.
John Legend steps into the campaign for critical Pennsylvania
Reporting from Philadelphia
Singer John Legend made a homecoming trip to Pennsylvania yesterday, campaigning alongside Democratic Sen. Bob Casey in a late-stage campaign push.
He joins a growing list of celebrities, including Beyoncé, Usher and Lizzo, who have hit the campaign trail for Harris and other Democrats in the closing days of the election.
Legend and Casey visited two Black churches in the Philadelphia area and then spoke at a kickoff canvass event alongside Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., and Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis.
What will happen to Trump’s legal issues after the election?
Trump has more than just the presidency on the line on Nov. 5 — the outcomes of his various legal troubles hinge on the election, as well.
A win in the election he has dubbed “the most important” in the history of the country would most likely result in dismissal of the federal criminal cases against him, with state criminal cases possibly being frozen until he leaves office and additional delays in the pending civil cases against him.
A loss to Harris, however, could mean Trump would face a potential jail sentence later in the month for his criminal conviction in New York and the possibility of additional criminal trials next year. It could also leave him open to additional civil trials in the near future, while he’s already appealing $500 million in civil judgments.
Postal Service says it's a ‘good idea’ to mail your ballot by tomorrow
The U.S. Postal Service today said it is a “good idea” for voters who plan to mail their ballots to do so by tomorrow, one week from Election Day.
“If you choose to vote by mail, please mail early as every day counts,” the agency said in a news release. “If your ballot is due on Election Day, it would a good idea to mail it by this Tuesday.”
Last month, a national coalition of election officials sent an unusually stark open letter accusing the USPS of failing to adequately prepare for significant mailed ballots and other election mail, and it encouraged voters to mail their ballots early.
“The Postal Service remains fully ready to successfully deliver the nation’s mail-in ballots for voters who choose to use us to vote,” the announcement today said. “And to be clear, even for return ballots that are entered in our system after Tuesday, we will continue to deploy our ‘extraordinary measures,’ which are designed to accelerate the delivery of Ballot Mail in the final weeks of the election season.”
Harris' Ann Arbor rally to feature Lebanese American local official
Harris' rally and concert at Burns Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan, tonight, will feature a Lebanese American as one of the speakers.
Deputy Wayne County Executive Assad Turfe is expected to criticize Trump over his record on Muslim and Arab issues as well as his positions on Gaza, a Harris aide first shared with NBC News.
The pre-program remarks at the rally are an effort by the Harris-Walz campaign to shore up support from Arab American voters in the battleground state who are frustrated with the Biden administration's foreign policy in the Middle East.
Emhoff slams Trump over 'antisemitic and racist' by comedian at New York rally
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff slammed Trump over "antisemitic and racist" remarks during his rally in New York City last night.
“We heard the antisemitic and racist speeches at Trump’s Madison Square rally yesterday. It’s appalling to hear these slurs, especially in the closing days of a presidential campaign, and even more painful to hear them on the anniversary of the massacre at Tree of Life,” Emhoff said in Pittsburgh on the sixth anniversary of the Tree of Life Synagogue massacre.
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who has come under fire for his jokes about Puerto Rico, also made a joke that drew on antisemitic stereotypes during his remarks at the rally before Trump took the stage.
“When it comes to Israel and Palestine, we’re all thinking the same thing: Settle your stuff already. Best out of three — rock, paper, scissors. You know the Palestinians are gonna throw rock every time. You also know the Jews having a hard time throwing that paper, you know what I’m saying?” Hinchcliffe said.
Emhoff today said: “Nothing, and I mean nothing, will stop me from living fearlessly as a Jew. Nothing will stop Kamala and me from speaking out, and nothing is going to take away our joy, or our faith in America.”
Rep. Ritchie Torres says he was 'deeply offended' by racist remarks at Trump rally
Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., lambasted Trump this morning over the Madison Square Garden rally last night, where a number of speakers made hate-filled and racist comments, including about Puerto Ricans and members of the Black community.
