hello, i'm christian fraser. you're watching the context on bbc news. we are here — the final sprint to the 2024 election. if we get everybody out to vote, there's not. a thing they can do. here's my only purpose l in even being here today. get out and vote. are we ready to do this? we are ready to get out the vote? we are ready to win? all right. we know from all the polls that this is a really deeply divided nation, but i think there is one thing that most voters are agreed on and that is that they have been exhausted by this campaign. joining us this hour, democratic strategist marie ann

marsh, the msnbc columnist julio ricardo varella, and bryan lanza who in 2020 was part of donald trump's presidential transition team. welcome back. more than 70 million americans, roughly 44% of the electorate have already cast a ballot in this election. millions more will stand in line tomorrow. as the country holds its collective breath. it is a nation deeply divided, the debate splits families, it has broken friendships, and who knows where this election might lead us next. in front of voters tomorrow, two starkly different options. it often gets lost in the abstract of a campaign. but americans are electing more than just a person. they are electing values, temperament, character. all of which has been the subject of extensive debate in recent weeks.

i will end inflation, will stop the invasion of massive numbers of criminals coming into our country, thank you very much, kamala and joe. but this is all you need to know, kamala broke it and we will fix it. and we are going to fix it fast. we have an — are going to fix it fast. we have an opportunity in this election_ have an opportunity in this election to finally turn the page _ election to finally turn the page on_ election to finally turn the page on a decade of politics driven— page on a decade of politics driven by fear and division. we are done — driven by fear and division. we are done with that. and we are exhausted _ are done with that. and we are exhausted with it.— exhausted with it. they are fi . htin . exhausted with it. they are fighting so _ exhausted with it. they are fighting so hard _ exhausted with it. they are fighting so hard to - exhausted with it. they are fighting so hard to steal. exhausted with it. they are | fighting so hard to steal this damn — fighting so hard to steal this damn thing _ fighting so hard to steal this damn thing. it _ fighting so hard to steal this damn thing. it is— fighting so hard to steal this damn thing. it is a - fighting so hard to steal this damn thing. it is a damn- fighting so hard to steal this- damn thing. it is a damn shame, and i'm_ damn thing. it is a damn shame, and i'm the— damn thing. it is a damn shame, and i'm the only— damn thing. it is a damn shame, and i'm the only one _ damn thing. it is a damn shame, and i'm the only one that - damn thing. it is a damn shame, and i'm the only one that talks . and i'm the only one that talks about— and i'm the only one that talks about it — and i'm the only one that talks about it because _ and i'm the only one that talks about it because everybody- and i'm the only one that talks about it because everybody isl about it because everybody is afraid — about it because everybody is afraid to _ about it because everybody is afraid to damn _ about it because everybody is afraid to damn talk _ about it because everybody is afraid to damn talk about - about it because everybody is afraid to damn talk about it. i afraid to damn talk about it. and — afraid to damn talk about it. and then _ afraid to damn talk about it. and then they— afraid to damn talk about it. and then they accuse - afraid to damn talk about it. and then they accuse you i afraid to damn talk about it. and then they accuse you ofi and then they accuse you of being — and then they accuse you of being a _ and then they accuse you of being a conspiracy- and then they accuse you of being a conspiracy theorist. | and then they accuse you of. being a conspiracy theorist. we believe an _ being a conspiracy theorist. believe an opportunity! do we believe an opportunity! do we believe in the promise of america? and are we ready to

fight for its? and when we fight, we went! god bless you! and god bless the united states of america. it does show an incredibly tight race. this is the final new york times pole battleground poll. you can see that it puts the two virtually neck and neck in michigan, georgia, pennsylvania. kamala harris has a marginal lead in nevada, north carolina and wisconsin, but within the margin. donald trump ahead in arizona. all of this, as i say, very, very close. yet, donald trump would have us believe that he is leading by a lot. he insists only thing that can stop him winning his cheating. which does raise concerns ahead of time several governors have stepped up security around some of the counting centres in their states. lets bring in our panel....

