Just on the latest news: 2024 presidential race

The latest on the 2024 presidential race
By Shania Shelton, Kaanita Iyer, Isabelle D’Antonio and Adrienne Vogt, CNN
Updated 5:55 PM EDT, Sat September 14, 2024

Haitian-American congresswoman reacts to Trump’s anti-immigrant claims
01:11 – Source: CNN
What we’re covering here
What the campaigns are up to: Vice President Kamala Harris will speak alongside President Joe Biden at an event in Washington, DC, tonight, while her running mate, Tim Walz, is set to rally in Wisconsin. Former President Donald Trump remains in Nevada, where he held a rally Friday.
Attacks on migrants: Trump this week has ramped up his inflammatory rhetoric about immigrants, including false claims about Haitian migrants eating pets. Biden has criticized Trump for disparaging immigrants, and the co-chair of the House’s Haiti Caucus said the attacks are “rooted in racist stereotypes.”
First ballots are in the mail: Absentee ballots have started going out in Alabama, and other states begin sending mail-in ballots later this month. Visit CNN’s voter handbook and read up on the 2024 candidates and their key policy issues here.
condemned far-right agitator Laura Loomer’s racist comments and expressed concern about her ties to former President Donald Trump, issued a joint statement Saturday saying they are glad “Trump has made clear he disavows Laura Loomer’s offensive comments.”

“While the Republican Party represents a broad diversity of thought and opinions, it is critical that we do not allow the Democrats and mainstream media to have anyone’s comments – which are, at their core, bigoted and racist – speak on behalf of President Trump make it clear that he disavows Laura Loomer’s offensive statements,” the joint statement from the Republicans said.

But at a Friday news conference, Trump didn’t make it exactly clear he condemns Loomer’s comments. In response to questions about Loomer’s racist and conspiratorial statements, Trump said that he had just heard about them and that Loomer was a person with “strong opinions.”

“I do know that she may have said something based on what you’re telling me, but I don’t know what she said, but I’ll go take a look and I’ll put out a statement later on,” Trump said.

When asked by CNN’s Kristen Holmes about his allies expressing concerns, Trump said, “Laura’s been a supporter of mine, just like a lot of people are supporters, and she’s been a supporter of mine. She speaks very positively of the campaign. … I don’t control Laura. Laura has to say what she wants. She’s a free spirit.”

Later on Truth Social, Trump said he disagreed “with the statements” Loomer made but didn’t specify which statements.

“Laura Loomer doesn’t work for the Campaign. She’s a private citizen and longtime supporter. I disagree with the statements she made but, like the many millions of people who support me, she is tired of watching the Radical Left Marxists and Fascists violently attack and smear me, even to the point of doing anything to stop their Political Opponent, ME!” Trump wrote

Harris tells donors the contrast with Trump was “very clear” during debate
From CNN’s Ebony Davis
Vice President Kamala Harris told donors at a fundraiser in Washington, DC, on Saturday that the contrast with former President Donald Trump was “very clear” on the debate stage this week.

“As you all know, this campaign and this election cycle really is about two very different visions for our country. A contrast that was very clear, I think, during the debate on Tuesday night. On Tuesday, I talked about my plans on how we will bring down costs, how we will build our economy, how we protect reproductive freedom and keep our nation safe,” Harris said, according to reporters traveling with the vice president.
“But that is not what we hear from Donald Trump. Instead, it was the same old tired show. He was running from that same tired playbook that we’ve heard for years,” she added.

In the days following the debate, Harris has repeatedly blasted the former president for his performance. She criticized him Saturday for having “no plan for how he would address the needs of the American people” before hitting him on policy issues including his promise to replace the Affordable Care Act without offering a plan to do so.

“So he’s saying that again, that he wants to replace it. And then remember what he said about how he’s going to do it? You guys watched the debate. Concepts of a plan. That’s right. Concepts of a plan. No actual plan,” she said.

Harris reminded donors of the stakes of the election, telling them the “clock is ticking” with only 52 days until Election Day and urging them to volunteer and mobilize their friends to vote.

“In the next 52 days, as you are able, please join our teams in our battleground states and help register folks to vote. … And talk with your neighbors and your friends about the stakes,” she said.