US candidates in tight race in final week

NEW YORK — In the shadow of the White House, less than a week before the final votes of the 2024 election are cast, Kamala Harris vowed to put country over the party as Donald Trump opened his remarks to reporters at Mar-a-Lago Tuesday morning by accusing Harris of running a "campaign of destruction" and "of absolute hate".

Harris on Tuesday urged US citizens to write the "next chapter" for their country and reject Trump's chaos and division as she delivered a closing argument to voters against the glowing backdrop of the White House.

The Democratic vice-president warned against Trump's lust for "unchecked power" as she addressed a mass rally at the site where her Republican rival riled up a mob before the deadly Jan 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol.

But Harris then pivoted to an optimistic vision of the United States' future, using the setting of the White House lit up against the night behind her as a symbolic pitch to show she is ready for the presidency.

In Florida earlier in the day, Trump sought to move on from the racist and other vulgar remarks made by allies at his New York rally on Sunday.

Remarks drawing ire

Trump did not comment on the remarks made by speakers at the Sunday event where comedian Tony Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage" and disparaged black people, Jewish people, Palestinians and Latinos.

Trump's campaign said previously the comments about Puerto Rico did not reflect the former president's views, but Trump on Tuesday called the New York event "an absolute lovefest" and said he was honored to be involved.

US President Joe Biden drew ire from Trump's campaign for remarks he made about the Sunday rally during a fundraising call on Tuesday.

According to a transcript posted by a White House spokesperson on X, Biden said, "The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporter's, his, his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable and it's un-American."

The US Census Bureau says Puerto Ricans are the largest Hispanic group in Pennsylvania, a state that holds the highest number of Electoral College votes of the seven battleground states expected to decide the election.

More than 53 million US citizens have already voted in the election, according to Election Hub at the University of Florida, in a battle that will decide who runs the world's richest and most powerful country for four years.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Tuesday showed that Harris' lead had eroded to just 44 percent to 43 percent among registered voters.

Agencies via Xinhua