During Erie Rally, Harris Warns That Trump Seeks ‘unchecked power’
On Monday evening, the former president was located on the opposite side of Pennsylvania.
TroibNews 
Kamala Harris took a bold approach at her rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Monday night by featuring Donald Trump prominently on a big screen.
In the middle of her speech, the vice president requested to “roll the tape” on a series of short videos showcasing Trump. These clips included the former president discussing "enemies from within," suggesting in a Fox News interview the potential deployment of the military on Election Day, and referencing a recent appearance in Erie where he proposed “one rough hour” of policing to combat crime.
This segment aimed to illustrate the dangers of a second Trump term, aligning with the “threat to democracy” narrative that President Joe Biden has frequently employed to describe Trump—an angle Harris has not emphasized as often. By showcasing Trump during her rally, the vice president intended to create a stark contrast with the former president in the final weeks of the election, especially as Trump has opted out of future debates.
“Donald Trump is increasingly unstable and unhinged, and he is out for unchecked power, that is what he is looking for. He wants to send the military after American citizens,” Harris asserted to the audience at Erie Insurance Arena, located in Pennsylvania’s fifth-largest city.
The rally marked Harris’ seventh trip to western Pennsylvania but her first visit to Erie since she stepped in for Biden at the head of the Democratic ticket in July. Erie, a bluish city encircled by red, has transformed Erie County into a politically purple area; it was a county Trump won in 2016 but lost to Biden four years later. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, who spoke before Harris, referred to Erie as “the ultimate bellwether county, not just in Pennsylvania, but in the nation right now.”
On the other side of the state, Trump held a town hall with South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem in Oaks, located in Montgomery County—one of the counties around Philadelphia that is increasingly leaning Democratic and where Trump needs to regain support for the November election.
Regarding Harris, the former president stated, “We have to beat her. She’s not for this job,” and later referred to her as “not a smart woman.” His criticisms extended to Biden and Harris over the fallout from the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, which resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. troops. Trump assured the father of one deceased soldier at the town hall that he would investigate what transpired during the “first week” of his presidency.
On the topics of inflation and rising costs of living, Trump directed blame at Harris but often veered into lengthy explanations of his own proposals, asserting he wanted to “drill, baby, drill” to reduce energy prices while also discussing other issues, such as border security. He claimed that illegal immigration disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic families, adding that he is seeing improved polling numbers with both groups this election cycle.
Trump’s town hall faced interruptions from audience members fainting in the heat, ultimately shifting the focus from the Q&A format to a more concert-like atmosphere, as he directed staff to play “Ave Maria” and other favorites from his rally playlist.
In Erie, Harris delivered her familiar speech, pledging to restore Roe v. Wade, lower costs for middle-class families, and implement an expanded child tax credit while criticizing Trump for proposed tariffs she equated with a sales tax. She then pivoted to Trump’s controversial comments, pointing to the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity from earlier this year, suggesting that the stakes in the 2024 election are “even higher” than in 2016 or 2020.
“He’s talking about that he considers anyone who doesn’t support him or who will not bend to his will an enemy of our country,” Harris remarked. “It’s a serious issue.”
Additionally, the Harris campaign launched a new advertisement on Monday that underscored Trump’s comments about “enemies from within.” Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, echoed this sentiment earlier in the day at a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, declaring Trump’s rhetoric to be “a call for violence, plain and simple,” and “pretty damn un-American to me.”
As Harris underscored the risks of a second Trump presidency in Erie, noting that he would face “no guardrails” if reelected, the crowd joined in chants of “Lock him up.” In response, the vice president often seeks to manage such reactions by saying, “The courts will handle that, let’s handle November, shall we?”
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
In the middle of her speech, the vice president requested to “roll the tape” on a series of short videos showcasing Trump. These clips included the former president discussing "enemies from within," suggesting in a Fox News interview the potential deployment of the military on Election Day, and referencing a recent appearance in Erie where he proposed “one rough hour” of policing to combat crime.
This segment aimed to illustrate the dangers of a second Trump term, aligning with the “threat to democracy” narrative that President Joe Biden has frequently employed to describe Trump—an angle Harris has not emphasized as often. By showcasing Trump during her rally, the vice president intended to create a stark contrast with the former president in the final weeks of the election, especially as Trump has opted out of future debates.
“Donald Trump is increasingly unstable and unhinged, and he is out for unchecked power, that is what he is looking for. He wants to send the military after American citizens,” Harris asserted to the audience at Erie Insurance Arena, located in Pennsylvania’s fifth-largest city.
The rally marked Harris’ seventh trip to western Pennsylvania but her first visit to Erie since she stepped in for Biden at the head of the Democratic ticket in July. Erie, a bluish city encircled by red, has transformed Erie County into a politically purple area; it was a county Trump won in 2016 but lost to Biden four years later. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, who spoke before Harris, referred to Erie as “the ultimate bellwether county, not just in Pennsylvania, but in the nation right now.”
On the other side of the state, Trump held a town hall with South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem in Oaks, located in Montgomery County—one of the counties around Philadelphia that is increasingly leaning Democratic and where Trump needs to regain support for the November election.
Regarding Harris, the former president stated, “We have to beat her. She’s not for this job,” and later referred to her as “not a smart woman.” His criticisms extended to Biden and Harris over the fallout from the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, which resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. troops. Trump assured the father of one deceased soldier at the town hall that he would investigate what transpired during the “first week” of his presidency.
On the topics of inflation and rising costs of living, Trump directed blame at Harris but often veered into lengthy explanations of his own proposals, asserting he wanted to “drill, baby, drill” to reduce energy prices while also discussing other issues, such as border security. He claimed that illegal immigration disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic families, adding that he is seeing improved polling numbers with both groups this election cycle.
Trump’s town hall faced interruptions from audience members fainting in the heat, ultimately shifting the focus from the Q&A format to a more concert-like atmosphere, as he directed staff to play “Ave Maria” and other favorites from his rally playlist.
In Erie, Harris delivered her familiar speech, pledging to restore Roe v. Wade, lower costs for middle-class families, and implement an expanded child tax credit while criticizing Trump for proposed tariffs she equated with a sales tax. She then pivoted to Trump’s controversial comments, pointing to the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity from earlier this year, suggesting that the stakes in the 2024 election are “even higher” than in 2016 or 2020.
“He’s talking about that he considers anyone who doesn’t support him or who will not bend to his will an enemy of our country,” Harris remarked. “It’s a serious issue.”
Additionally, the Harris campaign launched a new advertisement on Monday that underscored Trump’s comments about “enemies from within.” Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, echoed this sentiment earlier in the day at a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, declaring Trump’s rhetoric to be “a call for violence, plain and simple,” and “pretty damn un-American to me.”
As Harris underscored the risks of a second Trump presidency in Erie, noting that he would face “no guardrails” if reelected, the crowd joined in chants of “Lock him up.” In response, the vice president often seeks to manage such reactions by saying, “The courts will handle that, let’s handle November, shall we?”
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
