Trump and Harris return to Michigan

Photo: Christian Monterrosa Agence France-Presse Former U.S. President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris wave to the crowd together during a campaign event on October 24, 2024.

Aurélia End – Agence France-Presse and Marion Thibaut – Agence France-Presse Respectively in Washington and Kalamazoo

Published at 14:32 Updated at 16:09

• United States

Defending women's rights for her, the economy for him: each of the candidates in the race for the White House focused on key themes on Saturday ten days before an election that remains uncertain.

There is no question of easing the pressure for the two contenders for the White House, who no poll can separate: Kamala Harris is on stage for the first time with Michelle Obama while Donald Trump is visiting two states, before a major rally in New York on Sunday.

After Texas the day before, the two candidates' paths cross again on Saturday in Michigan, one of the “Swing States”, the key states where the November 5 election will be decided.

Kamala Harris continues to rely on a slew of celebrities: Lizzo and Usher last weekend, Bruce Springsteen and Barack Obama on Thursday, Beyoncé on Friday for a rally focused on abortion rights and finally Michelle Obama.

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For the former first lady, one of the Americans' favorite personalities according to the YouGov website, with a 61% approval rating, it's a big return to the campaign trail.

“I'm delighted to be here and hear our possibly first female president speak and explain what she's going to offer our country,” Josette Lantis, 48, told AFP.

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“We're at a crucial moment in history,” added Kimberly Whittaker, 56, who considers Michelle Obama a “role model.”

“This is our moment”

Before this rally, Vice President Kamala Harris Harris visited a doctor's office to once again highlight the issue of women's rights to control their bodies.

The day before, in Houston, alongside singer Beyoncé, the Democratic candidate spoke out in defense of the right to abortion, which is being challenged in many states. The woman who is also a feminist icon encouraged America to “sing a new song.”

“I’m not here as a celebrity. I’m not here as a politician. “I'm here as a mother,” she said, “concerned about the fate of the world in which my children and all of our children live.”

Leonardo DiCaprio, known for his commitment to the environment, announced in a video that he supported Kamala Harris because the country “needs a leap forward to save our economy, our planet and ourselves,” according to the actor.

For his part, Donald Trump, also in Michigan, once again multiplied the all-out attacks against his rival and assured that he was the only bulwark against the supposed decline of the world's leading power.

“This person cannot be president. She is too weak and too stupid to represent America on the world stage,” he said in the city of Novi, adding that she was “a drug addict.”

“Can you imagine her dealing with the president of China or Russia?? Nobody respects her, nobody takes her seriously,” he added.

In this large suburb of Detroit, he brought auto industry workers on stage and promised to “bring back jobs” including by rolling back subsidies for electric vehicles. “In a short time, you'll have more jobs than you've ever had.”

“Saving our planet”

To return to the White House and take revenge on Democrats whom he wrongly accuses of stealing the election from him in 2020, Donald Trump is counting on Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, three states that in 2016 cracked the “blue wall”, a bloc of around twenty states considered firmly Democratic.

After visiting two of these key states on Saturday, he is organizing a large rally on Sunday in the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York, where he intends to deliver an indictment of Kamala Harris, who is synonymous with chaos for him.

On Friday, the 78-year-old Republican took part in Joe Rogan's podcast, which is the most listened to podcast in the world on the Spotify platform. He returned to his career, his term in the White House, with a great deal of anecdotes and digressions, notably on martial arts.

The interview is aimed particularly at young men, especially those who appreciate the billionaire's macho speeches.

More than 38 million Americans out of the 244 million called to the polls have already made their choice via early voting.