‘There’ll be a revolution if Trump loses’: Tensions boil 10 weeks before US election as Kamala Harris settles into the race
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In Woodstock, Illinois, they know all about the cycle of repetition.
The small town, around an hour’s drive from Chicago, where this week’s Democratic National Convention is being held, is the setting for the film Groundhog Day.
Its part in movie history is marked by a huge mural on the main street, a poster of the film’s star Bill Murray in the estate agent window and a plaque at the bed and breakfast which featured as one of the sets.
But in a place where a narrative of monotony is celebrated, the story now is about the upcoming presidential election and a new offer that goes beyond re-electing an incumbent. But for many here, Kamala Harris is an elusive candidate.
“It’s tough to make a decision on something where you were thinking one way and now you have to switch your gears because it’s a whole new person,” says Matt Drennan, who owns a shop on the main square selling model trains.
“I want to hear what she’s going to do, what’s going to be different than what’s already been done.”
Usually, by the time a national convention arrives, there is a clear sense of the policy platforms of the nominee.
When Hillary Clinton ran for president in 2016, she had more than 200 distinct policy proposals. Four years ago, Joe Biden had a 110-page policy document for his White House bid.
Now, Vice President Kamala Harris doesn’t even have a policy page on her campaign website, perhaps owing to her late entry into the race. Her campaign seems to be propelled at the moment by good vibes and the overall energy she brings.
“I mean, honestly, she just got into the race,” says Matt. “She was the vice president and if you look at the history – other than Al Gore – most of the vice presidents nobody knows much about.
“The big problem is you don’t totally know her policies yet,” he adds, “so I’m reading up on that to see what works, to see who is the best candidate for small business and the economy.
“I’m doing my research and my due diligence now. A lot of people take that instant 60-second sound bite and decide their lives on it.”
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McHenry County, the district Woodstock is in, voted narrowly for Trump in 2020. It’s a community shaped by the railroads and home to the United States’ largest railway museum.
Linda is visiting with her grandsons. She believes the momentum in the 2024 race is now firmly with Harris.
“She’s smart and I believe she’s going to win,” Linda says. “I’m very excited about this. She just has that energy and that enthusiasm. I liked Joe Biden, but there’s a difference from being 80 to 60, there just is.”
In the nearby village of Island Lake, they’re celebrating the annual corn fest. Bands play, kids climb on inflatable slides and money is raised for local charities.
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The winner of the corn-eating contest devours five ears of corn in two minutes. But as quickly as he is crowned champion, I see the deep divisions in this community – and mirrored across the US – exposed.
I ask a local man, Jim Conour, what he makes of Kamala Harris. “She’s not a good candidate at all,” he says. “She’s, frankly, dumb as a stump. She’s not very bright, you see her do her word salads and she just can’t articulate a thought.”
I ask who he thinks will be in the White House in January.
“I truly believe Trump will be there,” he says. “If it’s not, we’re going to be in trouble. He’s the last great hope.”
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Rich Kling says he’s ‘fighting for God by voting for Trump’
Another man, Rich Kling, says: “If he isn’t, there’ll be a revolution. I guarantee if they steal it there would be a revolution. We, the people, own plenty of firearms. There’s more gun owners than enlisted servicemen, and they are not going to go against patriots.”
“I don’t care what colour camouflage comes after me,” he adds, “this is the holy war in the United States. We’re fighting for God by voting for Trump.”
It is a scene setter that shatters the genteel of this event.
Tensions are clearly boiling under the surface. It’s now 10 weeks until an election where the true stakes cannot be known.
