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On Tuesday, Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris gave her final speech to voters.

Stephanie Scarbrough/AP

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Stephanie Scarbrough/AP

On Tuesday, Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris gave her final speech to voters.

Stephanie Scarbrough/AP

On Tuesday evening, a week before Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her closing statement to the American people.

“America, for too long we have been filled with too much division, chaos and mutual distrust, and then it can be easy to forget one simple truth, it doesn't have to be this way,” she said.

The Democratic nominee stood at a podium on the Ellipse, the White House lit behind her, and addressed what the Harris campaign said was 75,000 people.

The choice of venue was both visually striking and symbolic: it is the place where former President Donald Trump rallied his supporters on January 6, 2021 before they attacked the US Capitol.

“Look, we all know who Donald Trump is,” Harris said. “He is the person who stood on this very spot almost four years ago and sent an armed mob to the United States Capitol to overturn the will of the people in a free and fair election that he knew he lost had.”

For about half an hour, Harris made her final pitch to voters, discussing the agenda she would pursue as president and arguing that Donald Trump posed an existential threat to American democracy.

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Harris' case against Trump

Vice President Kamala Harris launched her campaign with an upbeat message, offering voters “a new path forward.” In the final weeks of the campaign, Harris shifted to an anti-Trump focus, warning voters about the consequences of another Trump presidency.

Harris reiterated that point in his speech Tuesday, hoping to combat what Democrats call “Trump amnesia,” says NPR's Deepa Shivaram.

“That's why Harris calls abortion restrictions 'Trump' abortion bans and tries to put a spotlight back on things Trump did.”

This is such a close election that Harris needs to not only highlight her Democratic voter base, but also expand it. Shivaram says it's important for her to appeal to Republican voters who don't like the things Trump has done – like his actions on January 6th.

The final push of the campaign

As her campaign has shifted against Trump, Harris has repeatedly emphasized that her campaign is not just about voting against her opponent.

At Tuesday's event, Harris reminded voters of the agenda she would pursue as president. Among the policy priorities she highlighted in her speech are expanding and restoring reproductive rights and expanding Medicare to include home care for the elderly.

Harris also promised to be a voice of unity.

“Donald Trump has spent a decade trying to divide the American people and make them fear one another. That’s him,” she said. “But America, I’m here tonight to say: This is not who we are.”

With less than a week until Election Day, Harris will visit seven swing states multiple times and do more interviews, podcasts and other non-traditional media, appearing in as many locations as possible.

This episode was produced by Brianna Scott. It was edited by Roberta Rampton and Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.