Harris campaign taps communications strategist as senior adviser
(WASHINGTON) — Vice President Kamala Harris has tapped Kamau M. Marshall — formerly a senior adviser and spokesperson for the Biden-Harris ticket — as a 2024 senior adviser for her new presidential campaign.
Marshall, who led then-candidate Joe Biden’s strategic communications during his 2020 bid for the presidency, started as a senior adviser for the Biden-Harris campaign earlier this month after more than a year as a senior adviser under Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.
Marshall said now is the time for unity with just over a 100 days until the 2024 election.
“We often say that each election is the most critical of our lifetime, but this one is at all costs,” Marshall told ABC News.
“I cannot emphasize the urgency of the upcoming election and how many achievements could be undone, rolling back all of the progress the Biden-Harris administration has made,” he added.
Vice President Harris traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Tuesday in the first battleground state rally of her campaign.
In a sudden reversal, President Biden, who had vowed for weeks that he would be staying in the presidential race, dropped out and endorsed Vice President Harris on Sunday.
“I won’t be on a ticket, but I’m still going to be fully, fully engaged,” Biden said on a call with senior campaign staffers on Monday evening.
A career communications strategist, the move made him one of the only Black men to join the campaign’s senior-level staff.
Biden congressional ally Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, celebrated the Harris ticket for transitioning to youth.
“He’s younger, he’s Black and he’s male,” Rep. Crockett said about Marshall, who is in his mid-30s. “Regardless of who’s at the top of the ticket, I think it’s really important that we tap into and we listen to young voices, Black voices, and definitely male voices. I think that he is someone who is able to tap into those cross sections.”
In the wake of Monday’s “Win with Black Men” live discussion — a more than four-hour voter mobilization effort hosted via journalist Roland Martin’s “Black Star Network” urging Black men to step up for Vice President Harris — they have become a key demographic in this election cycle during which they have voiced their frustrations.
Meanwhile, more than 80% of Black men identified with the Democratic Party over the last 25 years, according to the Pew Research Center.
Some of the Black voters most likely to support former President Donald Trump are those under the age of 50, according to Pew. Others are considering staying home in November.
Democratic strategist and former Obama campaign adviser Ameshia Cross praised Marshall’s experience with Black voters and his ability to reach Black men.
“He [Marshall] knows how to lead and engage those Black men who feel as though the party has left them or is not meeting their needs at this moment,” Cross told ABC News.
Before joining Harris’ campaign, Marshall, a former Houston Independent School District (HISD) teacher, championed several key education policies under Secretary Cardona’s office of communications and outreach. He worked on the White House’s initiative on HBCUs, historic HBCU funding, and college affordability.
However, the last year at the department has been mired by higher education woes, such as the U.S. Supreme Court effectively ending affirmative action and mounting challenges to Biden’s student debt relief plans. (The initial plan was struck down by the Supreme Court last year.)
(MIDDLETOWN, Ohio) — Speaking at his first solo rally in his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, former President Donald Trump’s running mate Sen. JD Vance attacked the Democratic Party over President Joe Biden stepping down as the party’s nominee and getting behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
“If you want to run for president, you’ve got to make your case to voters. You make your case to voters,” Vance said.
“[Trump] faced some good competition, and he made his case to voters,” Vance later said.
Vance’s rally came one week after he was announced as former President Donald Trump’s running mate for the 2024 presidential election.
On Monday, Vance took center stage in his hometown, which has played a crucial role in his upbringing and was the catalyst for much of what has happened to him, including being the backdrop of his memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” in which he shared his story of growing up in poverty in America’s Rust Belt and being surrounded by violence and addiction.
The Ohio senator made his first official appearance at a campaign rally on Saturday in Grand Rapids, Michigan, alongside Trump. During that appearance, Vance wasted no time attacking Harris, who only one day later would receive an endorsement from Biden and other Democrats to top the Democratic ticket.
During the rally, Vance claimed “elite Democrats got in a smoke-filled room and decided to throw Joe Biden overboard.” Biden left the race amid mounting calls from fellow Democrats to do so since his poor debate performance last month.
“This is not OK, ladies and gentlemen. You cannot, for three-and-a-half years, take a guy who clearly didn’t have the mental capacity to do the job,” Vance said.
Vance then turned to Harris and Senate Democrats, repeating a claim Trump has made that she was complicit in hiding Biden’s mental fitness.
“Kamala Harris lied about it. My Senate Democratic colleagues lied about it. The media lied about it,” Vance said, adding it was an “insult to voters.”
During his remarks, he said the Trump-Vance ticket would fight for different groups of people including workers, parents and grandmothers.
“What President Trump and I want to do — we want to a drill, baby drill,” Vance said. “We’re gonna shut down that border, we’re gonna put American citizens first, because that’s what American citizens are gonna elect us to do. It’s common sense.”
(WASHINGTON) — Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to soon face her first post-convention test when she sits for a formal interview — something she told reporters this month she planned to do by the end of August, but has yet to announce.
With an absence of plans for any such sit-down, Republican critics have accused her of dodging the press.
