The Inside Story - Closing Arguments | 168 TRANSCRIPT

Transcript:

The Inside Story: USA Votes 2024: Closing Arguments

Episode 168 – October 31, 3024

Show Open:

Unidentified Narrator:

This week connected The Inside Story

With the predetermination conscionable days away, the statesmanlike candidates marque their last lawsuit to voters with power of the achromatic location and some houses of legislature astatine stake.

Now connected The Inside Story… Closing Arguments

The Inside Story:

KATHERINE GYPSON, VOA Correspondent:

Hello and invited to The Inside Story I’m Katherine Gypson from Washington.

Every 4 years it comes down to this, arsenic millions of Americans ballot to take the adjacent President.

In this last week, the 2 candidates held events designed to summation last-minute enactment and besides laic retired their competing visions for the country... VOA’s Carolyn Presutti has more.

CAROLYN PRESUTTI, VOA Senior Washington Correspondent:

In this last week, the statesmanlike campaigns instrumentality connected the aerial of a tribunal case.

Donald Trump, Republican Presidential Nominee:

Are you amended disconnected present than you were 4 years ago?

CAROLYN PRESUTTI:

These are closing arguments. With voters acting arsenic the assemblage until Tuesday. Former President Donald Trump making his lawsuit astir the system and migration successful Madison Square Garden, the epicenter of New York City.

Donald Trump, Republican Presidential Nominee:

Kamala Harris has shattered our mediate class.

After years of gathering up overseas nations, defending overseas borders and protecting overseas lands, we are yet going to physique up our country, support our borders and support our citizens. It's called America first.

CAROLYN PRESUTTI:

The 20-thousand spot arena was packed. Some voters waited overnight to get in.

Virginia Avery, Attended Trump Rally:

It would beryllium truly chill to person a relation model, but honestly I deliberation Trump would bash a bully occupation with the medication and overseas affairs.

Nazim Karim, Attended Trump Rally:

He’s outspoken, he’s unscripted and helium resonates with me.

Carol Vasquez, Attended Trump Rally:

I truly spot that Trump is going to instrumentality america to the adjacent level.

CAROLYN PRESUTTI:

For her rebuttal, Vice President Kamala Harris chose the Ellipse successful Washington, with the backdrop of the White House — the aboriginal location for 1 of the statesmanlike contenders.

Kamala Harris, Democratic Presidential Nominee:

It is clip for a caller procreation of enactment successful America.

CAROLYN PRESUTTI:

Harris laid retired her ain imaginativeness for America, seeking to onslaught a opposition with Trump.

Kamala Harris, Democratic Presidential Nominee:

It is clip to crook the leafage connected the play and the conflict.

I volition enact the archetypal ever national prohibition connected terms gouging connected groceries. Cap the terms of insulin and bounds retired of pouch medicine costs for each Americans.

CAROLYN PRESUTTI:

Again, tens of thousands attended.

Angela Coleman, Attended Harris Rally:

The archetypal pistillate president -- I would emotion to spot that successful my lifespan.

Deavid Demattia, Attended Harris Rally:

I americium a cheery antheral and me, personally, I similar to support my rights.

Alicia Rau, Attended Harris Rally:

She supports termination rights, pro-choice, a woman’s close to choose, and I judge that she volition guarantee there’s not a nationalist termination prohibition enacted nether her presidency.

CAROLYN PRESUTTI:

Given however adjacent the contention is, the predetermination whitethorn beryllium excessively adjacent to telephone connected Tuesday night. Lawsuits are already underway successful immoderate states implicit ballot counting and elector eligibility.

Carolyn Presutti, VOA News, connected the Ellipse.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

Former U.S. president Donald Trump and galore of his supporters inactive falsely assertion the 2020 predetermination was stolen... and contempt deficiency of grounds accidental the Democrats could effort to rig the upcoming predetermination successful favour of Vice President Harris. Today, Democratic and Republican predetermination officials successful the plaything authorities of Michigan are moving unneurotic to guarantee their citizens’ votes are correct, and secure. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara brings america this communicative from battleground Michigan.

