WASHINGTON (AP) — Kamala Harris stood before a packed crowd near the White House Tuesday and promised Americans she would fight for them every day while urging voters to reject Donald Trump’s efforts to sow discord. division and fear, declaring: it must be like this.

With a week to go until Election Day, the vice president tried to draw out the contrast with Trump by delivering her closing argument from the same spot on the grassy Ellipse where the former Republican president fomented the 2021 Capitol insurrection , promising that she would work to improve people’s lives while arguing that her Republican opponent is only out for himself.

“I’ll be honest with you: I’m not perfect,” she said. “I make mistakes. But here’s what I promise you: I will always listen to you, even if you don’t vote for me. I will always tell you the truth, even if it is difficult to hear. I will work every day to reach consensus and compromise to move things forward. And if you give me the chance to fight on your behalf, nothing in the world will stand in my way.

Harris began her closing speech by reminding voters of Trump’s role in the chaos of January 6, 2021, when he spewed lies about the 2020 presidential election that incited a mob to march to the Capitol and attempt in vain to stop the certification of Democrat Joe Biden. victory. She discussed his threats to use the military against his political rivals and his calling those who disagree with him the “enemy within.”

“Look, we know who Donald Trump is. He was the one who stood in 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,” he said. -she declared. Trump, she added, “spent a decade trying to keep the American people divided and afraid of each other.”

“This is not a presidential candidate who is thinking about how to improve your life,” she said, calling Trump a “little tyrant” and a “wannabe dictator.”

Harris continued: “But America, I’m here tonight to say: This is not who we are.” She added: “It doesn’t have to be this way. »

Harris sought to use her largest remaining stage before polls close to explain more broadly why voters should reject Trump and consider what she offers, while introducing herself to voters clamoring for more information.

With the White House gleaming behind her, Harris encouraged the crowd to visualize their divergent futures based on who wins on Election Day.

“In less than 90 days, either Donald Trump or I will be in the Oval Office,” she said. “From day one, if elected, Donald Trump would enter office with a list of enemies. Once elected, I will arrive with a list of things to do.

Harris then listed key policy goals, including expanding Medicare coverage of home health care, increasing the nation’s housing supply, and restoring access to abortion in the country. national scale.

His speech drew a massive crowd to Washington, with supporters streaming to the Washington Monument on the National Mall. More importantly, his campaign hopes this framework will help capture the attention of voters in battleground states who still aren’t sure who to vote for — or whether they should vote at all.

Before Harris’ remarks, her campaign featured a group of everyday Americans who talked about their dreams and priorities, rather than showcasing the star power that has been on display at some of Harris’ recent events . They included Amanda Zurawski, a woman who nearly died of sepsis after being denied care under Texas’ strict abortion ban, Craig Sicknick, the brother of Texas police officer Capitol Brian Sicknick, who died following the January 6 attack, and a Pennsylvania man. husband and wife who previously voted for Trump but now support Harris.

Ruth Chiari, 78, of Charlottesville, Virginia, said she attended the rally with her husband to “support democracy.”

“I think everyone understands what’s on the ballot,” she said as she waited in line to attend the event. “Either we will have an autocrat or we will have freedom. »

Kathleen Nicholas, 36, a government relations manager in Washington, remembers Jan. 6 and loved how Tuesday’s crowds and atmosphere contrasted with that day. “I love that she chose this location for her closure,” she said. “Having something that directly contrasts with that day is what we needed.”

With time running out and the race tight, both Harris and Trump have looked for important moments to try to shift momentum.

That speech came days after Harris traveled to Texas, a reliably Republican state, to appear with megastar Beyoncé and highlight the consequences for women after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. It was also a speech intended to register with voters far away, in battleground states.

The vice president’s final speech has been weeks in the making. But his aides hoped his message would have more impact after Trump’s rally Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, where speakers hurled cruel and racist insults.

“Unlike Donald Trump, I don’t believe that those who disagree with me are the enemy,” Harris said. “He wants to put them in prison. I’ll give them a place at my table. And I am committed to being a president for all Americans. Always put the country above the party and above yourself.

Also at the center of his message: positioning himself as a “new generation” of leader after Trump and even his current boss, President Joe Biden.

“It’s time to stop pointing fingers and start shaking hands,” she said. “It is time to turn the page on drama and conflict, fear and division. It’s time for a new generation of leaders in America. And I am ready to provide that leadership as the next president of the United States. »

She acknowledged that “many of you are still learning who I am” after her surprise elevation to the top of the Democratic ticket after Biden dropped out in July, and used her remarks to try to answer the curiosity of voters.

“I recognize that this is not a typical campaign,” Harris said, adding that she “is not afraid of tough fights against bad actors and powerful interests.”

Ahead of Harris’ speech, Trump used his remarks to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Tuesday morning to accuse Harris of concluding with a message that does not address Americans’ daily and kitchen table struggles ordinary. concerns.

He said Harris continues to “talk about Hitler and the Nazis because her record is horrible,” a reference to Harris amplifying her former chief of staff’s warnings that Trump spoke admiringly of the Nazi leader during his time in office.

Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said: “His final argument to the American people is simple: Kamala broke him; he will fix it.

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