Kamala Harris' audience size breaks previous record with elliptical speech

More than 75,000 spectators gathered in Washington, DC to hear Vice President Kamala Harris' final speech at the same site as former President Donald Trump's infamous “Save America” ​​rally that followed the attack on the US Capitol on January 6th.

Harris' event at the Ellipse came a week before Election Day and followed Trump's closing arguments Sunday at Madison Square Garden, which drew backlash for his inflammatory and racist rhetoric.

As the vice president took the stage Tuesday night, Ammar Moussa, her campaign's crisis response director, posted on his account

“Here. We. Go,” Moussa added.

CNN later reported that the Ellipse was full and some guests were directed to an overflow area on the National Mall, according to a Harris campaign official.

Trump held his rally at the Ellipse on January 6, 2021, the same day a mob of his supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol while Congress was certifying the 2020 election, in which Trump lost to President Joe Biden. According to the House special committee tasked with investigating January 6, around 53,000 people attended Trump's speech before the attack.

Harris' previous audience record was set Friday at her rally in Houston, which also featured a performance by Beyoncé. The vice president's campaign said about 30,000 people showed up to the Shell Energy Stadium event focused on reproductive rights.

Trump often promotes his own rally greats, albeit as Newsweek As reported, the former president often exaggerates viewership numbers. Trump's campaign said the former president's event in New York City on Sunday filled Madison Square Garden to capacity. The venue can accommodate a maximum of 19,500 people.

Sunday's event was marred by racist remarks about Latinos, blacks, Jews and Palestinians. Several speakers also made sexist comments about Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Trump's campaign team has spoken out against a comment by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who said in his speech that Puerto Rico was a “floating island of garbage.” The former president's team said the “joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.” When asked about the joke on Tuesday, Trump told ABC News' Rachel Scott: “I don't know it. Someone put it up there. I don’t know who he is.”

The former president also stopped short of condemning other statements he made Tuesday during a speech at Mar-a-Lago at Madison Square Garden, instead saying, “There has never been an event so beautiful.”

“The love in that room was breathtaking,” he added. “It was like a lovefest, an absolute lovefest. And it was an honor to be a part of it.”

Harris said during her Ellipse speech that Trump “has spent a decade dividing the American people and making them afraid of each other.”

“That’s him,” she added. “But America, I’m here tonight to say that’s not who we are.”

The vice president also criticized Trump's comments that he would pursue the “enemy from within” if elected to the White House. Despite facing widespread backlash for his comments in recent weeks, Trump repeated the phrase during his speech at Madison Square Garden, telling his supporters: “We're going up against a huge, corrupt, evil left-wing machine that's running the Democratic Party.” She is clever and vicious, they are the enemy within, we must defeat them.”

On Tuesday, Harris told his supporters: “Donald Trump intends to use the U.S. military against American citizens who simply disagree with him. People he calls… 'enemy from within'.”

Harris added: “Unlike Donald Trump, I don’t believe that people who disagree with me are the enemy. He wants to put her in prison. I’ll give them a seat at my table.”

Newsweek Trump's campaign asked for comment via email on Tuesday.