PATSY WIDAKUSWARA, VOA White House Bureau Chief:

This was the country successful Detroit, Michigan, connected Election Day 2020.

Unidentified:

Stop the count! Stop the count!

PATSY WIDAKUSWARA:

Supporters of Donald Trump, fueled by his baseless claims of predetermination fraud, pressured officials to halt counting votes.

Many Trump supporters successful Michigan are worrying astir fraud successful the upcoming election.

Marvin Minton, Trump Supporter:

Right now, our government, you're going to question everything astir it. I mean, I privation I could accidental differently, but that's not however America feels. We don't spot nobody.

Angelica Kandow, Trump Supporter:

One case! One lawsuit is capable to question the full system.

PATSY WIDAKUSWARA:

Allegations that the 2020 predetermination was rigged person been repeatedly debunked successful U.S. courts.

But disinformation astir predetermination integrity has gained traction among Republicans. Polls amusement they are much apt to spot Trump implicit government-certified predetermination results.

Officials successful battleground states are moving to guarantee voters that the predetermination process is secure. They accidental disinformation tin beryllium dangerous.

Jonathan Brater, Michigan Bureau of Elections:

They tin successful immoderate cases pb to radical making threats to predetermination officials oregon worse. But adjacent if it doesn't effect successful immoderate benignant of carnal violence, it does undermine spot agelong word successful the predetermination system, which is atrocious for our republic and is atrocious for our democracy.

PATSY WIDAKUSWARA:

In galore states, Republicans enactment efforts to guarantee voters that elections are secure. Including Justin Roebuck, a Republican predetermination authoritative successful Ottawa County, Michigan. He says it’s an uphill battle.

Justin Roebuck, Ottawa County Clerk:

Our governmental leaders astatine each level request to besides question facts and to question data. And I deliberation until that happens, we volition person a occupation successful presumption of our assurance and spot successful the process.

PATSY WIDAKUSWARA:

In Michigan, Trump loyalists person already sued Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, implicit absentee ballot processing guidelines and the elector registration list.

Pete Hoekstra, Michigan Republican Party Chairperson:

If Jocelyn Benson is not responding to what is required nether the law, we volition instrumentality her to tribunal to get the courts to compel her to bash that.

PATSY WIDAKUSWARA:

Benson dismissed it arsenic a Republican run strategy.

Jocelyn Benson, Michigan Secretary of State:

In general, we spot lawsuits masquerading arsenic a ineligible strategy erstwhile they're truly a PR strategy to get misinformation oregon sow seeds of uncertainty astir our elections into the narrative.

PATSY WIDAKUSWARA:

Republicans and Democrats person launched election-related lawsuits successful assorted battleground states, which could mean chaos successful the November election.

Kim Wyman, Bipartisan Policy Center:

Any benignant of ineligible situation happening this adjacent to an election, typically, is lawyers putting a placeholder successful lawsuit they whitethorn not triumph successful a authorities oregon whitethorn not person an result they like, and it gives them the quality to situation the predetermination aft the fact.

PATSY WIDAKUSWARA:

There are different imaginable disruptions, including efforts by region officials who enactment Trump to hold predetermination certification.

Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News, Flint, Michigan.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

As we’ve reported successful the past, it’s not conscionable the presidency and vice presidency connected the ballot November fifth... Every subordinate of the House of Representatives and 34 Senate races are besides being decided adjacent week. And whichever governmental enactment controls the House of Representatives, oregon the Senate volition beryllium indispensable successful enacting the caller president’s agenda.

Donna West, a longtime Democrat activist, does not conscionable signifier voters for Vice President Kamala Harris from her Las Vegas, Nevada, garage… she says she is besides warring to marque definite Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen keeps her U.S. Senate seat.

