Trump Vs Harris: How the hell can the race be tied?, by Robert Reich
Friends,
With just two weeks remaining before the pivotal Election Day, a shocking development has emerged: Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are essentially tied in critical battleground states.
According to The New York Times’s polling average of five key states—Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada, Wisconsin, and North Carolina—neither candidate leads by even a single point.
How the hell is this possible? Even if the polls were systematically skewed, suggesting Harris was actually ahead by five percent, it still appalls me that so many Americans in swing states would support Trump.
Let me share a personal note. Throughout my life, I’ve battled bullies—from childhood tormentors to the white supremacists of the 1960s, who murdered my friend Mickey Schwerner while he was registering Black voters in Mississippi.
I fought against the bullies in power, including Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon, whose corrupt acts scarred our nation. I witnessed Ronald Reagan’s cruel “trickle-down” economics and George W. Bush’s baseless invasion of Iraq.
As Secretary of Labour, I stood up against Republican bullies who sought to enrich themselves at the expense of working Americans. Today, I must assert that I’ve never encountered a bully as vile as Donald Trump. He epitomizes the worst kind of bullies, spewing dangerous lies with reckless abandon. He has degraded our system of self-governance, attempted a coup against the United States, and sown division through his venomous bigotry.
In recent weeks, Trump has become even more detached from reality, issuing open threats against political opponents and suggesting military action against those he deems the “enemy within.” He has made outrageous claims about “cleansing” America of “scum” and “vermin,” targeting immigrants, refugees, and Democratic leaders.
READ ALSO: Harris targets Trump’s age after report of exhaustion
He threatens to strip news networks of their broadcasting capabilities if he disapproves of their coverage. Just last Sunday, he claimed CBS misrepresented Harris’s appearance on “60 Minutes” and threatened to subpoena their records.
The troubling aspect is not just Trump’s actions but the troubling fact that, with two weeks left, he remains a strong contender. How can so many Americans fail to see Trump for who he truly is and what he intends to do?
I refuse to accept that this is solely about misogyny and racism. While these factors undoubtedly play significant roles in our politics, they can not fully explain the current polling. Most voters recall the turmoil Trump caused during his presidency, including the disastrous handling of the pandemic.
Part of the reason may be our collective desire to normalize politics, to treat this election as we have past ones, despite the glaring evidence of how unprecedented this moment is. Facing the reality of Trump’s ambitions is a daunting prospect, yet it’s crucial to recognize who he is and what he stands for.
In my view, media mogul Rupert Murdoch is a key player in this narrative, as his Fox News, New York Post, and Wall Street Journal editorials continue to spread Trump’s lies, reaching millions of Americans. Similarly, Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has turned his platform, X (formerly Twitter), into a haven for misinformation, conspiracy theories, and anti-Harris vitriol. Musk’s absurd claims about Democrats allegedly flying undocumented immigrants into swing states to vote illegally garnered 34 million views.
Musk’s pro-Trump super PAC reportedly has around 400 staffers in the key battleground states, led by seasoned Republican operatives, as he coordinates closely with Trump—a clear violation of campaign finance laws prohibiting such collusion.
READ ALSO: Harris, Trump campaign in battleground states amid tight race
Trump’s financial support also comes from a host of billionaires, including Miriam Adelson, Liz and Dick Uihlein, and Linda McMahon. These individuals have a vested interest in maintaining Trump’s influence.
Moreover, the silence of respected business leaders compounds the problem. Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, is one such leader who, despite his vocal opposition to social injustices, has failed to publicly denounce Trump’s threats to democracy.
We must also recognise the advisers surrounding Trump, including Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA, Russell Vought, and Stephen Miller, whose rhetoric fuels Trump’s most dangerous ideologies. Their presence lends credence to Trump’s threats should he regain power.
It’s also not far-fetched to speculate that foreign actors like Vladimir Putin are once again meddling in our elections, just as they did in 2016, potentially bolstering Trump’s campaign through digital manipulation.
This is no ordinary election. This moment is unlike anything we have faced before. With just two weeks until Election Day, and with the race effectively tied in critical battleground states, it is imperative for all of us who care about the future of our democracy to take action.
If you can, I implore you to visit these battleground states and participate in grassroots campaigning—knock on doors, engage with voters, and spread the message of support for Harris. If travel isn’t feasible, consider writing letters, making phone calls, or contributing financially to her campaign.
We are at a critical juncture—a five-alarm fire, a Category 5 hurricane. Your involvement is vital. This is an all-hands-on-deck moment. Please, do what you can to safeguard our democracy.
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