“Hate is the core calculus of the Trump campaign,” Torres told Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC. “Hate is not an accident. It is the consequence of who Donald Trump is.”
“I was deeply offended, not only as a Puerto Rican, but as an American,” he said. “There are thousands of Puerto Ricans who are serving in the U.S. Armed Services, risking their life for the country.”
The congressman pointed to how “Donald Trump has spent years inciting hatred for immigrants, inciting hatred for Latinos,” citing Hurricane Maria.
“Donald Trump abandoned Puerto Rico," he said. "He did everything he could to sabotage the reconstruction and recovery of Puerto Rico in its moment of greatest crisis.”
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe disparaged Puerto Ricans at the rally, saying the U.S. territory is “a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now.”
Older voter cries when she meets Biden at Delaware voting center
Before casting his vote in Delaware today, President Joe Biden and Democratic Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester greeted people in line at the early-voting center.
An older woman in a wheelchair began crying when she met the president, who gave her a kiss on the head and led her into the voting center.
Vance says, 'Can we all just take a chill pill?' in response to question about racist joke
Reporting from Wausau, Wis.
Vance was asked about the racist joke disparaging Latinos made at a Trump rally yesterday in New York.
"I haven’t seen the joke. You know, maybe, maybe it’s a stupid, racist joke as you said, maybe it’s not. I haven’t seen it. I’m not going to comment on the specifics of the joke, but I think that we have to stop getting so offended at every little thing in the United States of America. I’m just — I’m so over it," Vance said.
He went on to talk about a joke George Lopez made at a Harris rally that had been sent to him.
Vance said he told the person who sent him the Lopez joke, "'can we all just take a chill pill and take a joke from time to time?’ This is ridiculous."
"We are not going to — we’re not going to restore the greatness of American civilization if we get offended at every little thing. Let’s have a sense of humor and let’s have a little fun and let’s go win in eight days."
Trump to deliver remarks at Mar-a-Lago tomorrow morning
Trump will deliver remarks to the press at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, tomorrow at 10 a.m., his campaign said.
It was not immediately clear whether the former president plans to take questions from the news media.
Trump's appearance will come hours before Harris delivers a "closing argument" at the Ellipse in Washington. The vice president's remarks are expected to focus on threats to the democratic system and the stakes of the election.
Sen. Mark Kelly defends the CHIPs Act
Reporting from Phoenix
Holding a news conference on behalf of the Harris-Walz campaign, Sen. Mark Kelly said the jobs of Arizonans are in danger if Trump rips up the CHIPs Act.
The presser was called in response to Trump’s recent comments on the Joe Rogan podcast. “That chip deal is so bad,” said Trump. “All you had to do was charge them tariffs.”
Kelly, who was a chief architect of the CHIPs Act, responded to Trump’s comments forcefully. “He is showing us every day just how unhinged he’s become,” said Kelly. “These guys standing behind us today, if Donald Trump was to win another term in the White House, could be losing their jobs,” Kelly added, referring to the steel workers assembled at the press conference.
On Trump’s suggestion that tariffs would be more successful than the CHIPs Act, Kelly said: “This concept of a plan, he talks about how he has concepts. It’s to replace these critical investments that we have made with tariffs. And these tariffs, according to economists, are going to raise the costs for Arizona families about $4,000 every year.”
Republicans ask Supreme Court to prevent some Pa. ballots from being provisionally counted
Republicans asked the Supreme Court today to prevent some mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania flagged as being potentially defective from being provisionally counted.
The case arises from this year's primary election in the state but Republican lawyers say the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling they are seeking to block is binding on the general election too.
The divided state court said mail-in ballots that machines detect as lacking secondary “secrecy envelopes” as required under state law can be counted provisionally, a finding that Republicans had argued against. Such ballots automatically lead to voters’ being notified that there are problems with the ballots that can be remedied by voting in person.