Donna West, Nevada Voter:

The much we tin get retired and speech to the voters, the much assured I americium that we volition reconstruct Jackie to the Senate and instrumentality that majority.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

Nevada is 1 of conscionable a fistful of U.S. states nationwide with competitory Senate races that volition find if Democrats oregon Republicans clasp the majority. Democrats presently clasp a slim bulk with 51 seats. Rosen’s challenger, Sam Brown — who was injured portion serving successful Afghanistan — says it is clip for alteration successful Washington.

Sam Brown, Republican Senate Candidate:

We've got an system to spell quadrate away. Look, there's things we tin do, from the lodging to our vigor policy. We've got to spell aft this borderline situation.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

In Texas — traditionally a stronghold for Republicans — polls amusement a adjacent contention betwixt Democrat Colin Allred and Republican Senator Ted Cruz. In their statement past week, Allred challenged Cruz connected the January 6, 2021, onslaught connected the U.S. Capitol.

Colin Allred, Democratic Senate Candidate:

This predetermination is his accountability. You cannot conscionable beryllium patriotic erstwhile your broadside wins.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

Cruz pushed backmost connected that argument.

Senator Ted Cruz, Republican:

You don't perceive him talking astir the Antifa and Black Lives Matter riots that burned cities crossed this country.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

And successful the agrarian authorities of Montana, Democratic Senator Jon Tester faces a situation from Republican Tim Sheehy. At the Democratic National Convention earlier this year, a delegate said that galore voters successful the authorities whitethorn ballot for erstwhile president and Republican campaigner Donald Trump but volition support a Democrat successful the Senate.

Mary Jo O’Rourke, Montana Voter:

Senator Tester has delivered for america successful presumption of the Farm Bill, and we are mode excessively astute to fto that go.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

But astatine the Republican National Convention, delegates said Tester’s wide voting grounds is not close for the state.

Susan Reneau, Montana Voter:

Tim Sheehy is simply a existent veteran. He is simply a combat hero. He is simply a Navy SEAL.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

Control of the U.S. House of Representatives could besides perchance flip — moving from Republican-control to the Democrats. All 435 location seats are up for re-election this year.

The United States was famously founded arsenic a federation escaped of authorities interference into oregon advocacy of immoderate circumstantial religion. Today, however, determination immoderate U.S. voters judge 1 religion should usher the nation’s laws.

Here again, Senion Wasington Correspondent Carolyn Presutti.

CAROLYN PRESUTTI:

Two rallies. Two antithetic views. This is the “Rally for Democracy,’ supporting each religions.

This one, is the ReAwaken America Tour.

Unidentifed:

Jesus is my savior; Donald Trump is my president.

CAROLYN PRESUTTI:

Now successful its 3rd year, the circuit supports Christian nationalism, the thought that the United States is simply a Christian state and should person laws reflecting that.

Diane Bollinger, Rally Attendee:

I volition gladly beryllium a Christian nationalist. Because what tin you accidental against Christianity? And they speech astir ‘I’m pursuing the God of love, I’m pursuing my beingness aft Jesus, and I emotion my country.’ MAGA: Make America Great Again. What is incorrect with that?

CAROLYN PRESUTTI:

Nothing, says Republican statesmanlike campaigner Donald Trump.

Donald Trump, Republican Presidential Nominee:

Together we are warriors successful a righteous crusade to halt the arsonists, the atheists, globalists and the Marxists, and that is what they are. And we volition reconstruct a republic arsenic 1 nation, nether God, with liberty and justness for all.

Patty Kinsinger, Rally Attendee:

Our state was built connected Christian and Judeo values and principles. That’s however they wrote the Constitution.

CAROLYN PRESUTTI:

America’s Constitution does not notation Christianity. Instead, it grants state of religion. The Declaration of Independence says rights are provided by a creator and mentions “Nature’s God.”

Still, ministers astatine The ReAwaken America Tour instrumentality an oath to preach voting for godly candidates.

Democrats accidental that’s a usurpation of the law separation betwixt religion and state.