they say it is going to be close, but they are constantly optimistic, they say notjustly optimistic, they say notjustly optimistic, i think how one staffer put it. in october three million doors over the weekend and i know that you always have your ear to the ground of the campaign. what are you hearing? i ground of the campaign. what are you hearing?— are you hearing? i think what ou are you hearing? i think what you hear— are you hearing? i think what you hear and _ are you hearing? i think what you hear and what _ are you hearing? i think what you hear and what you - are you hearing? i think what l you hear and what you see are two different things. i think kamala harris is going to win. and i don't think it's going to be that close in the end. and you can see it in the early voting. that has been the tale of the tail all along here. go back tojuly, where there is this enormousjump in back tojuly, where there is this enormous jump in voter registration with women of all ages and races and younger voters 30 and under who went and got registered when kamala harris entered the race. now look at the early voting. the early voting has been breaking records everywhere. women have been out voting men by a

minimum of10% been out voting men by a minimum of 10% across—the—board and younger voters who registered largely as unaffiliated independent have been turning up to and they have been voting more democratic. that is their profile. when you look at the ground operation that the harris campaign house, there is no one better than that and that alone is worth three to five points on election day and thatis five points on election day and that is all you need to win this race, but i think this race is already one. there is similar optimism _ race is already one. there is similar optimism for - race is already one. there is similar optimism for the - race is already one. there is l similar optimism for the other side, bettershape similar optimism for the other side, better shape than they were in 2020, they say. so what contributes to that optimism within the trump camp? hat contributes to that optimism within the trump camp? not only are we in a _ within the trump camp? not only are we in a better _ within the trump camp? not only are we in a better position - within the trump camp? not only are we in a better position in - are we in a better position in 2020 — are we in a better position in 2020 we _ are we in a better position in 2020 we are actually in a beiter— 2020 we are actually in a better position than when we won— better position than when we won the _ better position than when we won the presidency. let's look at the — won the presidency. let's look at the early voting. republicans lead early voting in nevada. the first time, a

state — in nevada. the first time, a state that— in nevada. the first time, a state thatjoe biden in nevada. the first time, a state that joe biden when in nevada. the first time, a state thatjoe biden when in arizona. _ state thatjoe biden when in arizona, we lead early voting. we iead — arizona, we lead early voting. we lead early voting in north carolina. _ we lead early voting in north carolina, the state that the harris _ carolina, the state that the harris campaign thought that she was— harris campaign thought that she was going to do very well. what — she was going to do very well. what we — she was going to do very well. what we have learned over the last 24-72 _ what we have learned over the last 24—72 hours is that the black— last 24—72 hours is that the black vote is verily significant. we made up 20% of pennsylvania, 20% of the early vote _ pennsylvania, 20% of the early vote difference that we once had — vote difference that we once had are _ vote difference that we once had. are we feeling confident? two ways— had. are we feeling confident? two ways to run a presidential campaign, and marianne knows this, _ campaign, and marianne knows this, to — campaign, and marianne knows this, to run _ campaign, and marianne knows this, to run any campaign, youte— this, to run any campaign, you're either running hard or you — you're either running hard or you are _ you're either running hard or you are running scared. and we intend — you are running scared. and we intend to — you are running scared. and we intend to run hard in the very end— intend to run hard in the very end and— intend to run hard in the very end and that is why we have ground _ end and that is why we have ground level support of volunteers all over the swing states — volunteers all over the swing states knocking on doors making phone _ states knocking on doors making phone calls. we are happy with the results for the early voting _ the results for the early voting. the reality is our early _ voting. the reality is our early voting is up significantly than what was in 2020 — significantly than what was in 2020. and there is 2020. we will see — 2020. and there is 2020. we will see where things ultimately land, the polls are very— ultimately land, the polls are very close. we feel we have the conditions — very close. we feel we have the conditions for a very strong wirr— conditions for a very strong win tomorrow. with economic conditions _ win tomorrow. with economic conditions that the voters can trust — conditions that the voters can trust the _ conditions that the voters can trust the economy than they do

under— trust the economy than they do under harris. the voters believe _ under harris. the voters believe that donald trump can fix the — believe that donald trump can fix the border as opposed to something that harris and joe biden— something that harris and joe biden broke. the fundamentals of this— biden broke. the fundamentals of this campaign, we feel we are irr— of this campaign, we feel we are in a — of this campaign, we feel we are in a strong position to win and _ are in a strong position to win and we — are in a strong position to win and we will execute, execute, execute — and we will execute, execute, execute until the very end. we've got life pictures here of donald trump in redding and lehigh, redding and bucks county in pennsylvania. the 70% latino, it is one of those latino, it is one of those latino cities on the northeast side of pennsylvania. a lot of clean—up on republican circles over the last few days because of what was set at medicine square garden over puerto rico. what are you hearing about the way people feel about that and how they might vote tomorrow? i've been talking to people in pennsylvania who are involved in getting out the vote, particularly in puerto rican community and it is pretty clear that previous to the madison square garden rally,

