Jennifer Lopez expressed outrage at the Puerto Rico dig expressed at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally and asked voters in Nevada to give Kamala Harris a ‘Hollywood ending.’
J. Lo made her campaign trail debut Thursday night at a rally at the Craig Ranch Amphitheater in Las Vegas, calling it the ‘most important stage I’ve ever been on.’
The actress and singer said she was a ‘lover’ and didn’t mean to ‘trash’ anyone – ‘even facing the biggest adversary I think America has ever had’ – but she had something to say about that ‘garbage’ comment.
‘It wasn’t just Puerto Ricans who were offended that day, it was every Latino in this country,’ she said, referring to MAGA-aligned comic Tony Hinchcliffe calling the U.S. territory a ‘floating island of garbage.’ ‘It was humanity and anyone of decent character,’ Lopez said.
She also told the thousands of Harris supporters – some dressed in Halloween costumes, ‘I am Puerto Rican.’
‘And yes I was born here and we are Americans,’ Lopez said to cheers. ‘You can’t even spell American without Rican,’ she quipped.
Jennifer Lopez expressed outrage at the Puerto Rico dig expressed at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally and asked voters in Nevada to give Kamala Harris a ‘Hollywood ending’
Lopez commented the ‘energy in here tonight is just electric’ after taking the stage after the band Maná played a set.
‘Whether you’re from Castle Hill in the Bronx or Sunrise Manor in East Las Vegas, we all want a world where our kids feel safe and free and valued by their president,’ Lopez said.
She remembered feeling that as a kid, the president cared about her, cared about all Americans ‘not just some Americans.’
‘You know when I started in TV and film I could get roles playing the maid and the loud-mouth Latina. But I knew I had more to offer,’ she said. ‘And I think a lot of people in this country feel the same way, who know that they are capable of more – and we all just want a chance to prove it.’
‘Elections are about choosing leaders to support them – not one that stands in the way,’ Lopez added.
The singer didn’t immediately launch her attack on Trump and Hinchcliffe – instead outlining some of the policies that Harris supports – such as extending the child tax credit and a middle class tax cut.
‘It’s about helping you get ahead. It’s about you and you and you and you and you. It’s about us. All of us. No matter what we look like, who we love or who we worship or where we’re from,’ Lopez said.
Jennifer Lopez (left) and Vice President Kamala Harris (right) hug onstage at a Thursday night rally in Las Vegas, where Lopez addressed the insulting joke about Puerto Rico voiced at former President Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday
Vice President Kamala Harris onstage Thursday night at the Craig Ranch Amphitheater in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her final of three rallies on a western swing Thursday. She also held events in Phoenix, Arizona and Reno, Nevada
During her introductory remarks, Jennifer Lopez expressed outrage over a Trump-aligned comedian calling Puerto Rico – where her parents were born – a ‘floating island of garbage’
‘Her opponent on the other hand, doesn’t see it that way,’ J. Lo said, prompting boos. ‘He has consistently worked to divide us.’
‘At Madison Square Garden he reminded us who he is and how he really feels,’ she continued.
A woman in the audience then shouted out ‘a jack-a**!’
‘I’m a lover. You guys know that about me, I’m a lover. I am not a fighter. I am not here to trash anyone or bring them down,’ Lopez said. ‘I know what that can feel like. I wouldn’t do it to my worst enemy. Or even facing the biggest adversary I think America has ever had.’
Lopez then identified herself as a Puerto Rican.
‘I am a mother, I am a sister, I am an actor and an entertainer,’ she proclaimed. ‘And I like Hollywood endings. And I like when the good guy, on in this case, the good girl, wins.’
‘And with an understanding of our past and a faith in our future, I will be casting my ballot for Kamala Harris for president of the United States,’ she said.
Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez walks out onstage Thursday night at a rally in support of Vice President Kamala Harris in Las Vegas, Nevada
Jennifer Lopez (left) waves to supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris (right) as the Democratic nominee came onstage during her Las Vegas, Nevada rally Thursday night
J. Lo (left) blows a kiss to the audience as Vice President Kamala Harris (right) joined her onstage at a rally Thursday in Las Vegas. Lopez had endorsed Harris even before the Puerto Rican joke was made at Madison Square Garden, but then signed on as a surrogate
The actress, at times, appeared to be getting choked up.
