NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Episode Date: October 30, 2024

Harris makes closing argument one week before the election; Trump campaigns in battleground Pennsylvania seven days before election; Actress Teri Garr dies at 79; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, just one week until Election Day, Kamala Harris making her closing argument as Donald Trump defends his controversial Madison Square Garden rally. With seven days to go, the vice president delivering her closing message in Washington, the same site where former President Trump rallied his supporters on January 6th. Harris making her case at a second Trump presidency would sow more chaos and division. And Mr. Trump today calling his New York rally that was marked by racist and vulgar remarks a, quote, absolute love fest. Our full political coverage. Also tonight, the gunman firing shots at a high-rise hotel in Atlanta.

A tense standoff. Police issuing a shelter-in-place order. And what they've just announced. Satins handed down to the man found guilty of brutally attacking former Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband after breaking into their home. The dangerous drought conditions across the country and the severe storm threat we're tracking, Al Roker is here. And it was part of one of America's darkest chapters, but they've turned it into their very own field of dreams.

This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Good evening and welcome. 100 days since Vice President Kamala Harris was tapped to lead the Democratic presidential ticket, tonight she makes what could be the most important address of her truncated campaign, offering a closing argument to voters, laying out why Americans should put their faith in her and not in Donald Trump. The vice president delivers her message with one week until the election at the Ellipse in Washington, framed by the White House in the background and by history before her. From the spot where Donald Trump called on supporters to head to the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Former President Trump back in Pennsylvania tonight offering what

amounts to a prebuttal to Harris's message while facing new fallout over crude and racist jokes uttered by a comedian at a rally in his name over the weekend. Mr. Trump today calling that rally a love fest. Peter Alexander is in Washington to start us off tonight. Tonight, her closing argument, Vice President Harris in the midst of a dead heat race, delivering a major speech with the White House as her backdrop. Harris tonight calling on Americans to turn the page on what she calls the Trump era of chaos and division. Donald Trump has spent a decade trying to keep the American people divided and afraid of each other. That is who he is.

But America, I am here tonight to say that is not who we are. That is not who we are. That is not who we are. After weeks of sharpening her attacks on former President Trump, including highlighting critical comments from his longest serving chief of staff. Do you think Donald Trump is a fascist? Yes, I do. Yes, I do. Also tonight, this call for unity.

I pledge to seek common ground and common sense solutions to make your life better. I am not looking to score political points. I am looking to make progress. She spoke from the ellipse, the same spot where then-President Trump on January 6th urged his supporters to march to the Capitol. Because you'll never take back our country with weakness. More than 170 officers were assaulted in the violence that followed. Her target audience, 18 percent of registered voters who say they're still persuadable, according to the latest CNBC poll. Still, Harris faces a challenge. She's the incumbent VP with 75 percent of Americans

saying they're dissatisfied with the direction of the country. And most polls show Americans trust Trump more than Harris to handle the economy and immigration. And when I am president, we will quickly remove those who arrive here unlawfully, prosecute the cartels and give border patrol the support they so desperately need. Peter, this is Vice President Harris's closing argument tonight, but it's also the kickoff of the final stretch for her campaign. Lester, Vice President Harris is hoping to capitalize from the energy and enthusiasm at this event with a frenetic 48 hours hitting five of the seven key battleground states, including a stop this week in Las Vegas with superstar Jennifer Lopez. Lester.

Peter Alexander starting us off tonight. Thanks. Tonight, former President Trump with his own pitch to voters, going after Vice President Harris on the economy and the border, while making no mention of those racist remarks by a comedian at his Madison Square Garden rally. Here's Garrett Haik. Tonight, former President Trump back in Battleground, Pennsylvania. We have six days, six days to go, Joe. We got to win.

After making his own pitch to voters ahead of Vice President Harris's closing argument tonight, Trump vowing he'll deliver change on immigration. Kamala Harris has obliterated our borders. And the economy. Millions of Americans are lying awake at night worried about how they pay their bills because Kamala wrecked their family finances. But also facing new fallout after his Madison Square Garden rally and bipartisan backlash over a comedian's racist remarks, including this about Puerto Rico. There's literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. Yeah, I think it's called Puerto Rico.

OK, all right. OK, we're getting there. The comments slammed by Republicans, Democrats and Puerto Rican music superstar and Harris supporter Bad Bunny. The Trump campaign has distanced itself from the remarks, but Trump has not, making no mention of the controversy while praising the event today. The love, the love, the love in that room. It was breathtaking. It was like a love fest, an absolute love fest, and it was my honor to be involved. But could the controversy cost Trump in a place like Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he's holding a rally tonight? Latinos are a majority of the population here. Today, we met Trump supporter Felipe Rosario. I voted for Trump last time. I'm going to do it again.