The legal issue could be of major importance if the election is close in the key swing state because it raises a question potentially of interest to the conservative Supreme Court justices about whether the state court ruling unlawfully encroached on the legislature’s authority to set election rules under the U.S. Constitution.
The issue was the subject of a Supreme Court ruling last year that mostly rejected the “independent state legislature” theory, which says legislatures’ authority over elections is unfettered while leaving the door open to revisit it in the future.
"This case is of paramount public importance, potentially affecting tens of thousands of votes in a State which many anticipate could be decisive in control of the U.S. Senate or even the 2024 presidential election," Republican National Committee lawyers wrote in the new filing.
They asked the court to act on the application by Friday.
Harris campaign to launch Pittsburgh Steelers-themed ad during tonight's game
The Harris campaign is launching a new campaign ad focused on male Pittsburgh Steelers fans tonight during their Monday night football matchup against the New York Giants.
The ad showcases a man named Chris, a Steelers fan and maintenance worker, who says in the ad that Trump "does not care about the working man." He also called Trump a "rich kid" and a "little silver spoon boy," posing the question, "How is he relatable to me whatsoever?"
This ad is one of several that the Harris campaign has used to target men, including on sports betting sites.
Harris highlights how the CHIPS and Science Act is benefitting a semiconductor facility in Michigan
Harris touted the CHIPS and Science Act signed into law by President Biden and explained how it was benefitting a semiconductor facility in Michigan.
"That was billions of dollars investing in just the kind of work that's happening here," Harris said in remarks today after touring a semiconductor facility in Hemlock, Michigan.
“First of all, we talked about the fact that the people were doing this extraordinary work," Harris continued. "You’re doing work that requires an incredibly high level of skill, as I listen to it. It’s about engineering. There’s a technology piece to this, there’s a chemistry piece to this. There is math to this."
Harris also slammed Trump in her comments: “We are eight days off from an election. So I just gotta also talk about the contrast, because my opponent spends full-time talking about just kind of diminishing who we are, and talks it down, talking about the garbage can of the world.”
Abortion rights group pours millions into final ad campaign backing Harris
In the final sprint before Election Day, an abortion-rights group is spending millions in battleground states on a new ad highlighting reproductive rights, a top issue for voters.
On Monday, Reproductive Freedom for All’s political arm launched an $8 million ad buy in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to details shared first with NBC News.
“Whether and when to start or grow a family is the biggest financial decision a person will make in their lifetime,” the group’s President and CEO Mini Timmaraju said in a statement.
The group will spend $6 million on TV ads in Atlanta, Detroit, Philadelphia and Milwaukee, and another $2 million in digital ads.
The ad begins by slamming Trump over his signature tax law, accusing him of wanting “more tax cuts for billionaires and corporations instead of us.” It calls restrictions on abortion “Trump’s abortion bans.”
The ad praises Harris as a “daughter of a middle-class single mom” who “knows hardworking families need a break,” lauding her tax plan and intent to restore federal abortion protections.
Harris has made abortion rights and access to health care central to her campaign, particularly over the last stretch. She held high-profile rallies with Michelle Obama and Beyoncé over the weekend where the issue took center stage.
“Now, 1 in 3 American women lives in a state with a Trump abortion ban,” Harris said Friday in Texas, a state with the most restrictive abortion ban in the country. “If Donald Trump wins again, he will ban abortion nationwide.”
Geraldo Rivera defends Puerto Rico, posts anti-Trump comments
Former Fox News host Geraldo Rivera, who was once a Trump ally but said earlier this month he would vote for Harris, criticized Trump for comments disparaging Puerto Rico at a rally in New York City yesterday.
Rivera posted a picture of himself at a parade in New York City with a Puerto Rican flag shirt and said Madison Square Garden is now tainted by Trump's rally.
"MSG is a legendary arena memorable for many historic occasions. Now it will be remembered as the place Donald Trump lost his bid for re-election. It was one hate speech too many," he said.
