Harris vows action on border, healthcare and prices and hits ‘petty tyrant’ Trump in closing argument speech: Live

Puerto Rican reggaeton legend Don Omar, who has 31 million followers across social media, has posted an endorsement of Kamala Harris and denounced Donald Trump for the “racist and disdainful words directed at my home and at Latinos” at his rally in Madison Square Garden.

“Trump has shown us time and time again what he thinks of us and the thought of him and his administration back in power is deeply concerning,” he wrote.

Of Harris, he says: “I trust she represents the respect and change our communities need and I believe she can pace a new path forward — one that uplifts, empowers and prioritizes dignity for all.”

He concludes: “It’s time to turn the page. We are not going back.”

Donald Trump’s Sunday rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City was meant to be a show of strength for the former president ahead of election week.

But the event became a disaster before Trump took to the stage. Early-in-the-night comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke: “There’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico,” set off a cascade of negative reactions that rapidly spun out of control.

Alex Woodward examines how, despite Trump’s long history of blatantly offensive remarks, this joke might have been one step too far:

A huge line has already formed ahead of the Harris rally at the Ellipse in Washington DC, three hours before start time, The Independent’s Rich Hall reports from the ground.

Puerto Rico’s largest newspaper, El Nuevo Día, has endorsed Kamala Harris for president.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the publication called out racist remarks made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday, saying they were “continuing a pattern of contempt and misinformation that Donald Trump has maintained for years against the eight million of us American citizens who are Puerto Ricans.”

It continues, “Is that what Trump and the Republican Party think about Puerto Ricans? Politics is not a joke and hiding behind a comedian is cowardly.”

The statement concludes: “today we urge all those who love our beautiful island, the land of the sea and the sun, not to lend their vote to Donald Trump. To all Puerto Ricans who can vote in this upcoming United States election and represent those of us who cannot: Vote for Kamala Harris.”

It comes as Trump told supporters in Pennsylvania on Tuesday evening that no president has ever done more for Puerto Rico.”

Donald Trump denies knowing the comedian who made a stream of racist and sexist remarks at his rally on Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, ABC News reports.

Tony Hinchliffe, the comedian in question, was part of a roster of MAGA figures and celebrities who riled up the crowd before the former president spoke.

Oliver O’Connell has more:

At his event in Pennsylvania, Donald Trump spoke to a Puerto Rican doctor, who had spent 40 years as an occupational health therapist.

“Puerto stands behind you and Puerto Rico loves,” the woman told him.

Trump replied: “We love it, I know it very well and we helped you through a lot of bad storms... I think no president has ever done more for Puerto Rico.”

It comes after the president and his campaign received heavy backlash following racist remarks by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at Sunday’s rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Hinchcliffe described Puerto Rico as “a floating pile of garbage in the middle of the ocean.”

Donald Trump said that Joe Biden has “always been a low IQ guy” as he launched personal attacks at the Democrats, who he called “stupid people.”

Speaking at a campaign event in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, the former president said: “We have a country that’s run by fools – it’s being run by stupid people, low IQ individuals – they really are.

“He was low-IQ. Biden was a low-IQ guy 35 years ago, he was a low-IQ guy when he went to school when he went to college he was always a low-IQ guy but he put someone in who is actually worse than him.

He added: “If we put her in office this country is finished, I really believe it.”

The number of people who have voted early in Georgia has surpassed three million, according to the Secretary of State’s office.

In a statement, Brad Raffensperger’s office said: “On Tuesday, Georgia voters broke the 3 million mark for in-person Early Voting turnout - unprecedented in Georgia history. As of Tuesday at 3:30pm, total turnout surpassed the 3.2 million mark, and 3 million for Early Voting with 3,009,204 check-ins, shattering previous early voting performance.”

“Georgia voters know we’ve made it easy to cast a ballot. It’s really that simple,” said Raffensperger. “Over the past four years we’ve worked tirelessly to prepare for this election by adding early voting days and investing in infrastructure, only to be rewarded with the lies of Jim Crow 2.0 and a missed All-Star Game.

“We’re battled tested and ready, despite the critics.”