The economy sucks at this point. We asked his reaction to the comedian's comments. Does that blow back on Trump in your mind? No, I don't. That doesn't affect me at all. I don't agree with that guy. That's not what Trump is not a racist like everybody says he is. We also met Enid Santiago. The fact that somebody thought it was funny to say that an island that has been beat down is garbage. it was hurtful. She is Puerto Rican and a Harris supporter.

The anger. I had about 17 messages in a matter of an hour of, did you see what just happened? Did you see what they called your island? Trump supporter Senator Marco Rubio has said he, quote, understood why some people were offended by the comedian. He's appearing with Trump tonight. Madison Square Garden, Sunday night. Was that event a missed opportunity to be more clear about his message? No, I think he gave a great message. Look, some guy said some stupid joke, you know, I mean, an insult comic, you know, and probably not the right guy to invite to speak.

And Garrett, former President Trump not mentioning the controversy today, but his campaign is clearly thinking about it. It seems that way, Lester. The Trump campaign putting out three Puerto Rican Trump supporters tonight, all to argue that Mr. Trump is the better choice for their community. Meanwhile, the former president said to rally tomorrow night in Green Bay with Packers legend Brett Favre. Lester. OK, Garrett,ig, thank you. We want to turn now to a terrifying standoff today in a busy part of Atlanta. A gunman barricading himself and firing shots in the residential section of a four-season hotel after police responded to a mental health emergency. A shelter-in-place order was issued after at least one shot was fired from the balcony.

The SWAT team ultimately breached the apartment and arrested him. The suspect and an officer were taken to the hospital with injuries. In the Middle East, one of the deadliest days in months in Gaza. After an Israeli airstrike destroyed an apartment building, more than 90 people were killed, including 25 children. That's according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The Israeli military said it's investigating and makes efforts to avoid harming civilians. We're watching severe weather expected to hit the middle part of the country, while here in the Northeast, it has been days and days with little rain. Al Roker is here. How severe is this drought we're looking at? Well, Lester, we normally see October as the driest month of the year, but this has been exceptional. In fact, New York City just ended its streak at 29 days.

But look at this. Driest October on record from New York City, Jackson, Mississippi, Fort Smith, all the way down to San Angelo, Houston, Texas, and Lake Charles. Record warmth tomorrow. We're looking at highs getting up to records in Green Bay, Burlington, Rochester, Elkins and Paducah. Plus, we're looking at a severe storm making its way to the east tomorrow. The system will advance out of the Rockies, bring severe storms tomorrow stretching from Kansas City all the way down to Dallas. This area in red most likely will see the greatest tornado risk tomorrow. Lester. Okay, Al, thanks

very much. In 60 seconds, abortion on the ballot in Florida has turned living rooms into meeting rooms across the state inside the mounting political battle. In San Francisco, the man who attacked the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with a hammer was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. David DePap was convicted in June of state charges of kidnapping, burglary, and false imprisonment. He was sentenced earlier to 30 years on federal charges. This election year, abortion rights are on the ballot in several states. And in Florida, where more than 6 million have already voted,

advocates are making their case to Republicans in living rooms across the state. Here's Laura Jarrett. Thank you all so much for coming. In this suburban living room, a group of women united over a single issue. I am a pro-choice Republican. Me too. There are a lot of women I know who are just like me. You've got to get them out there to vote. A lifelong Republican in Florida, Carol Whitmore is laser focused on mobilizing others like her to vote in favor of abortion rights this election. We decided to start this group. It's called Republican Women for Freedom.

And what was the motivation behind it? It was to give the Republicans and others a safe place to talk about this issue and talk about facts. How did you get involved in the issue of reproductive rights? When I was young, I had to have an abortion. And I thought, well, if people like me don't speak up, it's going to always be this way. She's using informal house parties like this one to reach conservative women in private, hoping to galvanize support on Amendment 4, a proposal that would wipe out the state's existing six-week abortion ban and restore access to the procedure up to the point

of fetal viability. We want you to get the message out that nobody messes with our bodies. Florida, one of nearly a dozen states with abortion rights on the ballot this election, but the only one that requires a 60 percent supermajority, meaning it needs bipartisan support to pass. Agreement like we found with Jane and her daughter Beth. So mom liberal, daughter more moderate, and yet on this issue, you're completely aligned. Absolutely. There are a lot of women like me that might be fiscally conservative, but socially 100% that we believe a woman has a right to choose who decides what happens to her body. Jane at times growing emotional. We had no legal abortions and I fought all my life to get this going. And then it was settled. Roe versus Wade. Wow. Yay. And all of a sudden,

it's overturned. And now we're fighting all over again. But there is deep division among Republicans. Governor Ron DeSantis, who signed the six-week ban into law, has been actively campaigning for the amendment to fail. If you don't know what this would do, you should vote no. This is something that is going to be a part of Florida forever. While former President Trump once said the six-week ban went too far, It has to be more time. he later changed his stance, saying he would vote against the amendment.

