We are five weeks away from the 2024 presidential election! This week, Trump faced another assassination attempt and controversy over a Republican down-ballot candidate, and Kamala Harris had an important interview with Oprah Winfrey.
A Second Assassination Attempt
On September 15, former President Donald Trump was targeted in an assassination attempt. While playing golf at his Florida golf club, Secret Service agents noticed a rifle that was sticking through the bushes, about 400 yards away from where Trump was playing. The suspect dropped his gun and fled when an agent fired, but he was later caught by law enforcement.
The suspect was identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, and he now faces up to life in prison for the attempted assassination of a presidential candidate. This is the second assassination attempt on former President Trump – the first one was just two months ago, at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
Both candidates have responded to this event. Vice President Kamala Harris said that “there’s no place for political violence in our country.” Meanwhile, Trump posted on social media that Harris and President Joe Biden have taken “politics in our Country to a whole new level of Hatred.”
Trouble in North Carolina
A CNN investigation, published on September 19, unearthed controversies surrounding Mark Robinson, the Republican candidate for governor of North Carolina and current lieutenant governor. The investigation found that Robinson made comments on an adult website over a decade ago. Many of his comments were highly inappropriate and contradict his current political stances.
These findings have shaken not only the gubernatorial race in North Carolina, but also the presidential race. Even as staffers flee from Robinson’s campaign team, former President Trump has not pulled his endorsement of Robinson. In March, Trump called Robinson “Martin Luther King on steroids.”
Democrats are hopeful that the Mark Robinson scandal will help Harris win the state. Dan Kanninen, the battleground state director for the Harris campaign, believes that “voters now have an opportunity to connect those dots” between Mark Robinson and Trump.
Oprah and Kamala’s Interview
Vice President Kamala Harris sat down for an interview with renowned talk show host Oprah Winfrey on September 19, in an event named “Unite for America.” The interview lasted for around 90 minutes and attracted hundreds of thousands of viewers. During their conversation, Harris discussed important issues like abortion rights, school shootings, and illegal immigration.
One of Harris’s most memorable lines from the speech came from her discussion on gun rights. She described herself as a “gun owner” and declared, “If someone breaks into my house, they’re getting shot.” This may appeal to voters, including gun owners, who fear that Harris wants to take away their guns.
Former President Trump criticized the interview on Truth Social, posting that he “couldn’t help but think this isn’t the real Oprah.”
Come back next week for new updates as we get closer to Election Day!
