PITTSBURGH — Vice President Harris appeared to call former President Trump a “coward” during a visit to the key battleground state of Pennsylvania on Sunday.
Speaking to staff, volunteers and supporters at his campaign office in Beaver County, just outside Pittsburgh, the vice president contrasted his leadership style with that of Trump, who has long been known for his provocative campaign rhetoric, including insulting his opponents and stoking divisive politics.
“I think this campaign is about acknowledging that, frankly, there’s been some kind of distorted thinking that’s happened over the last few years that a leader’s strength is measured by who they beat. We know that the real, true measure of a leader’s strength is measured by who they lift up,” Harris said.
Harris then pointed a finger at Trump, without naming her presidential rival, saying, “Anyone who tries to tear other people down is a coward.”
Harris, Trump hold dueling events in biggest battleground to try to win
Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Harris speaks alongside vice presidential candidate Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz at a campaign event in Rochester, Pennsylvania on August 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Nickinson)
In response, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Chang noted that Harris has not given a major press conference or media interview in the four weeks since replacing President Biden as the Democratic candidate for the 2024 presidential election.
“Kamala’s team is full of liars, cheats and cowards. She is so scared to death of being exposed as a coward and a cheat that she cannot even hold a sit-down interview or press conference with friendly media,” Chang said in a statement to Fox News.
Trump’s running mate Vance aims to flip Democratic states to Republicans
The stop in Rochester, Pennsylvania, was the first for Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, after they began their campaign bus tour from nearby Pittsburgh International Airport in the early afternoon.
From left, Vice President Doug Emhoff, Vice President Harris, Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz kick off a bus tour of western Pennsylvania at Pittsburgh International Airport on Aug. 18, 2024. (Fox News/Paul Steinhauser)
The tour of western Pennsylvania by Ms. Harris, Mr. Waltz and their spouses, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and Minnesota First Lady Gwen Waltz, came on the eve of the start of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Pennsylvania, with its 19 electoral votes, is the biggest of the seven battleground states likely to determine the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.
Harris and Trump in fierce battle for blue wall states
“We’re winning Pennsylvania by a large margin,” Trump declared Saturday at a rally in Wilkes-Barre, in the northeastern Keystone State.
But an average of all the polls conducted in Pennsylvania since Ms Harris replaced Mr Biden as the leader of the Democratic national polls four weeks ago shows them all neck and neck.
Republican presidential nominee and former president Donald Trump pumps his fist after speaking at a campaign rally on August 17, 2024 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Both camps are heavily focused on the states.
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After selecting Walz as her running mate, Harris made Philadelphia her first stop in her first battleground state election.
Also, Mr. Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, are scheduled to hold separate events focused on the economy in Pennsylvania on Monday.
Get the latest 2024 campaign updates, exclusive interviews and more on Fox News Digital’s Election Hub.