He also posted a picture of himself alongside Trump, writing, "Sorry you went to the dark side." Last week, Rivera told MSNBC's Ari Melber that he wishes he "had bailed on the Trump train a lot sooner."
Two members of The Washington Post editorial board step down amid non-endorsement furor
Two members of the editorial board at The Washington Post are exiting amid outcry over the storied newspaper's decision to stop endorsing presidential candidates.
Molly Roberts, an editorial writer who covers technology and society, said in a statement on X that she is resigning from the board "because the imperative to endorse Kamala Harris over Donald Trump is about as morally clear as it gets."
David Hoffman, a contributing editor and veteran of the Post, confirmed in an email that is he "stepping down" from the board, too — but not quitting the paper. "I believe we face a very real threat of autocracy in the candidacy of Donald Trump," Hoffman wrote in a letter to David Shipley, the editor of the editorial page. "I find it untenable and unconscionable that we have lost our voice at this perilous moment."
Will Lewis, the publisher and CEO of the Post, announced Friday that the newspaper would not make a presidential endorsement this year or "in any future presidential election," breaking with decades of tradition. The decision drew immediate outcry from readers, former staffers and Democrats who oppose Trump.
Post editorial page staff members had drafted an endorsement of Harris that had yet to be published, two sources briefed on the sequence of events told the Post. The decision not to publish the Harris endorsement was made by the Post’s owner, billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, according to the sources. NBC News has not independently verified that account.
In a subsequent statement on Saturday, Lewis said that the newspaper’s owner was not involved in the decision, and he, as publisher, believes that endorsements are unnecessary.
Nevada Supreme Court allows late-arriving mail ballots without postmark to count
The Nevada Supreme Court ruled today to allow officials to count mail ballots without postmarks that are received up to three days after Election Day, upholding a lower court’s ruling and siding against Republicans.
Republicans had sued to block such ballots from being counted in the key battleground state. Specifically, the Republican National Committee, the Trump campaign and state Republicans had said in a suit filed in May that Nevada's deadline for mail ballots was unconstitutional. A lower court ruled against the group of Republicans, who then appealed to the state Supreme Court.
The latest ruling is a defeat for Republicans, who have filed a mountain of litigation in Nevada and other battleground states ahead of the election seeking to change the way certain ballots are cast and counted.
Trump Media stock surges going into final week before election
Shares of Trump Media and Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social, jumped about 20% today as the presidential campaign heads into its final week.
The stock has climbed steadily to above $45 a share, good for a market value of over $9 billion, from its sub-$12 lows in September. That reversal has lifted Trump's net worth by billions of dollars, as he owns 57% of the shares. As of Monday afternoon, the stock, which trades as DJT, had eclipsed its most recent peak of July, which came just after Trump was nearly assassinated in Pennsylvania.
Trump Media's performance on the stock market doesn't reflect business fundamentals. In August, the company reported a quarterly loss of $16 million with total revenue of under $1 million. Instead, market watchers see the stock's performance as a proxy for Trump's own status, particularly as the campaign has progressed.
The stock's recent surge has coincided with a shift toward Trump on political betting markets, even as polls have shown a close race between the former president and his rival, Vice President Kamala Harris. (Odds and gambling platforms don't use the same methodologies as traditional polling outfits, and are therefore not a substitute for polls.)
Mike Johnson on Trump's 'secret' claims: 'A secret is not to be shared'
House Speaker Mike Johnson released a statement responding to questions about a "secret" Trump alluded to at his rally last night at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
“I think with our little secret we are going to do really well with the House, right?” Trump said. “He and I have a secret. We will tell you what it is when the race is over.”
Johnson’s office refused to offer any specifics about the secret.
“By definition, a secret is not to be shared — and I don’t intend to share this one,” he said in a statement.
Julia Roberts narrates new pro-Harris ad reminding women their vote is secret
In a new television ad from the progressive evangelical group Vote Common Good, Oscar-winning actor Julia Roberts offers a timely reminder to women across the country: You don't need to tell your husband you voted for Kamala Harris.