there wasn't, there was enthusiasm, but there wasn't enthusiasm... and i think what we are seeing now is a puerto rican boat that, and i wrote about this and msnbc today and my latest opinion piece, i am of puerto rican dissent, so i think i have the authority to talk about this, in a sense that there are indications, at least in these pockets that puerto ricans are out there, they could be the kingmakers are the queen makers of this election, and you can say what you want about what happened in madison square garden, it is all that the puerto rican community is talking about in the united states and also on the united states and also on the island. so something is different. now, will that lead to victory for kamala harris in pennsylvania? i'm not a spinmeisters or a prognosticator, i'm a journalist and a commentator, this is pretty simple. these two teams are evenly matched

and who brings the most people out? and i do think you have puerto rican voters that not only in pennsylvania but in places like nevada, arizona, michigan, wisconsin, those little, you know, when you talk about i% of the voting eligible population and those swing states, those can make a difference. so i think, you know, i really think the puerto rican boat is going to show up and there are indications that it already has.— it already has. 81,000 of course was _ it already has. 81,000 of course was the _ it already has. 81,000 of| course was the difference it already has. 81,000 of i course was the difference in pennsylvania in 2020 and there are 450,000 puerto ricans in that state. we have talked about character at the top of the programme will stop there been 34 million views in the past week for a twitter video there have been 34 million views for an x video, that shows donald trump adjusting a microphone in milwaukee on friday night with hand and mouth motions that the crowd clearly thought were him simulating a sex act. the campaign has a very coherent message, things

are worse than they were prior to 2020. how frustrated have you been with this lack of discipline in the final stretch. you are communications experts, surely you have a view on that. let's be clear about what is happening in the final two weeks. _ happening in the final two weeks, something that president trump _ weeks, something that president trump does, it's often times over— trump does, it's often times over exaggerated by people trying — over exaggerated by people trying to level the playing field _ trying to level the playing field for kamala harris. he had an issue — field for kamala harris. he had an issue with the mic, he tried to fix— an issue with the mic, he tried to fix it — an issue with the mic, he tried to fix it and _ an issue with the mic, he tried to fix it and all of a sudden the — to fix it and all of a sudden the media turned it into some gross — the media turned it into some gross perverted thing. listen, politicians are allowed to adjust _ politicians are allowed to adjust the microphone,... he turned it _ adjust the microphone,... he: turned it into a gross perverted thing. let's be clear. he turned it into that. he is the candidate. he has to be disciplined.— be disciplined. know, christian, _ be disciplined. know, christian, christian, | be disciplined. know, l christian, christian, i'm be disciplined. know, - christian, christian, i'm not going— christian, christian, i'm not going to— christian, christian, i'm not going to let you get away with that — going to let you get away with that the _ going to let you get away with that. the media turned him into this character of a sex play, it washt— this character of a sex play, it wasn't donald trump. he tried — it wasn't donald trump. he tried to _ it wasn't donald trump. he tried to fix the microphone from — tried to fix the microphone from he _ tried to fix the microphone from he tried to adjust it. but here — from he tried to adjust it. but here nor— from he tried to adjust it. but here nor there, that will not change _ here nor there, that will not change the race at this point. what —

change the race at this point. what changes in this race is if we turn — what changes in this race is if we turn our power voters. he what _ we turn our power voters. he what we — we turn our power voters. he what we be no turns out our voters _ what we be no turns out our voters. we know they are frustrated under democratic rule~ — frustrated under democratic rule we _ frustrated under democratic rule. we know their economy has been _ rule. we know their economy has been wiped out, inflation has wiped — been wiped out, inflation has wiped out their savings. thev've _ wiped out their savings. they've maxed out their credit cards — they've maxed out their credit cards as — they've maxed out their credit cards as a _ they've maxed out their credit cards as a result of what took place — cards as a result of what took place with— cards as a result of what took place with this biden economy. we are — place with this biden economy. we are talking about the media trvihg _ we are talking about the media trying to— we are talking about the media trying to make up a story with respect — trying to make up a story with respect to— trying to make up a story with respect to donald trump and this microphone or the media trvihg — this microphone or the media trying to— this microphone or the media trying to pin the campaign on some — trying to pin the campaign on some puerto rican comment that a third _ some puerto rican comment that a third party comedian said. those — a third party comedian said. those are _ a third party comedian said. those are things that all they have — those are things that all they have at— those are things that all they have at the end is to try to make _ have at the end is to try to make up— have at the end is to try to make up some scandal whereas at the end _ make up some scandal whereas at the end of— make up some scandal whereas at the end of the day the voters will be — the end of the day the voters will be making this decision based — will be making this decision based on the economy and based on immigration. both of the things— on immigration. both of the things that, harris and on immigration. both of the thi