Obama criticizes comic's Puerto Rico remarks at Trump's rally

“These are fellow citizens he’s talking about," Obama said in Philadelphia.

Last Updated: October 29, 2024, 6:12 AM EDT

As we head into the final full week of campaigning before Election Day, the latest ABC News/Ipsos poll shows Kamala Harris with a slight 51-47% lead over Donald Trump among likely voters nationally -- but the polls in the battleground states remain essentially deadlocked within the margin of error.

Fallout continues over racist comments made at Trump's big rally on Sunday at Madison Square Garden and Harris is preparing for her "closing argument" Tuesday night on the Ellipse near the Capitol and White House in Washington.

Oct 29, 3:48 am

More than 47.5 million Americans have voted early

More than 47.5 million Americans have voted early as of just after 9 p.m. ET Monday, according to the Election Lab at the University of Florida.

Of the total number of early votes, 24,243,105 were cast in person and 23,384,971 were returned by mail.

President Joe Biden departs a polling station after casting his early voting ballot for the 2024 general elections on Oct. 28, 2024, in New Castle, Delaware.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

Oct 29, 2024, 6:11 AM EDT

Most voters ready to accept election results but doubt Trump will

Despite ongoing claims of voter fraud and ballot mismanagement from former President Donald Trump and his allies, 86% of registered voters in a new ABC News/Ipsos poll say they personally are prepared to accept the outcome of the 2024 presidential election as legitimate, regardless of which candidate wins.

A mail in ballot issued by Hudson County, New Jersey for the 2024 U.S. general election is seen on September 22, 2024, in Hoboken, N.J.
Gary Hershorn/ABC News

Two-thirds, however, believe Trump is not prepared to accept the outcome as legitimate. Fewer than half as many, 30%, say the same of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Even among Trump's supporters, 81% say they are prepared to accept the election outcome as legitimate. That rises to 92% of Harris supporters in this poll, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates with fieldwork by Ipsos.

-ABC News' Allison De Jong

Oct 29, 2024, 12:49 AM EDT

Comedian's disparaging Puerto Rico joke sparks backlash in battleground Pennsylvania

Tony Hinchcliffe's comments about Puerto Rico at Madison Square Garden is being felt in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state home to a significant number of Puerto Rican voters.

Michael Rivera, a Republican raised in Puerto Rico who serves on the Board of Commissioners in Berks County, condemned the joke in a statement to ABC News Monday night, calling it "not only appalling but deeply disrespectful."

"Such comments overlook the value of a people of rich cultural heritage and the significant contributions of Puerto Ricans to the United States," he added.

Rivera said he "appreciate[s] the Trump campaign’s decision to distance themselves from [Hinchcliffe’s] comments," but he told ABC News that a statement from Trump himself "would go a long way" toward appeasing Puerto Rican voters upset by the joke.

Rivera said he remained committed to voting for Trump, citing his record. However, he said some in his community are considering changing their vote after Hinchcliffe’s comment.

-ABC News' Will McDuffie

Oct 29, 2024, 12:11 AM EDT

Bernie Sanders sends message to voters concerned about Gaza, saying Trump is 'worse'

Sen. Bernie Sanders released a video Monday night that aims to ease the concern of voters who may be wary to cast a vote for Vice President Kamala Harris due to her position on the war in Gaza.

"I understand that there are millions of Americans who disagree with President Biden and Vice President Harris on the terrible war in Gaza. I am one of them," Sanders begins the video.

But he argues to supporters that Republicans, led by Trump, would create an even greater humanitarian crisis in the region.

"Some of you are saying how can I vote for Kamala Harris if she is supporting this terrible war -- and that is a very fair question. And let me give you my best answer. And that is that even on this issue, Donald Trump and his right-wing friends are worse."

Sanders said Trump and Congressional Republicans will work to block aid to Gaza and noted that Trump has praised Netanyahu as "doing a good job."

"It is no wonder Netanyahu prefers to have Donald Trump in office," Sanders said.

He said he would work with Harris to "do everything that we can to change U.S. policy toward Netanyahu."

"We will have in my view, a much better chance of changing U.S. policy with Kamala than with Trump," Sanders said in the video.

Sanders also made it clear that while the crisis in Gaza is important, it is "not the only issue" in this election. He argued that a Trump victory would be disastrous for abortion access, climate change and income inequality.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

Oct 28, 2024, 11:21 PM EDT

DC braces for protests and road closures ahead of Harris rally at the Ellipse

Fencing along the National Mall is still being installed less than 24 hours before Vice President Kamala Harris’ speech at the Ellipse, which is "a large open area surrounded by an oval drive" on the southern side of the President's Park, according to the National Park Service.

Harris chose to deliver her campaign's closing arguments at a symbolic site on the grounds of the White House, where former President Donald Trump delivered a speech on Jan. 6, 2021, that preceded a mob attack on the Capitol.

The permit for the rally estimates a crowd of 20,000 people.

Rally organizers planned an overflow area near the grounds of the Washington Monument.

The Secret Service said in a statement to ABC News that they are “working closely with our federal and local partners to ensure the safety and security of Vice President Harris and all attendees at the campaign event on Tuesday at the White House Ellipse."

Several roads in downtown Washington, D.C., will be blocked off at 6 a.m. Tuesday for the event, which begins at 3 p.m.

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