Michelle Obama criticizes Trump because candidates attack key states

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(Bloomberg) — Kamala Harris got a boost from Michelle Obama, one of the most popular figures in Democratic politics, as she and rival Donald Trump sweep key states ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election.

“Can someone tell me again why we hold Kamala to higher standards?” Obama asked a crowd of supporters in Kalamazoo, Michigan, about his first appearance with Harris. “Let us not forget the incompetence, corruption and chaos, which have been the cornerstones of his four years in office,” he said of Trump, citing several members of his administration who do not support his current candidacy.

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“I have to wonder why this race has gotten so close,” Obama said. “It's too close to my taste.”

Harris and Trump are moving through a handful of states that are expected to determine the outcome of the election and are betting on high-profile events over the weekend to help drive voters to the polls.

President Joe Biden also entered the campaign trail, attacking billionaire Trump supporter Elon Musk for allegedly starting his career as an “illegal agent.”

Democrats hope the president will boost support for Harris in Pennsylvania, her home state, where Harris is clinging to a 1.7 percentage point lead in the crucial battleground according to the latest Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll.

Here is the latest from the campaign:

Biden criticizes Musk on immigration

President Biden took aim at Elon Musk on Saturday, telling union members that the billionaire's story conflicted with his stance on illegal immigration.

“The richest man in the world is now your ally, right?” Biden said in Pittsburgh during a voting event. “It turns out that the richest man in the world was an illegal worker here when he was here. Oh, I'm serious. He was supposed to be at school when he arrived on a student visa. I wasn't at school. He was breaking the law. “It talks about all these illegal immigrants coming our way.”

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The comments appeared to refer to a Washington Post report about Musk working without a visa 20 years ago, raising investor concerns that he could be deported. The newspaper said Musk and his lawyer did not respond to requests for comment for this article.

Musk, a big fan of Trump, is working to register Republican voters, with a daily prize of $1 million for the lucky voter. The Department of Justice reportedly warned Musk that his activity could be illegal.

Trump talks about cars

Trump sharpened his latest message in the Detroit suburb of Novi, claiming he would bring Michigan's auto industry “back to life” through the “smart use of tariffs, taxes and incentives,” and mocking Harris for sending the superstar Beyoncé to a rally in Houston. Friday night without singing.

The former president touted his promises to phase out Chinese-made cars, reduce energy costs and boost business through corporate tax cuts that favor companies that manufacture in the United States. If he is re-elected, he said, “the whole world will talk about the miracle of Michigan and the amazing rebirth of Detroit.”

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Trump has floated a number of tax-cutting ideas, including the idea of ​​making auto loan interest deductible on American-made vehicles, which he repeated in Novi. Asked whether Trump was serious when he proposed eliminating income taxes in the United States, his adviser Jason Miller told reporters that it was “potentially something in the future that could be an aspirational goal.”

Trump's rally included an appeal to Arab-American voters in a state where they have traditionally been a pillar of Democratic support. Ten days before Election Day, when polls in swing states showed the candidates in a tight race, he also offered a simpler message.

“Are you better than four years ago? “I doubt it,” he said. “This is all you need to know: Kamala broke it and I'm going to fix it.”

Harris focuses on abortion rights

After a rally with Beyoncé that drew a crowd of 30,000, Harris kept her focus on abortion rights. At a stop with health care providers in Portage, Michigan, he spoke about the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the constitutional right to abortion, saying, “We, as a country, have been facing a health care crisis.” ” since then.

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Harris said the ruling not only limits access to abortion care, but also poses a risk to clinics, “safe places where people can go” for cancer screenings, HIV testing and other care.

Harris will spend Sunday in Philadelphia neighborhoods encouraging key voters to go to the polls, a campaign official said. She plans to begin reaching out to black voters in West Philadelphia, including speaking at a church service and visiting a barbershop to chat with young black people and community leaders.

Biden takes Labor to court

President Biden returned to his home state of Pennsylvania to campaign for his running mate and build support among union members, kicking off an event in Pittsburgh hosted by the Laborers International Union of North America. He said unions were interested in defeating Trump, whom he described as “a loser of a man.”

While Biden has campaigned in Pennsylvania several times, he has not appeared with Harris since Sept. 2, when they campaigned together in Pittsburgh.

Pennsylvania's 19 Electoral College votes make it the largest prize among potential swing states.

– With assistance from Alicia Díaz.

(Updates with Harris Michelle Obama rally).

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