“She refuses to do any interviews or press conferences, almost 30 days now, she has not done an interview,” former President Donald Trump said of Harris at a North Carolina event earlier this month. “You know why she hasn’t done an interview? Because she’s not smart. She’s not intelligent.”
His campaign has said Harris is trying to “duck and hide” from the news media.
The lack of a media interview has yet to hurt Harris, whose poll number are outpacing those of President Joe Biden when he was atop the Democratic ticket, according to 538’s national polling average. As of Tuesday, Harris is polling ahead of Trump, 47.2% to 43.6%; when Biden left the race, he was polling at 40.2% compared to Trump’s 43.5%, according to 538’s polling average.
Harris has also stirred an enthusiasm from Democrats that had been absent most of the campaign cycle — and is riding a high following last week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Moreover, she chose a running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, whose rural background has helped the ticket craft a message Democrats have said they believe will make inroads with voters in conservative parts of the country.
All the while, Trump has seemed to abandon the discipline Republicans had lauded him for this summer. Recently, he has made false claims about the crowd size at a Harris rally and appeared to forget to mention a policy proposal he had been slated to unveil at an event in Michigan.
Democrats have cautioned that Harris has several hurdles to clear in the coming weeks.
One of those hurdles is the pending media interview, where Harris would likely have to defend the decisions of the Biden administration and specify some of her policy stances.
On Monday, Trump sought to spotlight Harris’ connection to the Biden administration’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, laying wreaths in Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate the third anniversary of the suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members.
“Caused by Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, the humiliation in Afghanistan set off the collapse of American credibility and respect all around the world,” Trump claimed when he spoke to National Guardsmen at a Detroit event later Monday.
Harris is also likely to be pressed on how much she knew about Biden’s capacities prior to the June 27 debate. That night, she urged Americans to judge Biden not on the “90 minutes” on stage but the “three-and-a-half years of performance.”
Yet, that same debate performance set in motion a weekslong effort by top Democrats to nudge Biden from the race.
Few had a better understanding of what Biden was like behind the scenes than Harris, his No. 2, and an interviewer would likely challenge her about what she witnessed in private.
Harris would surely be asked about the war in Gaza. She said recently, “We need a cease-fire,” but is a member of an administration that has yet to help broker one.
The situation at the southern border would likely be another topic an interviewer would press Harris on. Republicans have linked her to an increase in unauthorized border crossings earlier in Biden’s term, misleadingly dubbing her the “border czar.”
An interviewer might also ask Harris to respond to the criticism of her recently unveiled economic plan, in which she called for an end to grocery “price-gouging,” prompting accusations by some Republicans that she wants “communist price controls.”
Harris travels this week to south Georgia, where she will embark on a bus tour and hold a rally in Savannah, Georgia.
(CHICAGO) —Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday unveiled her economic platform, her first major policy rollout since becoming the Democratic nominee.
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday held a press conference in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he said he’s “entitled” to insult his Democratic opponent because he doesn’t respect her and attacked her record on the economy.
Here’s how the news is developing:
Bulletproof glass shields Trump at North Carolina rally
Former President Donald Trump spoke behind bulletproof glass at his rally in North Carolina on Wednesday as new security measures are being put in place after the assassination attempt against the former president.
Trump was surrounded by the glass barriers as he addressed supporters in Asheboro. The event marked his first outdoor rally since the shooting on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, during which Trump and two others were injured and one person was killed.
-ABC News’ Alexandra Hutzler
RFK Jr. planning to leave 2024 race: Sources
Robert Kennedy Jr. is planning to drop out of the race by the end of this week, sources familiar with the decision tell ABC News.
Sources say that Kennedy is leaning toward endorsing former President Donald Trump, though the sources cautioned the decision is not yet finalized and could still change. One source added that the hope is, in part, to finalize things quickly in order to try to blunt momentum from the DNC.
Kennedy is set to address the nation on Friday, his campaign said earlier Wednesday.
-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky, Will McDuffie, Olivia Rubin, John Santucci and Katherine Faulders
RFK Jr. to address nation Friday about ‘path forward’
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will “address the nation” live Friday to discuss his “path forward,” his press secretary posted on X Wednesday.
The campaign did not immediately offer any more specifics.
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie
Harris headed to Milwaukee rally tonight
Democratic candidate for president, Vice President Kamala Harris, is set to speak at a rally in Milwaukee on Tuesday, according to her campaign.
Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ vice presidential running mate, will be in attendance, the campaign confirmed. Also expected at the event are Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, members of the Milwaukee Bucks franchise, including Khris Middleton and President Peter Feigin, and labor leaders.
Harris and Waltz appeared at the DNC in Chicago on Monday night, where Harris surprised delegates by taking the stage early in the night for a brief speech.
Tuesday’s rally, which is being held at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, is aimed at energizing Wisconsin voters, the campaign said.
Iran denies involvement in attempts to hack Trump, Biden campaigns
Iran is denying reports it was involved in attempts to hack the presidential campaigns of former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, the latter of which while he was still in the race.