‘I promised myself I wouldn’t get emotional. But you know what you know what? We should be emotional,’ she said. ‘We should be upset. We should be scared and outraged. We should. Our pain matters. We matter. You matter. Your voice and your vote matters.’
‘And look, don’t be afraid to make people around you uncomfortable,’ she also offered. ‘I see the way power works in this country. They love it when you do nothing. OK, a non-vote is an agreement. It just makes it easier, easier for them to do whatever they want.’
Lopez then butchered the voting website, IWillVote.com.
‘I got carried away!’ she laughed. ‘Let’s do this Las Vegas.’
Harris then sauntered onstage, embracing Lopez in a hug before the actress walked off.
J. Lo, whose parents were born in Puerto Rico, had shared a video with Harris detailing her plans for Puerto Rico on Sunday, in the hours before the controversial Madison Square Garden rally.
At Trump’s event, Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico a ‘floating island of garbage’ – prompting widespread backlash from the community.
Part of that backlash has been activating new surrogates for Harris – including Lopez, Ricky Martin and Bad Bunny.
Though Hinchcliffe’s remarks were overshadowed Tuesday night when President Joe Biden appeared to call Trump supporters ‘garbage.’
Biden and the White House tried to correct the record to say he was referencing just one ‘gargage’ supporter – that of Hinchcliffe.
After Hinchcliffe’s set went viral, Lopez doubled down on that support of Harris in her Instagram story and the Las Vegas rally appearance was announced.
Nevada – like the other six battleground states – continues to look like a nail-biter.
FiveThirtyEight.com on Thursday said Harris has a 51 percent chance of winning the state, while Trump has a 49 percent chance.
A CNN/SSRS poll released Tuesday showed Trump with 48 percent of the support of likely voters in Nevada and Harris with 47 percent.
The band Maná performed ahead of Jennifer Lopez and Vice President Kamala Harris’ appearances at a rally on Halloween night in Las Vegas, Nevada
Some supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris dressed up for Halloween during her Thursday night rally in Las Vegas, Nevada
The last time Nevada voted for a Republican in the presidential race was 2004, however President Joe Biden only won the state by 33,596 votes.
While Hinchcliffe’s comments could do far more damage to the Trump campaign in Pennsylvania – where nearly half a million Puerto Ricans live – around 27,000 live in Nevada.
Hinchcliffe also made a more broadly racist jokes about Latinos – which could damage Trump’s prospects in Nevada.
The 2020 census put the number of Latinos in Nevada at 890,257 – or 28.7 percent.
‘These Latinos, they love making babies, too. Just know that they do,’ Hinchcliffe had said at the MSG rally. ‘There’s no pulling out.’
‘They don’t do that. They come inside. Just like they did to our country,’ he added.
Despite Trump’s hardline stance on immigration – and pledge for the largest deportation of illegal immigrants in U.S. history – his campaign had been making inroads with Latino voters.
Rep. Dina Titus signals that there are just five more days until the presidential election. She also told the crowd: ‘I’m one of those childless cat ladies that old crazy ass J.D. Vance likes to talk about … we’ve got to quit p****-footing around’
A supporter stands in front of the Welcome to Las Vegas jumbotron at a rally Thursday night at the Craig Ranch Amphitheater
The CNN poll in Nevada shows Harris with just a one-point advantage – 48 percent to 47 percent – with the voting bloc.
While the tide could turn for the Democratic nominee, she might be running out of time.
Forty-two percent of Nevada’s likely voters who were interviewed for the CNN/SSRS said they had already cast a ballot in the 2024 race.
And during the opening line-up of speakers, Rep. Dina Titus warned that the numbers didn’t look great for Democratic turn-out.
‘But I hate to tell you this, but Nevada is falling behind. No in fact, the Republicans are kicking our a** at the early voting. We cannot let that happen,’ the lawmaker said.
‘I’m one of those childless cat ladies that old crazy ass J.D. Vance likes to talk about,’ Titus also said. ‘We’ve got to quit p****-footing around.’
Earlier Thursday Harris held rallies in Reno, Nevada and Phoenix, Arizona.