Former President Donald Trump escalated his attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris during a Turning Point Action speech in Florida on July 26, 2024, calling her a "bum" in front of a fired up crowd. Trump told the audience that Harris was a bum three weeks ago and that nothing had changed. He went on to label her a failed Vice President in a failed administration and called her the most incompetent, unpopular, and far left Vice President in American history.
The comments came just days after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek reelection and endorsed Harris as his successor. Trump appeared at the rally without the ear bandage he had been wearing following the assassination attempt at his Pennsylvania rally on July 13, 2024. The speech marked one of his first major public appearances focused entirely on Harris as his likely opponent.
The Border Czar Attack Line
Trump focused heavily on immigration during the speech, repeatedly referring to Harris as the "Border Czar" and criticizing her handling of the U.S. Mexico border situation. In March 2021, Biden had tasked Harris with working alongside Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras to address the root causes of migration. Trump and his allies seized on that assignment to frame Harris as personally responsible for border security, a characterization that Harris's team pushed back on throughout the campaign.
The "bum" comment was part of a broader pattern of personal attacks that Trump deployed against Harris in the weeks following Biden's exit from the race. He also called her a "radical left lunatic" and questioned her competence at multiple rallies and on social media. The Harris campaign responded by calling Trump's speech "bitter" and "bizarre," framing his attacks as evidence that he was rattled by the shift in the Democratic ticket.
Harris Secures the Nomination
Harris officially secured the Democratic presidential nomination on August 2, 2024, through a virtual roll call vote conducted by the Democratic National Committee. She received 4,563 delegate votes, which amounted to 99 percent of all participating delegates. The virtual vote took place over five days and was followed by the in person Democratic National Convention in Chicago from August 19 to 22. Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate on August 6.
How the Race Played Out
Harris ran on a platform focused on healthcare, climate change, reproductive rights, and social justice. She framed the election as a choice between freedom and chaos, positioning herself as the candidate of stability against Trump's confrontational style. Trump continued his aggressive approach throughout the campaign, holding rallies across the country and maintaining his base of support. The 2024 presidential race was one of the most contentious in modern American history, with both candidates drawing sharp contrasts on nearly every major issue. Trump ultimately won the election in November 2024, defeating Harris and returning to the White House for a second term.
