U.S. and world news for Oct. 30

Harris’ speech: Vice President Harris, speaking to a crowd estimated at 75,000 at the Elipse south of the White House last night reminded people that they were at the spot where on Jan. 6, 2021, Donald Trump incited an armed mob to attack the U.S. Capitol to try to overturn the election so he could remain in power. Harris said that while Trump promises to concentrate on getting back at people on his enemies list, she would spend her time in the White House working on her list of things to do for the American people.

Trump’s distancing: In interviews yesterday, Donald Trump tried to distance himself from what was said at his rally on Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Historical recordings show that speakers at the Trump rally said some of the same racist and anti-Semitic things that were said by speakers at a Nazi rally held at Madison Square Garden in 1939. Trump claimed he did not know who arranged for the speakers who preceded him at the rally.

Puerto Rico: Donald Trump said on Fox News yesterday that his rally at Madison Square Garden was a “love fest” while ignoring that the speeches included anti-Black, anti-Semitic, anti-woman and other hate speech. One speaker referred to Puerto Rico as an island of garbage. The Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia has now endorsed Vice President Harris. The newspaper said that there are five million Puerto Ricans living in the U.S. who can vote and they also were labeled as trash at the Trump rally. The newspaper said that Trump lies repeatedly, has no moral compass and is a malignant narcissist.

Airstrike: An Israeli airstrike on a building in northern Gaza has killed at least 90 people, according to the Hamas-controlled Palestinian Health Ministry. An estimated 45 people were injured. There were reported to have been 200 people in the building at the time of the airstrike. The U.S. called the attack a “horrifying incident.” Israel’s military says that four Israeli soldiers were killed in fighting in northern Gaza.

Pelosi attack: David DePape, who was convicted on federal charges of attacking Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, has been sentenced to life in prison in a separate state trial. DePape is serving a 30-year federal sentence. DePape beat Paul Pelosi on the head with a hammer. The attorney for DePape asked the state judge to consider that DePape was susceptible to online propaganda and had been peaceful until he sought out Nancy Pelosi and, finding that she was not at home, attacked her husband.

Teri Garr: Actress Teri Garr has died at age 79. Garr is remembered for her roles in “Young Frankenstein,” “Tootsie,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” and “Mr. Mom.” Garr was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis about 20 years ago. Actors Dustin Hoffman and Michael Keaton with whom she co-starred were among those praising her talents and personality.