It was talk show great Oprah Winfrey who gave the most dire warning about former President Donald Trump winning Tuesday’s election at a star-studded rally in support of Vice President Kamala Harris late Monday night in Philadelphia.
‘If we don’t show up tomorrow, it is entirely possible that we will not have the opportunity to ever cast a ballot again,’ Winfrey warned the crowd, who waited for hours to see a line-up that included Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, Will.i.am, Fat Joe and the Roots.
Winfrey told Democrats, ‘All the anxiety and the fear you’re feeling, you’re feeling that because you sense the danger.’
‘And you change that with your vote,’ she said. ‘You are voting for healing over hate.’
Nearly every metric shows that Tuesday’s presidential race between Harris and Trump will be a nail-biter, as seven battleground states will decide who gets to move into the White House in January.
Oprah Winfrey (left) gave the most dire warning about the reelection of former President Donald Trump at the final 2024 rally in support of Vice President Kamala Harris at the ‘Rocky Steps’ in front of Philadelphia’s Museum of Art Monday night
Oprah passionately addressed the Philadelphia crowd and encouraged people to vote, saying ‘you are voting for healing over hate’
Pennsylvania is the top prize and Harris spent her final day on the campaign trail hop-scotching the Keystone State, with her final stop in Philly at the feet of the ‘Rocky Steps,’ in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The Democratic nominee walked onstage hand-in-hand with Winfrey and spoke openly about the symbolism of that city and place.
‘It’s good to be back in the City of Brotherly Love, where the foundation of our democracy was forged,’ Harris said. ‘And here, at these famous steps a tribute to those who start as the underdog and climb to victory.’
Harris didn’t mention Trump by name during her final rally remarks, a stark difference from her Ellipse rally where she name-dropped him frequently.
If Harris wins the White House it will be a remarkable ending to one of the most dramatic presidential elections in modern history. She was given just 13 weeks to try and beat Trump, who announced his 2024 run earlier than any candidate ever.
The Democrat did it with a lot of Hollywood clout – with a surprise appearance from Will.I.Am and a patriotic salute from Lady Gaga, who also played Harris’ supporters out of the park on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway with her hit, The Edge of Glory.
‘Today, I am holding in my heart all the tough, tenacious women who made me who I am,’ Lady Gaga told the crowd. ‘I cast my vote for someone who will be a president for all Americans, and now, Pennsylvania, it’s your turn. The country is depending on you.’
Lady Gaga performed God Bless America and asked Pennsylvanians to vote Vice President Kamala Harris into office. ‘The country is depending on you,’ the pop star said
Fat Joe spoke at Vice President Kamala Harris’ final rally in Philadelphia Monday night – taking on former President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement for disparaging comments made about Latinos
Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff hold held hands on the rally’s stage
Gaga’s own father has publicly come out for Trump.
The pop star played God Bless America, before introducing second gentleman Doug Emhoff.
Earlier in the night, Bronx-born rapper Fat Joe – who is of both Puerto Rican and Cuban descent – ripped former Trump and his MAGA allies for not only insulting Puerto-Ricans, but Haitians and Mexican-Americans too.
‘I heard they needed a Puerto Rican in Philly!’ Fat Joe said as he came onstage on the famous ‘Rocky Steps’ outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Fat Joe appeared in Philadelphia Monday night as part of Vice President Kamala Harris’ final campaign rally.
He introduced Ricky Martin – another Puerto Rican who’s more vocally supporting the Democratic nominee after last week’s Madison Square Garden rally where a Trump-aligned comedian called the U.S. territory a ‘floating pile of garbage.’
Fat Joe argued to all Latinos: ‘Where is your pride? When is enough enough?’
‘Tonight I’m short and sweet. It’s all about pride,’ he said. ‘A couple of years ago, when I seen Donald Trump come down the escalator and call my Mexican brothers and sisters drug dealers, he obviously didn’t know the contributions of Mexican-Americans to this country.’
He then recalled how Trump threw paper towels ‘like they were basketballs’ to Puerto Ricans in the wake of the devastating Hurricane Maria.
Ricky Martin shakes his hips during a performance Monday night in Philadelphia as part of Vice President Kamala Harris’ final rally before Election Day. Martin is one of a handful of prominent Puerto Ricans to become more active with the Harris campaign after the Madison Square Garden rally
Jazmine Sullivan performed in Philadelphia early in the night, belting out a cover of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On
Supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris stand on the iconic ‘Rocky Steps’ in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to mark the Democratic nominee’s final campaign rally before Election Day
‘A couple of weeks ago, I’m watching these people again, they told my Haitian brothers and sisters that they eat cats and dogs,’ Fat Joe continued.
He then turned to Madison Square Garden, calling it a ‘hate rally.’
‘I gotta let you know I’m the guy they threw out of comedy show because I’m laughing too much. I think I’m gonna die of laughter. I find anything funny. But when they get up there and they call Puerto Rico an island of garbage – tell me how you really feel huh?’
‘I did not find that to be a joke,’ the rapper continued. ‘Disrespected Jewish people, black people, talking about carving watermelons. I mean, this is out of control, but I asked my people … where’s your pride?’
Harris’ supporters waited in line for hours to get onto the rally grounds, positioned on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in front of the iconic ‘Rocky Steps’ of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
At points during the night, other rallies being held around the country were beamed onto the jumbotrons.
It didn’t always go smoothly.
Throngs of supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris wait in line to go through security to appear at her final rally of the 2024 presidential campaign cycle in Philadelphia Monday night
Hours before Vice President Kamala Harris’ appearance in Philadelphia Monday night, supporters waited in line for her final rally of the 2024 campaign cycle
At one point DJ Cassidy said that attendees would get to see vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s remarks, delivered Monday in Milwaukee.
There was a slight delay before Walz’s words could be heard.
Another longer delay happened as DJ Cassidy announced the Philadelphia audience would get to see what’s happening in Pittsburgh.
The screens didn’t immediately show the scene in western Pennsylvania, so DJ Cassidy was forced to dance onstage to Black and Yellow.
Eventually Pittsburgh was beamed in and the Philadelphia audience watched Cedric the Entertainer’s introduction of Harris – and Harris’ speech.
Additionally, the Philadelphia crowd could hear Katy Perry – the headliner of the Pittsburgh rally and concert – get introduced, but the sound cut out before Perry started her first song.
The audio came back on before Perry started her second tune – Part of Me – but cut off again before she wrapped.
Later in the evening the Philly audience started yelling ‘noooo!’ when the audio briefly cut out during Jon Bon Jovi’s performance, which was taking place in Detroit.
They then sang along to Livin’ on a Prayer.
As 11 p.m. approached, those in the Philly audience also started getting antsy.
‘Bring her out!’ yelled a female supporter. ‘Where’s Gaga?’ another yelled.
The crowd then started to chant ‘Philly!’ to try and bring the action to the Philadelphia stage.
The rally wrapped up right at midnight – officially marking Election Day.
Campaign officials estimated that 30,000 people were in attendance.