"In the one place in America where women still have the right to choose," Roberts says in the ad's voiceover, "you can vote any way you want, and no one will ever know."
The ad depicts a woman in a Stars and Stripes baseball cap casting her ballot for Harris. When she leaves the voting booth, a man who appears to be her husband asks: "Did you make the right choice?" She replies: "Sure did, honey."
The message of the ad echoes comments made by former first lady Michelle Obama during a weekend rally in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
"If you are a woman who lives in a household of men that don't listen to you or value your opinion, just remember that your vote is a private matter," Obama said to loud cheers.
"Regardless of the political views of your partner, you get to choose, you get to use your judgment, and cast your vote for yourself and the women in your life," she added.
Biden says voting today is not bittersweet
As he exited the polling place in Delaware alongside first-time voters, Biden was asked if voting today was bittersweet. He replied, "This is just sweet," and said he thinks they will win.
Biden calls Trump's New York rally 'embarrassing'
After voting in Delaware, Biden commented on Trump's rally yesterday at Madison Square Garden, calling it "simply embarrassing." He emphasized the importance of voting, saying that "this election is so important."
In response to Trump's Madison Square Garden rally, Harris says he's 'fixated' on dividing the country
Harris reacted this morning to Trump's Madison Square Garden rally, saying that Trump is "focused and fixated on the grievances on himself and on dividing the country."
She told reporters before boarding a flight to Michigan that Trump is "fanning the fuel of trying to divide our country."
Asked if she agrees with comparisons to the Nazi rally of 1939 at Madison Square Garden, she said, “This is not new about him” but “it may be more vivid than usual.”
The vice president again said that Trump stirs division and “that’s why people are exhausted with him.”
NBC News reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
Vance claims 'the gross majority' of D-Day veterans would be voting for Trump
In a new post on X this morning, Vance dismissed comparisons of the Trump campaign to Nazis by saying that "the gross majority of the men who stormed the beaches at Normandy" would have voted for Trump.
Megan Hunt, a Nebraska state lawmaker, said on X that it was "100% on purpose" that the campaign held a rally in the same location that the Nazis did in 1939 in support of Adolf Hitler. After another X user replied and said that her "comparison of Republicans and Nazis is atrocious," she shot back that "we used to fight nazis not vote for them."
Vance responded to the last tweet by saying, "There are so many reasons this is ridiculous, but here’s one: Who do you actually think the gross majority of the men who stormed the beaches at Normandy would vote for? The answer is obvious: Donald J. Trump."
Vance heads to Wisconsin
Vance will campaign in the key battleground state of Wisconsin today, speaking in Wausau and then Racine.
Wisconsin is among the swing states where both campaigns have been spending the final days of the race. Biden won Wisconsin in the 2020 presidential election, while Trump won the state in 2016.
Vance will deliver remarks at 2 p.m. CT in Wausau, a city in the central part of the state, and at 5:30 p.m. CT in Racine, a city on the shore of Lake Michigan.
Michelle Obama rally in Atlanta to feature Victoria Monét, D-Nice and other celebrities
Michelle Obama is scheduled to headline a get-out-the-vote rally in Atlanta, where she will be joined by celebrities such as Grammy-winning singer Victoria Monét, rapper D-Nice and actor Kerry Washington.
The rally is sponsored by When We All Vote, a nonprofit organization co-founded by the former first lady. (The group is not formally affiliated with the Harris campaign.) The event is geared toward mobilizing first-time voters before the early voting period ends in Georgia on Friday.
R&B singer-songwriter Ari Lennox is slated to perform. Also on the speaking lineup: "Scandal" creator Shonda Rhimes, actor Rita Wilson and singer Kelly Rowland.
AOC: Trump rallies are 'mini January 6' and 'mini Stop the Steal'
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said this morning that Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden yesterday was a campaign event filled with "hate" and said it was reminiscent of Trump's "Stop the Steal" rally that he held Jan. 6, 2021, before his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol.
