Harris and Trump offer contrasting views as campaign heats up

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are presenting contrasting narratives during their interactions with voters on the campaign trail. Harris is emphasizing “joy” and branding the Democratic ticket, which includes her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as “joyful warriors.”

In contrast, Trump has been painting a gloomier picture for Republicans, stating at a recent news conference that “We have a lot of bad things coming up.”

Voters can expect to hear more from both candidates and their running mates in the upcoming days.

Walz will be hosting his first solo events this week, starting with a trip to Los Angeles to speak at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees convention on Tuesday, followed by a series of fundraisers across the country.

Trump is scheduled to participate in a live interview on X, the social platform from which he was previously banned for nearly two years after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.

Follow the AP’s Election 2024 coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024.

Here’s the Latest:

Trump falsely claims a crowd photo from Harris’ campaign rally in Detroit was created using AI

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has been spreading false claims about an image showing thousands of people awaiting Democratic candidate Kamala Harris at Detroit’s airport being manipulated with artificial intelligence.

Despite these claims, independent journalists and photographers confirmed the actual crowd size as Harris arrived on Air Force Two at Detroit’s airport. Analysis of the photo by a digital forensics expert found no evidence of manipulation. Harris’ campaign also denied any manipulation of the photo and addressed it on social media.

The Detroit airport rally reportedly drew fifteen thousand people, according to Harris’ campaign.

Trump’s false theories about the Harris campaign photo emerged after a news conference at his Florida estate, during which he was questioned about the crowd sizes at his opponent’s rallies.

▶ Read more here.

Trump and his allies once cheered hacked materials. No longer, now that they say he’s a target

Former President Donald Trump previously endorsed the publicizing of hacked materials.

However, Trump’s latest presidential campaign recently reported a hacking incident involving sensitive documents, attributing it to Iran. This change in stance comes after Microsoft released a report outlining attempts by foreign agents to interfere in the 2024 U.S. campaign. The report also mentioned an instance of Iranian military intelligence engaging in spear-phishing activities.

The Trump campaign’s communication director denounced media outlets reprinting the hacked documents, shifting their position from 2016 when they welcomed Russian hacking of Clinton’s aides and the DNC.

▶ Read more here.

FBI is investigating allegations that sensitive documents were stolen from Trump campaign

The FBI announced an investigation into claims that sensitive documents from the Trump campaign were stolen in a cyber intrusion following the campaign’s declaration of being hacked by Iran.

While the campaign did not provide specific evidence linking Iran to the hack, the FBI confirmed they are looking into the matter. This announcement followed Microsoft’s report on foreign attempts to interfere in the 2024 U.S. campaign, including Iranian spear-phishing activities targeting a high-ranking official of a presidential campaign.

The Iranian mission to the United Nations has denied any involvement in the Trump campaign’s hacking allegations.

Looking ahead to Jan. 6, one group calls on Congress to pledge to certify the 2024 election results

With Jan. 6, 2025, approaching, a group is urging Congress to pledge to certify the election results and prevent a repeat of the 2021 Capitol insurrection by Trump supporters.

Rep. Joe Morelle of New York, alongside former police officers Aquilino Gonell and Michael Fanone, who were injured during the Capitol riot, emphasized the importance of ensuring the electoral process’s integrity.

This initiative, led by the group Courage for America, aims to prevent the spread of election disinformation and ensure lawmakers accept the November election outcome to avoid a situation similar to 2021 when 147 Republicans in Congress voted against certification.

▶ Read more here.

Early Harris-Walz rallies feature big crowds, talk of ‘joy’ and unsolicited GOP counterprogramming

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz kicked off their campaign tour with enthusiastic crowds, emphasizing joy and positive energy, amidst unsolicited counterprogramming by Republicans.

During their swing through five battleground states, they engaged in lively rallies, starting in Philadelphia, and traversing Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, and Nevada. Planned stops in Georgia and North Carolina were affected by Tropical Storm Debby.

The tour aimed to introduce both candidates to voters, particularly undecided ones, in states with tight races against Republican nominee Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance.

▶ Take a look back at the campaign swing.

Latinos are excited about Harris, but she has work to do to win the crucial voting bloc, experts say

Latino voters and leaders express enthusiasm for Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee, emphasizing the need for clarity on her stances regarding the economy, immigration, and education to secure their crucial support.

As the largest minority group in the U.S., with significant sway in elections, Latinos are looking for Harris to energize young Latino voters by addressing critical issues affecting their community. Harris has garnered support from influential Latino groups but must continue engaging with this demographic.

▶ Read more about where Harris stands with Latino voters.

Trump reportedly used a slur against Harris in private conversations

There are reports of former President Donald Trump using a derogatory term to describe Vice President Kamala Harris in private conversations, according to sources who overheard these remarks. The Trump campaign denied these claims.

The reported slur adds to Trump’s history of making disparaging comments about women and political opponents. His derogatory comments have raised concerns about his rhetoric and treatment of female candidates like Harris and Hillary Clinton.

▶ Read more here.

From Biden to Gabbard, here’s what Harris’ past debates show before a faceoff with Trump

Vice President Kamala Harris has challenged her opponent to a debate, highlighting Trump’s criticisms and inviting a direct exchange of ideas. Trump has accepted the debate invitation, setting the stage for a showdown between the Democratic and Republican nominees.

The debate offers Harris an opportunity to define her platform and contrast it with Trump’s policies as they address key issues facing the nation. It also presents a significant test for Harris to showcase her readiness for the presidency.

▶ Read more about Harris’ past debates.

Democrats launch first paid ad campaign for the Harris-Walz ticket in battleground states

The Democratic Party has initiated a paid advertising campaign targeting seven critical battleground states to promote Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

The ad campaign, organized by the Democratic National Committee, includes over 70 billboards placed strategically in urban areas across key battleground states like Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin. This campaign marks the first of many advertising efforts aimed at influencing the outcome of the upcoming presidential election.

▶ Read more about the ad campaign.

Will Trump’s and Harris’ mismatched moods matter?

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are presenting contrasting tones in their interactions with voters. Harris is emphasizing positivity and “joy,” while Trump is projecting a more pessimistic outlook. The varying moods come at a time when Americans are expressing skepticism about the political climate and the direction of the country.

Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, dismissed concerns about the candidates’ differing tones, emphasizing that people are more concerned about tangible issues like cost of living and economic stability.

▶ Read more about whether the mismatched moods matter.

Vance hails Trump’s Fed idea and pushes back against criticism over past words on American families

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance praised Donald Trump’s proposed changes to the Federal Reserve and defended himself against criticism over past comments about American family life. Vance utilized his appearances on Sunday news shows to advocate for Trump’s record while addressing questions about his views on abortion and previous statements.

▶ Read more about some of his other appearances.

Trump campaign says its emails were hacked

Former President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign reported a hacking incident involving sensitive internal documents, attributing the breach to foreign actors, specifically Iran. This revelation follows a recent report by Microsoft detailing foreign interference attempts in the 2024 U.S. campaign, including spear-phishing activities by Iranian military intelligence.

The Trump campaign’s communication director blamed the hack on hostile foreign sources and condemned attempts to undermine confidence in U.S. democratic institutions.

▶ Read more here.

Walz to hold first solo events as Harris’ running mate

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is gearing up for his initial solo events as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, starting with a speech at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees convention in Los Angeles, followed by a series of fundraisers across the nation.

After his appearance in Los Angeles, Walz will be busy with events in five states over three days, focusing on fundraising efforts and engaging with supporters.

Harris introduced Walz as her running mate during a joint rally in Philadelphia, and the pair has been campaigning together in various states to expand their reach and connect with voters.