Mary Jo O’Rourke, Montana Democrat:

The ministers truly request to look and speech to their congregations astir what it means to person liberty and justness for all.

CAROLYN PRESUTTI:

Others astatine the Rally for Democracy hold and immoderate telephone for a statement connected the teachings of Jesus.

Rev. Jim Wallis, Georgetown University:

What did helium say? What did helium do? Because this benignant of connection that wants to onslaught immigrants and origin astir suffering to the mediocre and susceptible is virtually a question that is anti-Christ.

CAROLYN PRESUTTI:

Add to that the termination debate….

Kamala Harris, Democratic Presidential Nominee:

And fto america each agree: 1 does not person to wantonness their religion oregon profoundly held beliefs to hold that authorities should not beryllium telling her what to do.'

Unidentified:

USA! USA! USA!

CAROLYN PRESUTTI:

A Pew Research survey recovered astir fractional of each Americans deliberation the Bible should person an power connected U.S. laws. But the aforesaid survey recovered fewer deliberation Christianity should beryllium named the nation’s authoritative religion.

Carolyn Presutti, VOA News.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

Scattered crossed the country, astir 14 cardinal voters are members of labour unions. While this is simply a comparatively tiny information of the electorate, statesmanlike candidates actively question their endorsements. Recently, I traveled to Nevada, a authorities wherever unions could wield important power successful this year's statesmanlike election, to summation penetration into however national members program to vote.

At a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris…excitement among national workers for her program to extremity taxes connected tips oregon gratuities that workers receive.

Kanie Kastroll, Casino Workers Union Representative:

I cognize that Vice President Kamala Harris has a program — a wide program — to extremity national taxes connected tips for america work workers present successful Nevada. That's right, that's right. And that Donald Trump pretending helium is the tipped idiosyncratic savior is simply a unsafe lie.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

Former President and Republican campaigner Donald Trump has besides visited this metropolis that relies connected the work manufacture to beforehand his program of nary taxes connected tips for casino dealers, waitresses and housekeepers.

Didi Lima, Nevada Trump Voter:

That is going to beryllium adored by the employees, by each of the employees, peculiarly that don't person salaries, and (who) enactment connected tips. That's going to beryllium loved by them.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

Trump has besides earned the enactment of the Las Vegas Police Department.

Steve Grammas, Las Vegas Police Protective Association:

The bulk of our citizens spot instrumentality enforcement. And so, if instrumentality enforcement says, ‘Hey, we judge this idiosyncratic has our champion interests astatine heart, that they're going to support you safe, that they're going to effort and marque our system thrive,’ past radical spot what we say.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

Grammas has spoken astir Trump’s enactment for instrumentality enforcement astatine galore rallies.

Steve Grammas, Las Vegas Police Protective Association:

A antheral similar Donald Trump and his run has ever stood by america and said, ‘No, I'm not going to crook to the winds of politics.’

KATHERINE GYPSON:

The endorsement of the tens of thousands of national workers employed successful Nevada is eagerly sought by statesmanlike candidates.

Harris besides earned the endorsement of the section Teamsters union, but the nationalist enactment of freight drivers and warehouse workers declined to endorse either statesmanlike candidate.

Some voters present successful Nevada spot that arsenic an important sign.

Edward Kammer, Nevada Trump Voter:

They [[the Teamsters]] always, ever went Democratic. So now, if they're not doing Democratic, that means they indispensable beryllium leaning towards who? Trump.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

But the Culinary Workers Union successful Las Vegas did endorse Harris.

Ted Pappageorge, Las Vegas Culinary Workers Union:

Working people voters are smart, they're not dumb, and they are a small skeptical. But the occupation with President Trump is that helium lies, and helium lies a lot. ... However, Vice President Harris — this is portion of an wide programme to tackle the outgo of living.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

And they’re knocking connected doors to fto voters know…

Unidentified:

We're conscionable canvassing for Kamala Harris.

OK. We're each voting for her.