"I think it’s very important for people to understand that these are mini Jan. 6 rallies. These are mini 'Stop the Steal' rallies. These are rallies to prime an electorate into rejecting the results of an election if it doesn’t go the way that they want," Ocasio-Cortez said in an interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."
The congresswoman said Trump and his allies like Stephen Miller "do not respect the law of the United States of America, and they either want to win this election, or they are using rhetoric of taking it by force."
Ocasio-Cortez said they are "inciting violence and hatred against Latinos" and "Black Americans" and "Americans who don't have children."
"We have to understand how unhinged this campaign has gotten, and the only reason that the rhetoric has gotten this far is precisely because they are trying to prime the kind of froth that led up to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. And so it's very important that we connect those dots," she said.
She alluded to racist jokes that speakers made at the rally, including a comedian who disparaged Puerto Rico and its residents. Trump's campaign said what he said didn't reflect its values; Ocasio-Cortez said the only reason why they're backtracking is "just because tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans happen to live in Philadelphia, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin."
"They’re just realizing they might have made a big error by saying out loud what they’re thinking," she said.
Philadelphia DA sues Elon Musk and his super PAC to stop million-dollar giveaway
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is suing Elon Musk and his super PAC to block their million-dollar giveaway to registered voters, seeking to halt the lottery-style stunt that election experts, and the Justice Department, have warned might violate federal law.
Krasner is seeking an injunction: he argued in a filing that the effort is an illegal, unregulated lottery, sidestepping the question of whether it violates laws against buying votes.
Trump spokesperson dismisses racist comments at New York rally
In an interview with "Fox and Friends" this morning, Trump campaign spokesman Karoline Leavitt dismissed racist comments said at the Madison Square Garden rally last night by comedian Tony Hinchliffe. Hinchcliffe has been facing backlash for calling Puerto Rico a “floating pile of garbage” and other racist comments.
“Look, it was a comedian who made a joke in poor taste," she said. "Obviously, that joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or our campaign. And I think it is sad that the media will pick up on one joke that was made by a comedian rather than the truths that were shared by the phenomenal list of speakers that we had."
Trump, however, has long used deregulatory rhetoric about immigrants, including calling some "animals," and pushing the false claim that Haitian immigrants in Ohio eat pets. In December, he also said immigrants coming into the U.S. are "poisoning the blood of our country."
At the same time, Trump has been heavily courting the Hispanic vote, as he makes gains with Latino men. In a Sept. NBC News poll, Trump had a lead over Harris among Latino voters on the economy, inflation and securing the border.
Virginia asks Supreme Court to allow voter purge aimed at removing noncitizens from rolls
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares today asked the Supreme Court to allow the state to restore its purge of certain voters from the rolls ahead of next week's election as part of what the state calls a plan targeted at noncitizens who are registered to vote.
States are barred from systematically removing people from voter rolls within 90 days of an election under the National Voter Registration Act.
The plan was blocked by a federal judge last week after it was challenged by civil rights groups and the Biden administration, who say the program has drawn in people who are eligible to vote. The judge also ordered than more than about 1,600 people who were removed from the rolls should be added back.
Over the weekend, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to put the judge's decision on hold.
The Justice Department says that while the state can conduct such actions at other times of year, it is too close to the election to do so now.
Miyares asked the Supreme Court to act by tomorrow.
CISA launches #Protect2024 website to track election threats
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the top federal body providing security and advice for election workers, launched a central hub for 2024 guidance today.
The website, called, #Protect2024, includes cybersecurity advice for election administrators, public service announcements about foreign influence operations, and resources for how to protect against threats of physical violence.
It also links to CISA’s effort to combat the onslaught of election falsehoods that circulate online, with its “Rumor vs. Reality” page. That is the successor to CISA’s 2020 Rumor Control blog, which debunked false claims about election fraud, including ones endorsed by then-President Trump. After the 2020 election, Trump fired the then-head of CISA, Christopher Krebs.