In a statement, the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations, said that reports of attempted hacking, which came from Google and Microsoft, are “unsubstantiated.”
“Such allegations are unsubstantiated and devoid of any standing. As we have previously announced, the Islamic Republic of Iran harbors neither the intention nor the motive to interfere with the U.S. presidential election,” the statement read. “Should the U.S. government genuinely believe in the validity of its claims, it should furnish us with the pertinent evidence—if any—to which we will respond accordingly.”
-ABC News’ Pierre Thomas
7:32 AM EDT Bernie Sanders to speak at DNC on ‘lowering health care costs’
Lowering health care costs will be a central theme at the Democratic National Convention this week, campaign and convention officials said on Monday, with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), confirmed as one notable program speaker set to focus upon the issue — specifically on “lowering Rx drug prices” and “taking on Big Pharma.”
Speakers throughout the week like Sanders, California Rep. Robert Garcia, Illinois Rep. Lauren Underwood and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will highlight the support of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for strengthening the Affordable Care Act, convention officials shared first with ABC News.
In a Friday speech setting out a string of economic proposals, Harris pledged to “lower the cost of insulin and prescription drugs for everyone.” She also said she’d “demand transparency from the middlemen who operate between Big Pharma and the insurance companies, who use opaque practices to raise your drug prices and profit off your need for medicine.”
-ABC News’ Isabella Murray
Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and more to host DNC
Actors Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn, Mindy Kaling and commentator Ana Navarro will serve as hosts at the Democratic National Convention this week, convention officials confirmed to ABC News.
Each will host one night of the four-day convention, starting the programming with opening remarks and reappearing onstage throughout the night.
Goldwyn will host Monday night, Navarro on Tuesday and Kaling on Wednesday. Washington will host on Thursday, the night Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepts her nomination.
CNN first reported this news.
Harris and Walz debut new campaign buses and kick off tour ahead of DNC
Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz debuted their new campaign buses Sunday and kicked off a bus tour of southwestern Pennsylvania ahead of this week’s Democratic National Convention.
Upon their arrival on Air Force Two, a few hundred supporters greeted Harris, Walz and their spouses at a hangar where the new were buses parked.
Supporters told ABC News they were thrilled by Harris’ candidacy, with one saying she had not felt this excited about politics in years. Some said they had never volunteered for a campaign before signing up to work on Harris’.
“I was excited about Biden, but I am a million times more excited about Kamala,” Nicole Molinaro, a Pittsburgh-area mom, said. “I think that we need her leadership. We need her intelligence. We need her progressive, you know, stance. I think we need her experience. We need everything about Kamala.”
Another supporter, Edward Freel, said he was unsure about Harris at first, “but then, as I started listening better and following her, [I thought] this woman is going to be good for this country.”
Trump campaign releases counterprogramming schedule for DNC week
During the week of the DNC, Former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance will be out on the campaign trail, holding events in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.
Trump allies — including Sens. Ron Johnson and Rick Scott, and Rep. Byron Donalds — will travel to Chicago to host press conferences every day of the convention. The Trump team will also give a press conference on Thursday ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris accepting the Democratic party’s nomination.
“As they meet Americans where they are in battleground states across the country, President Trump and Senator Vance will remind voters that under their leadership, we can end inflation, protect our communities from violent criminals, secure the border, and Make America Great Again,” Trump Campaign Senior Advisors Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said in a statement.
-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soo Rin Kim and Kelsey Walsh
Michelle Obama to speak at DNC this week
Former first lady Michelle Obama will speak at the DNC in Chicago this week, ABC News has confirmed with her office.
Her appearance, first reported by Essence Magazine, will be among a lineup of prominent Democratic leaders who are rallying in support of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Former President Barack Obama is also scheduled to speak at the DNC.
According to a source familiar with the planning, Michelle Obama will speak on Tuesday — the same day as the former president.
-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart and Gabriella Abdul-Hakim
Former Democrat Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will help Trump prepare for presidential debate
Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will assist Trump in preparing for his first debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.
“[Trump] does not need traditional debate prep but will continue to meet with respected policy advisors and effective communicators like Tulsi Gabbard, who successfully dominated Kamala Harris on the debate stage,” Trump campaign National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote in a statement to ABC News, confirming a development first reported by The New York Times.
Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and a one-time Democratic presidential candidate during the 2020 election, gained brief momentum during her presidential run after challenging Harris on the debate stage on topics like criminal prosecutions.
Since leaving the Democratic Party, Gabbard has been gaining traction among Trump supporters, and more recently she has appeared on Fox and other conservative news outlets attacking Harris.
– ABC News’ Rachel Scott, Soo Rin Kim, Kelsey Walsh, and Lalee Ibssa
Election 2024 updates: ABC News Harris-Trump debate to be held in Philadelphia
The first debate between Vice President Harris and former President Trump will be held by ABC News at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
The Sept. 10 debate will be moderated by ABC News anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis.
It will air live at 9:00 p.m. ET on the network and on its 24/7 streaming network ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.