Vice President Kamala Harris is strategically leveraging the power of compelling imagery to maintain the enthusiasm surrounding her candidacy and cultivate a cultural movement in support of the Democratic ticket. This approach aims to achieve what President Joe Biden's campaign struggled to do.
Harris is adopting a tactic reminiscent of former President Trump's playbook, which has drawn criticism from him. The increased interest in her campaign has prompted a significant expansion of Harris' infrastructure. Online merchandise sales have surged, and her rallies are characterized by attendees sporting a variety of shirts, buttons, and hats—a sight more akin to a Trump rally than a Biden one.
Supporters have turned out in large numbers to welcome Harris in states such as Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, and Nevada. In Wisconsin, some supporters even parked their cars a mile away from the event venue and walked the rest of the distance to attend the rally.
Despite downplaying the significance of crowd sizes, Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz commended the enthusiastic audience at a rally outside Phoenix. Harris' ability to draw large crowds has become a crucial element of the strategy to challenge Trump.
Trump, in response, made false claims about the attendance at Harris' Detroit airport hangar rally, alleging that she had 'nobody' waiting for her, despite the presence of thousands of supporters. He also questioned the authenticity of photos showing the crowd in front of Air Force Two and at other speaking engagements, suggesting they were manipulated using artificial intelligence.