Extremists inspired by conspiracy theories pose major threat to 2024 elections, U.S. intelligence warns
U.S. intelligence agencies have identified domestic extremists with grievances rooted in election-related conspiracy theories, including belief in widespread voter fraud and animosity toward perceived political opponents, as the most likely threat of violence in the election.
In a Joint Intelligence Bulletin that was not distributed publicly but was reviewed by NBC News, agents from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security warn state and local law enforcement agencies that domestic violent extremists seeking to terrorize and disrupt the vote are a threat to the election and throughout Inauguration Day.
One big thing is missing from the GOP campaign to reclaim Michigan’s state House: Trump
WYOMING, Mich. — As he made his case for a Republican revival here at a neighborhood steakhouse, former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder abstained from red meat.
“We need to bring civility back and relentless positive action back,” Snyder, who is leading the party’s effort to reclaim the majority in the state House of Representatives, said as two dozen GOP operatives, some of them nibbling on locally famous windmill cookies, listened politely.
“I don’t believe we should call anyone names,” Snyder added. “Or yell at anyone.”
Arizona voters answer: Is Trump a bully?
Phil McGraw — the television star more commonly known as “Dr. Phil” — said during his speech at last night’s rally that Trump is not a bully. Following his remarks, NBC News asked two Trump-supporting and two Harris-supporting Arizonans if they believe Trump is a bully.
Both Trump supporters said Trump isn’t a bully, while both Harris supporters said he is.
“From someone that has been around and been ridiculed and bullied for a long time. I don’t think it’s appropriate to speak like that,” Benjamin Formisano said, reflecting on the bullying he endured growing up as a gay youth.
"I find it hard to believe that you could be the president of the United States and speak and act like that,” Formisano, a Harris supporter, added.
“He has a position of power, so he should be more reluctant on some of the things he says the way he chooses to say them. But no, I think he just has a backbone,” Don Queen, 50, said on why Trump isn’t a bully.
“The way that he talks, the way that he makes fun of handicapped people. I mean, everything about him, he is 100% a bully,” said Virginia Garcia, a Harris supporter.
Harris to boost administration's jobs record in Michigan
Harris will highlight today how the CHIPS and Inflation Reduction Act signed into law by President Joe Biden have benefited and created manufacturing jobs in Michigan, a senior campaign official said.
Harris will visit a semiconductor facility, for example, in Saginaw, Michigan "where she will tour the assembly line, greet workers, and speak about the importance of investing in American manufacturing jobs," the official said.
"This event will illustrate how Vice President Harris’ policies and agenda are helping reshore industries and jobs that previously have been dominated by China, creating thousands of new American manufacturing jobs in places like Michigan, while Trump would end these investments and continue his record destroying American manufacturing," the official said.
Harris will also tour a labor union training facility in Michigan's Macomb County that has instructors and apprentices.
Doug Emhoff stumps for Harris in Georgia
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff will stump for Harris in Georgia this afternoon, speaking at campaign events in Jonesboro and Sandy Springs.
Jill Biden and Gwen Walz team up to campaign for Harris-Walz
First lady Jill Biden and Gwen Walz will team up today, campaigning on behalf of the Democratic ticket in battleground states Michigan and Wisconsin.
The two will start their day in Traverse City, Michigan and then head to La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Harris and Walz to host concert with Maggie Rogers
Harris and Walz will go to Ann Arbor, Michigan, with singer Maggie Rogers for a concert in a push to get out the vote.
Earlier in the day, Walz will be in Wisconsin, participating in a political event in Waukesha this afternoon.
Trump heads to Georgia
Trump will campaign in the Peach State today, hoping to make his case to voters in the battleground with only eight days before Election Day.
The former president will attend the National Faith Summit in Powder Springs, Georgia, and then will deliver remarks at a campaign event in Atlanta.