Claudia Monreal, Culinary Workers Union:

Big corporations (are) coming successful and terms gouging america connected food, gas, rent. So having the close campaigner successful office, you know, telling them the close information, what I cognize arsenic facts, that Kamala is going to beryllium determination for us, the mediate class, the national members.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

Union members present successful Nevada - 1 of conscionable a fistful of plaything states that determine the statesmanlike predetermination - could extremity up casting the deciding vote.

Another powerhouse radical astatine the polls: first-time voters. These young Americans are acceptable to marque their mark, with millions having turned 18 since 2020. Known arsenic Gen Z, they are anxious to dive into the voting process and play a relation successful shaping their future. Here’s VOA’s Laurel Bowman with more.

LAUREL BOWMAN, VOA Correspondent:

Student leaders astatine Montgomery College successful Rockville, Maryland, precocious acceptable up a mock polling booth, with illustration ballots, and invited predetermination officials to behaviour elector education.

It’s an effort to get students acceptable to ballot successful the November U.S. statesmanlike election.

Britney Green, Mock Polling Organizer:

Today’s lawsuit was each astir elector acquisition and letting radical spot the polls, spot what they were going to acquisition astatine the polls …

LAUREL BOWMAN:

Participants similar Akhyan Damang look appreciative.

Akhyan Damang, Mock Polling Participant:

I conscionable wanted to spot however it feels similar voting the archetypal time. This is my archetypal clip voting for the statesmanlike election, and I wanted to spot the procedure.

LAUREL BOWMAN:

These young voters attraction astir a scope of issues.

Nnamdi Ifejuka, Mock Polling Participant:

Financial issues with the indebtedness of the country. I don't truly recognize overmuch of it, but if I look astatine it, it looks similar a large number. I don’t recognize wherefore it’s that high.

Libby McClayton, Mock Polling Organizer:

I would accidental clime alteration is important, reproductive rights.

Mhambi Musonda, Student Political Organizer:

I deliberation for galore people, America’s relation successful the satellite is simply a precise important contented peculiarly for young voters.

LAUREL BOWMAN:

In the U.S. statesmanlike contention betwixt Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris, astir of the students we interviewed would not uncover who they’ll beryllium voting for.

But the U.S. authorities of Maryland, a stronghold for Democrats, is expected to spell for Harris.

So we asked the caput of the Georgia Young Republicans, Jacquelyn Harn, what issues substance to her Republican peers. For many, she said, it’s astir the economy.

Jacquelyn Harn, Georgia Young Republicans Chairwoman:

Between housing, betwixt ostentation with market prices and state prices ever increasing, it’s unaffordable to unrecorded and person a household close now.

LAUREL BOWMAN:

And however should campaigns spell astir reaching young voters?

Jacquelyn Harn, Georgia Young Republicans Chairwoman:

You are not going to scope a Gen Z elector with a telephone slope oregon telephone calling due to the fact that they astir apt person a spam blocker connected their telephone oregon they are conscionable not going to reply a fig they don’t know. We are a societal media generation. Everything that we look astatine is connected societal media. We get our quality from societal media.

LAUREL BOWMAN:

Democratic societal media influencer Harry Sisson agrees.

Harry Sisson, Social Media Influencer:

I would accidental chiefly the main quality app for young radical is astir apt TikTok. That’s my main platform. I deliberation it’s mostly due to the fact that it’s digestible. A batch of these quality segments you spot connected TikTok are 30 to 60 seconds.

LAUREL BOWMAN:

Meantime, successful Herndon, Virginia, Kamala Harris protagonist Camila Alfonzo Meza goes location to location trying to promote radical to ballot for her candidate. They don’t ever unfastened the door, but she keeps astatine it.

Unidentified:

Hi! Definitely Harris Supporters.

LAUREL BOWMAN:

She says that Harris replacing President Joe Biden successful the statesmanlike contention was invigorating for young Democrats.

Camila Alfonzo Meza, Fairfax Young Democrats Co-president:

I person seen a large displacement successful vigor and enthusiasm since the vice president became the nominee.

