Harris Dares Trump: ‘If You’ve Got Something to Say, Say It to My Face’

Kamala Harris strongly criticized Donald Trump on Tuesday, speaking at her biggest campaign rally yet and showing confidence in her race for the White House. She dared Trump to debate her directly.

Vice President Harris visited Atlanta, Georgia, as hopeful Democrats believe the swing state is once again up for grabs. The state, which seemed out of reach under President Joe Biden, is now back in play after his surprising decision to withdraw from the 2024 election.

Harris, the likely Democratic nominee, aims to widen the party’s battleground states and attract young Black voters. She gave a powerful 20-minute speech to about 10,000 supporters in a packed arena, promising that Americans “are not going back” to Trump’s “failed policies.”

“Now, the baton is in our hands,” Harris said to loud cheers. “We have a fight ahead of us… And we are the underdogs in this race.” Harris’s presidential campaign gained speed after Biden left the race on July 21, with many in the party supporting her and her campaign raising an impressive $200 million.

“The momentum in this race is shifting, and there are signs that Donald Trump is feeling it,” she said. The Republican nominee recently said he would not debate Harris, breaking from political tradition, and called her “crazy” and a “bum.”

“Well Donald, I hope you’ll reconsider and meet me on the debate stage because, as the saying goes, if you’ve got something to say, say it to my face,” Harris responded, getting loud applause.

Harris, a former prosecutor and California attorney general, repeated her line about knowing “Donald Trump’s type” from her career dealing with criminals. “In this campaign, I will proudly put my record against his any day of the week,” she said.

Key Issues and Choosing a Running Mate

With just 98 days until the election, Harris is under pressure to choose her vice-presidential candidate. When asked Tuesday if she had made a decision, Harris said, “Not yet.”

Her team announced that she and her new running mate would campaign next week in key states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada.

After Biden’s exit, Harris released her first TV ad as the presumptive nominee, while Trump’s team released an ad attacking her on immigration. Harris dismissed the attack, saying that while the Biden administration worked with conservatives on border legislation, Trump “ruined” it for political gain.

“Donald Trump does not care about border security,” she said. “He only cares about himself.”

Harris promised to focus on important economic goals if elected, such as expanding affordable health care and lowering rising consumer costs. She also criticized Trump’s “extreme abortion bans,” referring to new restrictive laws in several states since the Supreme Court, with three Trump-nominated justices, removed constitutional protections for abortion.