Friday, November 1, 2024

Live: Harris says Trump’s comment on women ‘is offensive to everybody’

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JD Vance’s interview with Joe Rogan released

If you were following our live blog yesterday, you may remember we mentioned JD Vance had travelled to Austin, Texas to record an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan.

That’s been uploaded to Rogan’s YouTube channel today.

In the wide-ranging episode, which went for more than three hours, some topics the pair discussed included:

  • Roe v Wade and abortion laws
  • His reaction to Donald Trump being shot at a rally 
  • 2020 election fraud claims 
  • Ending liability protection for vaccine manufacturers 

Elon Musk is a no-show in Philadelphia court

By Emilie Gramenz in Philadelphia

A grand old greystone building, seen from below.
The Philadelphia court is inside the historic City Hall (ABC News: Emilie Gramenz)

Good morning from Philadelphia, where Elon Musk, his political action committee America PAC, and Pennsylvania prosecutors were scheduled for a court date today.

Philadelphia’s district attorney, Democrat Larry Krasner, is suing Musk and America PAC over a scheme to give away $US1 million ($1.5 million) a day to registered voters in key swing states.

He accuses America PAC – which Musk set up as part of his efforts to help get Donald Trump elected – of breaching Pennsylvania’s laws on lotteries and consumer protections.

All parties were ordered to attend, but Musk wasn’t there.

Elon Musk stands at a podium before a crowd. Donald Trump looks on.
Elon Musk has been campaigning with Donald Trump(Reuters: Carlos Barria)

John Summers, representing the district attorney’s office, made a show of glancing around the court room for the billionaire.

Musk’s lawyer said he’s a busy man and can’t be expected to materialise without much notice.

Summers asked the court if he’d heard correctly – the richest man in the universe can’t “just materialise”? Isn’t this the guy who owns SpaceX?

Judge Angelo Foglietta thought that was a bridge too far: “He’s not going to get in a rocket ship and take it to Philadelphia – let’s be serious.”

“If anyone could land a rocket ship in Philadelphia, it’s Elon Musk,” Summers responded.

Lawyers walk through a courtroom.
Larry Krasner, Philadelphia’s district attorney, is taking action against Elon Musk and his political action committee.(Reuters: Matthew Hatcher)

Rocket ship or no, Musk’s lawyers had already sought to have the case moved to federal courts.

Judge Foglietta agreed that he couldn’t hear anything further until the other court considers the matter.

The giveaways continue. America PAC tweeted a photo of the latest winner, a woman in North Carolina, an hour before the court hearing was scheduled to begin.

‘Hispanic or Latino?’ Trump carries out straw poll of rally audience

Supporters hold up placards displaying '47' as Trump grasps a podium
(Reuters: Brendan McDermid )

Donald Trump earlier held a rally in the traditionally blue state of New Mexico.

According to census data, about 49 per cent of the population is Hispanic.

“I’m here for one simple reason: I like you very much, and it’s good for my credentials with the Hispanic or Latino community,” he told the audience.

“You know, on the East Coast, they like being called Hispanics. Do you know this? On the West Coast, they like being called Latinos.”

The former president goes on to tell the crowd to cheer for their preferred term.

“Latinos,” he said, garnering a small reaction. “Uh-oh, let me give it one more shot. Latinos!

“Hispanics,” he called, receiving a louder response.

Trump went on to say he had “a little argument” on the plane trip to New Mexico prior to his rally.

“They said, ‘Sir, please use the term Latino when you’re in New Mexico’. And I said, ‘I’ve always heard Hispanic’.

“I take a poll and it’s 97 per cent. I was right, a free poll.

“As I was saying, I love the Hispanics, I love them.”

Harris says Trump’s comment on women ‘is offensive to everybody’

Harris walks along a tarmac toward the boarding stairs of Air Force Two as men in suits are staggered behind her
(Brendan Smialowski/Pool via Reuters)

Kamala Harris says Donald Trump’s comment that he would protect women whether they “like it or not” shows he does not understand women’s rights “to make decisions about their own lives, including their own bodies”. 

“I think it’s offensive to everybody, by the way,” she said before setting out to campaign in the western battleground states of Arizona and Nevada.

At his rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin yesterday, Trump told his supporters that aides had warned him not to use the phrase about protecting women because it was “inappropriate”.

He said he told his aides, “Well, I’m going to do it whether the women like it or not. I am going to protect them”. 

Trump, wearing a hi-vis vest, points at audience members at a rally
(Reuters: Joel Angel Juarez)

Harris said the remark was part of a pattern of troubling statements by the former president.

“This is just the latest on a long series of reveals by the former president of how he thinks about women and their agency,” she said.

Trump appointed three of the justices to the Supreme Court who formed the conservative majority that overturned federal abortion rights.

As the fallout from the 2022 decision spreads, he has taken to claiming at public events and in social media posts that he would “protect women” and make sure they wouldn’t be “thinking about abortion”.

Welcome to our live coverage

Good morning and welcome to another day on the presidential campaign trail.

It’s mid-afternoon for most of the US, which means both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have already been out and about.

Here’s what’s in the diary for each campaign today.

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz: 

  • Walz delivered remarks at a campaign event in Bucks County, Pennsylvania 
  • Harris to attend a campaign event in Phoenix, Arizona
  • Walz to attend a campaign stop in Erie, Pennsylvania
  • Harris to hold attend a campaign event in Las Vegas, Nevada with Jennifer Lopez 

Donald Trump and JD Vance: 

  • Vance held a “Gen Z Town Hall” in High Point, North Carolina
  • Trump held a rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico 
  • Trump to hold a rally in Henderson, Nevada 

Stay tuned for all the latest updates.

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