Harris gives ‘closing argument’; Trump addresses Biden’s ‘garbage’ comment

With six days until the election, former President Donald Trump stumped in Allentown, Pennsylvania as Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her “closing argument.” We have what each said about what’s at stake next Tuesday.  Also, details on what happened after a gunman opened fire from a hotel in Atlanta. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024.

Harris gives closing argument as Trump addresses Biden’s comments

Some twists on the campaign trail with under a week to go now to Election Day and already more than 50 million ballots cast. Both presidential candidates gave dueling speeches Tuesday night, Oct. 29.

The Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris delivered what she described as her “closing argument” to the American people near the White House as the Republican nominee former President Donald Trump looked to court Latino voters in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. 

During her address at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., the vice president emphasized its significance as the same site where former President Trump spoke to his supporters right before the riots on the capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

“So tonight, I will speak to everyone about the choice and stakes in this election,” she said. “Look, we know who Donald Trump is. He is the person who stood at 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.”

The vice president also told voters she will seek common ground, saying she will give those who disagree with her a “seat at the table.” 

“As Americans, we rise and fall together,” she said. “America, for too long, we have been consumed with too much division, chaos and mutual distrust. And it can be easy then to forget a simple truth: it doesn’t have to be this way. It doesn’t have to be this way. We have to stop pointing fingers and start locking arms.” 

In Pennsylvania, former President Trump reached out to voters during a rally in the majority Hispanic town of Allentown. 

“I’m here today with a message of hope for all Americans,” he said. “With your vote this election — oh, do I look forward to this election. We — I’m going to say ‘we’ because we are going to do it as a group. We will end inflation. Wwe will stop the invasion of criminals into our country. And we will bring back the American dream. We’re doing it together, Pennsylvania.” 

During his rally, the former president asked his supporters to vote and send in their mail-in ballots early, saying “they’ve already cheated” in the state — a reference to law enforcement in Lancaster County announcing they were investigating around 2,500 voter registration forms for alleged fraud. 

Trump turned his attention to President Joe Biden after Florida Sen. Marco Rubio joined him on stage.

“I wasn’t going to say anything, but I have breaking news for you Mr. President,” Rubio told Trump. “You may not have heard this: just moments ago, Joe Biden stated that our supporters are garbage, are garbage. He’s talking about the border patrol, he’s talking about nurses, he’s talking about teachers, he’s talking about everyday Americans who love their country and want to dream big again and support you Mr. President.” 

“Remember Hillary [Clinton], she said ‘deplorable’ and then she said ‘irredeemable,’ right?” Trump responded. “But she said ‘deplorable.’ That didn’t work out. Garbage, I think, is worse right?” 

What they were referring to were comments made by President Biden during a Voto Latino campaign call Tuesday night. Biden spoke about the comedian who made controversial jokes about Puerto Rico during Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally over the weekend. 

“Just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a ‘floating island of garbage,’” the president said. “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.” 

The White House issued a statement saying, “The president referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as ‘garbage.’” President Biden himself followed up on his comments with a post on X saying, “Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage…the comments at that rally don’t reflect who we are as a nation.” 

During an appearance on Fox News Tuesday night, Trump told host Sean Hannity nobody from his campaign vetted the comedian before the MSG rally. 

As it pertains to the alleged voter fraud in Pennsylvania, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro told CNN there will be safe elections in the state and when asked about Biden’s “garbage” comment, Shapiro said, “It’s certainly not the words I would choose.”

Supreme Court rules RFK Jr. will remain on ballot in 2 swing states

The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a push from former 2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to remove his name from the ballots in two key swing states. Even though the Independent candidate dropped out of the race and endorsed former President Trump, his name remains on the ballots in Michigan and Wisconsin. 

It was unlikely the Supreme Court would have ruled in his favor, because voting is already underway in both states. Kennedy’s name also remains on the ballot in some other states, but he did not ask the Supreme Court to take it off anywhere but Wisconsin and Michigan in an apparent move to secure more voters for his ally Trump.

Steve Bannon spends first day out of prison stumping for Trump

Longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon wasted no time showing his support for the former president after being released from prison early Tuesday morning. Bannon just finished serving a four-month sentence for defying a subpoena from Congress during its investigation into the U.S. Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021.

Bannon’s first order of business was to resume his podcast “WarRoom.” He then held a news conference urging Republicans to turn out in droves to vote for Trump on Tuesday, Nov. 5. 

“I’ve been empowered by my four months at Danbury Federal Prison,” Bannon said during the news conference. 

He added, “Obviously with seven days or six days left, you have to have a convergence of the get out the vote effort. I am not a huge believer in our ability to actually participate in rallies or do rallies because right now I think President Trump does great and he has people long there are going to do rallies in the different states. Our focus is one thing to make sure that we get as many American citizens, either early voting when they can or to the polls next Tuesday.” 

Bannon still faces additional criminal charges in New York state, where he’s accused of duping donors who gave money to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. 

He has pleaded not guilty to money laundering, conspiracy, fraud and other charges. His trial in that case is scheduled to begin in December.

Paul Pelosi attacker sentenced to life term on state charges

A judge sentenced the man who broke into former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s northern California home and attacked her husband, Paul, with a hammer to life in prison without the possibility of parole. 

David DePape, 44, was already serving 30 years in federal prison for the attack when a San Francisco jury found him guilty of multiple state charges in June.

pic.twitter.com/YziciAkv9K

— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) October 29, 2024

Both the prosecution and defense said the life without parole sentence will be served concurrently with DePape’s federal sentence. It has not yet been determined where he will serve his punishment.

Suspect in custody after shots fired at Atlanta Four Seasons

A police officer and a suspected shooter are recovering after gunfire broke out at a building that houses a Four Seasons Hotel and residences in Atlanta Tuesday. The Atlanta police chief said the officer was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. 

The suspect, later identified as a 70-year-old man, also went to the hospital but his injuries were not specified.

UPDATE: Barricaded Gunman turned Active Shooter Situation Zone 5 at 75 14th Street
Sound from Mayor Andre Dickens & Chief Darin Schierbaumhttps://t.co/TjSDcj3YTj

— Atlanta Police Department (@Atlanta_Police) October 29, 2024

Authorities say the man fired at least once from the balcony of a residence on the 33rd floor of the 53-story high-rise building. They say he also shot through walls and doors, but no other injuries were reported. 

Police said the suspect lives in the residential portion of the building and was not a guest at the Four Seasons hotel portion.

Yankees deny Dodgers a World Series sweep with Game 4 win

Put those brooms away, LA! Because the New York Yankees squashed the Dodgers’ dreams of sweeping the World Series. 

Despite another Freddie Freeman home run —  becoming the first player to homer in games 1, 2, 3, and 4 —  the Yankees crushed the Dodgers 11-4 in Game 4 Tuesday night in the Bronx, highlighted by three home runs including a grand slam by shortstop Anthony Volpe.

The @Yankees force a Game 5! #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/Gziq3w5mMU

— MLB (@MLB) October 30, 2024

The game also featured an odd moment when Yankees fans tried to pry a foul ball out of the glove of Dodgers’ Mookie Betts. The fans were escorted from their seats by stadium security after that play. 

The 11 runs were the most by the Yankees in a World Series game since Game 5 of the 1978 series when they scored 12 against the Dodgers.

Now the Yankees are hoping to do what no other team has done in Major League Baseball history: come back from being down 3-0 in the Fall Classic to win it all.

The Dodgers still just need one more win to claim the championship.

Game 5 is Wednesday night in Yankee Stadium.