LAUREL BOWMAN:

Alfonzo Meza thinks the Gen Z voting artifact of implicit 40 cardinal young people could marque a existent quality successful the statesmanlike election.

Laurel Bowman, VOA News.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

Now- we crook to our regular conception connected Press Freedom. With threats and attacks connected journalists successful the U.S. connected the emergence and the predetermination present conscionable days away, media associations look to bid journalists connected however to enactment safe. From VOA’s Press Freedom Team, Liam Scott and Cristina Caicedo Smit person the story. Smit narrates.

CRISTINA CAICEDO SMIT, VOA Press Freedom Correspondent:

In an bureau gathering successful Rosslyn, Virginia, these journalists are preparing to screen the U.S. election.

But their grooming is not successful plaything states oregon polling …

It is focused alternatively connected keeping safe: physically, digitally and emotionally.

The workshops are portion of an inaugural by the International Women’s Media Foundation, oregon IWMF. Trainers accidental the thought is to beryllium prepared.

They thatch journalists however to debar being a target, however to work a assemblage astatine a protest, and however to support their integer profiles secure.

Elisa Lees Muñoz, IWMF Executive Director:

The IWMF started the caller Safety Across America inaugural due to the fact that we person the acquisition of the past election, and we knew that the incidents would proceed successful this predetermination and astir apt perchance beryllium adjacent much severe.

CRISTINA CAICEDO SMIT:

Hostility directed astatine reporters during the January 6 insurrection, and a emergence successful assaults connected media, drove the IWMF to instrumentality its store connected the road. It has reached 600 journalists successful 11 states.

The grooming is timely. The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is seeing a emergence successful assaults, arrests and attacks connected media successful 2024, says managing exertion Kirstin McCudden.

Kirstin McCudden, US Press Freedom Tracker:

We've seen a ample fig of journalists assaulted this year, 68, astir 70 journalists assaulted.

CRISTINA CAICEDO SMIT:

Earlier this twelvemonth the Press Freedom Tracker reported that the fig of journalists detained has doubled successful examination to past year. These incidents person occurred portion reporters are covering the Israel-Hamas protests successful the United States.

Kirstin McCudden, US Press Freedom Tracker:

But what we know, it's a tense clip successful the U.S., crossed each the cities. And it really, you know, it harkens backmost a small spot to 2020, wherever we saw an unprecedented magnitude of journalists assaulted, much than 640, (and) astir 150 journalists arrested that year.

CRISTINA CAICEDO SMIT:

Those events prompted a much proactive attack by newsrooms successful the U.S., wherever the communal thread was that reporters needed to beryllium ready.

Jennifer Thomas, Howard University Associate Media Professor:

This grooming is simply a fantastic accidental for america arsenic journalists to larn immoderate of those tools and immoderate of those intangibles we whitethorn not cognize oregon whitethorn request refreshers on, arsenic it pertains to this upcoming predetermination play oregon the play that we're in.

CRISTINA CAICEDO SMIT:

And it is not conscionable sum of elections and protests that poses a danger. The IWMF has recovered risks to media tin look anywhere.

Elisa Lees Muñoz, IWMF Executive Director:

Every bushed successful America has go a polarizing beat, and truthful has go a unsafe beat.

CRISTINA CAICEDO SMIT:

With hostility to media connected the rise, information grooming workshops are 1 mode to assistance support journalists safe.

With Liam Scott, Cristina Caicedo Smit, VOA News.

KATHERINE GYPSON:

That’s each for now. Thanks for watching.

For the latest quality you tin log connected to VOA quality dot com. Follow america connected Instagram and Facebook astatine VOA News.

For much VOA content, travel maine connected X astatine XXX. Also, you tin drawback up connected past episodes of The Inside Story astatine our escaped streaming service, VOA Plus.

I’m Katherine Gypson successful Washington. We volition spot you adjacent week, for The Inside Story.

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