Full Circle: ‘Rocky’ Harris Returns to Trump’s Election Grounds, Declaring Victory

On the 4th (local time), a day before the US presidential election, Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump squared off in their last campaign rally. Candidate Harris used a ‘total’ strategy, staying in Pennsylvania, the biggest battleground, throughout the day and campaigning in five cities. Candidate Trump went on a mandatory march, traveling about 1,800 kilometers through three states in one day, including the southeastern state of North Carolina and the northeastern states of Pennsylvania and Michigan. Even if you drive without stopping, it takes 17 hours.

● Harris, the last campaign on the steps of the film ‘Rocky’

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The candidate Harris ran a campaign on this day, starting from Scranton, a mining town in Pennsylvania, the hometown of President Joe Biden, and going through Allentown, Reading, and Pittsburgh, and ending in Philadelphia, the largest city in the state. Pennsylvania has 19 presidential electoral votes, the most among the seven major battleground states that will determine the outcome of the presidential election. In addition, Philadelphia has a large black and Latino population with strong support for the Democratic Party Candidate Harris personally visited the homes of some voters that day. He also emphasized the abortion rights agenda and began rallying traditional Democratic Party supporters, including women, youth, and Latinos.

In particular, he visited US Steel’s ‘Carrie Blast’, which became a national historic site after being closed in 1982 due to the decline of the steel industry in the steel city of Pittsburgh. The acquisition of US Steel by Nippon Steel was announced, but candidate Harris has repeatedly expressed his opposition to it. This is interpreted as a move to despise the white working class, who had strong support for the Democratic Party in the past but have shown a tendency to support candidate Trump since the 2016 presidential election.

He finished his campaign at midnight on the 5th with a rally in front of the steps in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which was featured in the movie ‘Rocky’. In the film, the unknown boxer ‘Rocky’ trains by climbing these stairs to prepare for a life-changing match. She, who dreams of becoming the first female president of the United States, calls herself an ‘underdog’ and explained that she chose this place as her last campaign site as “a tribute to those who start as underdogs and work their way to victory.” President Joe Biden also gave a speech nearby during the May 2019 Democratic presidential primary.

He then emphasized, “It’s time for new leadership,” and “I’m ready to become the next President of the United States.” He also said, “I will be president for all Americans,” and “I will win.” Present at the Philadelphia campaign were the ‘queen of the talk show’ Oprah Winfrey, the famous singers Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, the Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, and the lawyer Doug Emhoff, the husband of the candidate Harris.

● Trump forces march 1800 km… “Again 2016”

Candidate Trump kicked off his campaign on the same day in Raleigh, North Carolina, where Hurricane Hurlin recently hit. He emphasized his determination to eliminate illegal immigration, saying, “On my first day in office, I will launch the largest criminal deportation program ever.”

After moving to Reading, Pennsylvania, he criticized the high prices and illegal immigration of the Biden administration, to which candidate Harris belongs. He said, “You will say to Kamala tomorrow, ‘We have suffered enough. I can’t take it anymore. You are the most incompetent vice president in America. Kamala, you should say, ‘You’re fired.’ “

He also mentioned that he graduated from the prestigious University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Business (Wharton School) and that he had a bullet pierce his right ear in an assassination attempt by a gunman at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13. Candidate Trump, who shouted ” Let’s fight” while bleeding then, again on this day, “I’ll fight for you,” and “If you win Pennsylvania, you can win everything.”

At a campaign rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he shouted, “I am the right person to protect American manufacturing,” targeting the steel union, which has great influence in the region. The leading female anchor of Fox News, Megyn Kelly, the family of the famous Puerto Rican baseball player Roberto Clemente, and the eldest son Trump Jr. also appeared on the podium. It is interpreted as an attempt to appease women voters who value abortion rights and Latino voters who were disappointed that Tony Hinchcliffe, a white comedian who supports him, said on the 27th of last month that “Puerto Rico is trash island.”

At his final rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, candidate Trump said, “(My) last presidential campaign,” and shouted, “If I win Michigan, I will win this historic election.” He ran his last campaign in Grand Rapids during the presidential elections of 2016 and 2020. It is interpreted as an intention to repeat the presidential election of 2016, which had an unexpected victory despite being inferior in public opinion polls. Michigan is also a swing state (16 electoral votes) and is a region with a developed manufacturing industry, centered on the automobile industry.

Washington = Reporter Moon Byeong-ki weappon@donga.com
Reporter Lee Ji-yoon asap@donga.com