Presidential rivals Donald Trump and Kamala Harris campaigned in battleground states on Thursday, urging voters to cast their ballots in a tight election that is less than two weeks away.

The Demoratic nominee appeared for the first time publicly with former President Obama, who has been hitting the campaign trail on her behalf and urging supporters to vote early.

Obama introduced Harris at a rally in Clarkston, Ga., and the pair embraced warmly before raising their clasped hands in front of a boisterous crowd. Harris recalled traveling to Springfield, Ill., 17 tears ago as a then-underdog and first-term senator from Illinois, Obama, announced his presidential campaign, and knocking on doors for him in snowy Iowa on New Year's Eve, days before the state's caucuses.

"All these years later, Barack Obama, I say to you, your friendship and your faith in me and in our campaign means the world," the vice president said. "Thank you, Mr. President."

She emphasized that only 12 days remain in what she deemed "one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime."

"And I'll need to tell you, voting has already started, and everybody here knows it's going to be a tight race until the very end," Harris said. "So we have a lot of work ahead of us. ... And make no mistake, we will win."

"Or as a certain former president would say, 'Yes, we can,'" Harris said, repeating one of the statements that became a hallmark of Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.

Trump, who has been skeptical of early voting and mail ballots in particular, urged supporters to vote by mail, in person early or on Election Day, and reminded supporters of the deadlines for the three options as he stood in front of a banner touting early voting at a rally in Tempe, Ariz.

"So as you know, early voting, oh, we're finally here. We just saw we can't take this any longer," the Republican said, later saying that the day of the election, Nov. 5, will be called "Liberation Day" after he wins the White House.

Trump later mused about a fictional couple named Jane and Jimmy, urging the wife to drag her husband to the polls.

"Jane, your husband's sitting on the sofa, watching something. He doesn't even know what he's watching. Tell him, 'Jimmy, get up. You're getting up, Jimmy. Let's go. Let's go, Jimmy,'" Trump said. "I'm not gonna use foul language. 'Get your fat ass out of the couch. You're going to vote, Jimmy. You're going to vote. We're gonna save our country, Jimmy.'"

Both of the presidential nominees said their rival represents an existential threat to the nation's future.

Trump focused on Harris' role in President Biden's administration, notably her assignment to tackle the root causes of an influx of migrants from Central America as he falsely labeled the vice president as the nation's "border czar."

"Kamala Harris has orchestrated the most egregious betrayal that any leader in American history has ever inflicted upon our people. She has eradicated our sovereign border, and she has unleashed an army of migrant gangs waging a campaign of violence and terror against our citizens," he said, adding that her "gross incompetence disqualifies" her from being elected president. "We can't let that happen. No person who is responsible for so much bloodshed and death on our soil can ever be allowed to become the president of the United States."

During a nearly hour-long speech at Arizona State University's Mullett Arena, the former president repeated his oft-stated criticisms about the Biden administration's decision-making on issues such as border control, the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the economy. He also labeled Biden a "stupid fool" and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco "crazy as a bedbug" and a "nut job who's crooked as hell."

Harris said the dangers of a second Trump presidency far outweigh prior years because there would be no guardrails created by his advisers.

"Over the last years, and in particular, the last eight years, Donald Trump has become more confused, more unstable and more angry," she said. "You see it every day. He has become increasingly unhinged. But last time, at least, there were people around him who could control him. But do notice in this election, they're not with him this time."

Harris and Obama highlighted new comments reported by the New York Times that retired Marine Gen. John F. Kelly, Trump's longest-serving White House chief of staff, warned that Trump would govern like a dictator if he won election, praised Adolph Hitler and wished his generals were as loyal to him as Hitler's had been.

The Trump campaign says that Kelly's claims are lies.

"I want to explain that in politics, a good rule of thumb is, don't say you want to do anything like Hitler," Obama said. "That's just good political advice."

Bruce Springsteen opened the Harris rally in Atlanta by singing "The Promised Land," "Land of Hope and Dreams" and "Dancing in the Dark."

He urged the crowd to join him in voting for the Democratic ticket.

"I want a president who reveres the Constitution, who does not threaten but wants to protect and guide our great democracy, who believes in the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power, who will fight for a woman's right to choose, and who wants to create a middle-class economy that will serve all our citizens," Springsteen said. "There is only one candidate in this election who holds those principles dear: Kamala Harris."

Springsteen was the latest entertainer to appear at a Harris rally. Other artists who have recently joined the Democratic nominee include Usher and Lizzo. Earlier Thursday, word spread that Beyoncé would appear with Harris at a rally in Houston on Friday.

The singer, a Houston native whose song "Freedom" is frequently played at Harris events, has an enormous following, notably among Black people and young people, two critical voting blocs in the election. She has not officially endorsed Harris, but she did grant permission for Harris to use her song during campaign events.

Willie Nelson is also reportedly planning to attend the rally, during which Harris is expected to focus on reproductive rights and the aftermath of the Supreme Court ruling that overturned federal protection for access to abortion.

Trump was introduced Thursday in Tempe by Vivek Ramaswamy, a millennial entrepreneur who ran in the GOP primary early this year but endorsed Trump after he dropped out; Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, whom Trump dubbed "Little Marco" during the 2016 Republican primary; and Stephen Miller, who was the former president's senior adviser.

______

©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.