GREENVILLE, NC — Vice President Kamala Harris suggested Sunday that former President Donald Trump is trying to return to the White House without disclosing key details. about his health and political plans that require voters to make an informed choice in the election.
At an enthusiastic rally in the swing state of North Carolina, Harris said Trump was not being “transparent with voters.” He cited her decision to back out of an interview, as well as refusing to participate in a second debate with him on CBS's “60 Minutes” as part of the program's traditional presidential election special. He questioned why Trump had not released a comprehensive report on his health.
“He is not willing to meet for a second debate,” Harris said. “And here’s the thing, here’s the thing, it makes you wonder. It makes you wonder: why does your team want to hide it? One has to wonder, one has to wonder, are they afraid that people will see that he is too weak and unstable to lead America? What is happening?”
Invoking Trump's medical history could serve a special purpose for Harris, reminding voters that they are a generation older than they are and that, at 78, Trump is the oldest presidential candidate in U.S. history.
In turn, Harris is emancipated A summary His medical history on Saturday. Her White House doctor described her as a “healthy 59-year-old woman with a medical history notable for seasonal allergies and fungal infections” known as hives.
Trump told CBS he will release his medical records in August. “Oh, of course, I would be very happy to do that, of course,” he said.
On Saturday, the Trump campaign issued a press release that included a three-paragraph letter from Trump's personal doctor, dated November 2023, stating that the former president was in “excellent” overall health, with his physical examination ” in the normal range” and their cognitive tests. . , “Fantastic.”
“He has maintained an extremely busy and active campaign schedule unlike any other in political history, where Kamala Harris has failed to keep up with the demands of the campaign and has revealed daily that she is completely unfit to be President of the United States. ” Steven Cheung, Trump's communications director, said in a statement. said in a statement.
The statement also included two letters from Ronny Jackson, Trump's former White House doctor and now a Republican congressman from Texas, providing updates on Trump's condition after he was shot in an assassination attempt in July.
“Take a look,” Harris told the gathering. “He refused to release his medical records. I did it. Every other presidential candidate in the modern era has done this.”
Harris runs a lot in North Carolina, a state that has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since Barack Obama in 2008. Before Obama, the last Democratic presidential candidate was Jimmy Carter in 1976.
Polls show North Carolina is a toss-up right now, and Democrats are trying to flip a state that would complicate Trump's chances of getting 270 electoral votes, the magic number needed to win the presidency.
Holding clipboards, Democratic campaign aides approached Harris supporters as they lined up to enter the venue on Sunday, inviting them to knock on doors on her behalf and for staff to call banks.
“If we beat North Carolina, that’s the point. There is no path for Trump,” said Onslow County Party Chairman Chris Schulte, who attended the event.
Harris stuck to familiar themes in her 25-minute speech, promising to sign abortion rights into law if she is elected in November and pledging to preserve constitutional freedoms that she said would be in danger if Trump serves another term.
After warning that Trump would “arm” the Justice Department “against his political enemies,” the crowd began chanting: “Lock him up!”
Pointing to the crowd, Harris discouraged the chant, which Trump supporters have used for years to belittle their political rivals.
“Wait,” said Harris. “Let the court handle it. And let’s take care of November.”
Fans lined up at the basketball court at East Carolina University hours before Harris' appearance. They packed the 8,000-seat facility and, before their arrival, danced on the gym floor to the Commodores' “Brick House” and other songs playing over the speakers.
A disc jockey entertained supporters as they waited for Harris to take the stage, a campaign novelty of sorts to keep the crowd excited. It worked.
Harris received a rapturous reception, so deafening with singing and applause that at times he could barely be heard above the dean.
In the middle of football season, people were willing to go out on Sundays, showing that Harris has a realistic chance of winning the state, her supporters said.
“In the South, it’s God, family and football,” said Tanieta Hill, 40, second vice chair of the Onslow County Democratic Party, who attended the event. “On Sunday, people are not in church because they were in line (for mass) and they are not watching football. So this kind of participation is incredible.”
