The selection of the location was deliberate. Just hours before hundreds of supporters stormed the Capitol and obstructed the certification of Joe Biden’s presidential election, Donald Trump spoke to supporters at his rally on January 6, 2021, in the same location.
In an event that her team hopes would provide as a counterpoint to that frigid, violent January day, Harris appeared in front of an estimated 70,000 applauding fans on a mild October night.
Additionally, Harris made it clear early on in case anyone was unaware of the symbolism.
“We are aware of Donald Trump’s identity,” she stated on Tuesday. This is the same individual who, almost four years ago, brought an armed mob to the US Capitol to overrule the people’s will in a free and fair election.
But Harris didn’t focus on the riot on January 6. The majority of the work was done by the venue, which supplied Harris with the speech’s subtext and the point of departure.
She began by ominously warning of a Trump who was “unstable,” “unhinged,” and “obsessed with retribution,” but then she shifted her attention to what she referred to as her “different path.”