But back in Manatee County, Carroll is staying the course. You're in the second most conservative county. In Florida. In Florida. Yes. Trump will probably win my county, but on this issue, the women are going to speak up. Laura Jarrett, NBC News, Lakewood Ranch, Florida. There's more to tell you about coming up at a time when the cost of child care rivals the cost of college.

How one state figured out how to make it free for so many families. For millions of families, the cost of child care is more expensive than housing or even college tuition. But one state is tackling the crisis by providing child care to most families for free. Christine Romans now with more from New Mexico. Mornings for Maggie and JJ Oviedo in their rural town outside Santa Fe are busy. With a baby and a toddler, they both work two jobs and have a long commute. How fast are you going to go? But their biggest stress is gone. Here we go, Pato. I have two boys going to a wonderful school that would cost about probably $2,600 a month to have both of them here for free. It is critical for us. I love you, baby. I'll see

you tomorrow. In 2022, an overwhelming 70% of voters in New Mexico voted in favor of a ballot initiative to divert a sliver of oil and gas tax revenue to early childhood education, a bipartisan effort amounting to $150 million a year. We were thinking about what are we going to do? What are we going to give up in our monthly bills to pay this copay? Then we found out the state was paying it. I cried like it was that much of a relief because we didn't know how we were going to do it. A relief, too, for Dayanira Contreras, who runs Kids Campus Santa Fe, where 90 percent of families receive child care assistance. So the income limit in New Mexico, I think it might surprise people. You can make up to $10,000 a month in income and still qualify for free child care. Yes, for a family of four, you know, two parents, two kids, and if they make up to $10,000 per month, they still qualify for free child care. $120,000 a year in income. Yes, yes. The Oviedo's say it gives them a shot at the middle class. Without this, we would not see the finish line of any of our financial goals, paying off debt, building a home, opening up our own business.

The child care crisis isn't just high costs for families. It's also low wages, about $15 an hour nationwide, which contributes to high turnover for early childhood educators. We're going to go to the tables, okay? Stay in the line, walk in feet. Teacher Randy Arona-Torres used to work at a fast food restaurant to supplement his daycare income. Thanks to New Mexico's program, he's had a $7 an hour pay raise, and the state is paying for his college tuition.

Being a teacher isn't a struggle. Right now, I don't see it as a struggle anymore. For the first time, you can make a good living in this job. Yeah, absolutely. You know, I have additional money, you know, to pay my bills. In New Mexico, an early childhood teacher's aid can make $36,000 a year. Lead teachers like Randy earn more with aA., $59,000, with a master's, $65,000. An investment by the state, parents see paying dividends for their children. I see the impact on all the kids here, all the parents here. It makes life better. It makes life livable.

Christine Romans, NBC News, Santa Fe, New Mexico. And next for us tonight, the good news about a field of dreams that offered hope during a dark time in our history. It's remarkable return. While all eyes are on game four of the World Series, there's good news tonight about another baseball game making history with the help of Japanese-American ballplayers. Here's Emily Akeda. Baseball hasn't been played on this dusty stretch of California desert in some 80 years, but this month marked its touching and triumphant return. Performing artist Dan Kwong spearheaded a push to restore the baseball field at this former Japanese incarceration camp in Manzanar, now a National Historic Site.

I think of all the spirits who played on this field. Including his mother. She was among the more than 125,000 incarcerated during World War II, seen as a security threat. Innocent Japanese-American families lost their homes, businesses, and most of their belongings. But baseball was one thing they got to keep. There's a quote on the sign over there, putting on a baseball uniform was like wearing the American flag. The way the Japanese-American community responded was, we're going to live life. We're going to build gardens. We're going to make music.

We're going to play baseball. After months of sawing and sanding, the commemorative doubleheader drew athletes spanning three generations. 23-year-old Logan Morita was the first player up to bat, following in the footsteps of his family and Japanese-Americans from years before. It's honestly like a surreal experience to be at a place where my grandparents and great-grandparents played at. Kwong hopes this can be an annual tradition. But for now, he's thinking of his mother on this field of dreams finally realized. How was that? That was amazing.

Go show! Every now and then I'd stop and look at the mountains. Think about where I was. It was very, very special. Emily Ikeda, NBC News, Manzanar, California. I think we're all a little choked up. That's nightly news for this Tuesday. Thank you for watching. I'm Lester Holt. Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night.