As the final day of voting in the American presidential election approaches, Kieran Cuddihy speaks to people from both sides to see what their biggest election issues are.
On a special election episode of The Hard Shoulder, coming to listeners live from the Fitzpatrick Manhattan Hotel in New York City throughout the week, presenter Kieran Cuddihy spoke to pro-Trump and anti-Trump voters outside of Trump Towers.
Ryan Hart is a Republican passionate about voting for Trump.
Speaking to Kieran Mr Hart said that Trump getting re-elected would “save American lives”.
“Basically all these immigrants coming in this country, and we don't have no way of tracking them,” he said.
“If they're criminals, we have no way of tracking them - that's a plain fact of it.”
'Patriotism is dying'
Mr Hart said that America under Joe Biden’s presidency has been “horrible” and he believes that under Kamala Harris it will get “worse”.
“It'd be more murdering, more drugs and everything,” he said
“Patriotism is just dying all over the world, not just America.
“Everyone's got built up the patriotism because they're running from the country instead of fixing their problems.”
Burning ballots
Mr Hart said that if Trump doesn’t win the election, he “probably” won’t trust the results.
“I’ve already seen one video of a guy burning ballot,” he said.
“Some of them destroying them and everything.
“We got a lot of Democrat voters, we got a lot of immigrant voters, they’re shipping them in there and they're organising them.
“Republicans are trying to get organised too, and I'm voting and everything - we're trying to get everyone to vote.
“I already voted for President Trump last Monday, early, so I already took care of that.”
Danger to democracy
John is a Trump protestor who has protested outside Trump Towers frequently since 2016.
“I think he's a real danger to democracy and to world order,” he said.
“All you have to look at is January 6, the day we were supposed to confirm Joe Biden becoming president.
“He sends a mob into the Congress, and they break the windows, they smash the doors, they defecate on the floors and they threaten people, and people got killed.
“He pretends like it was a day of love.”
Roe v Wade
John said “human rights” have been “destroyed” in the country because of Republicans.
“Bodily autonomy has been destroyed because of [removing] Roe v Wade,” he said.
“People like to think of it as women's rights, but it isn't women's rights, it's human rights.
“Last time I looked at my dictionary, women were humans.
“Women are already dying as a result of the overturn of Roe v Wade.”
'Lone Wolves'
The Democrat said he doesn’t think Trump supporters will storm the Capitol this time if he doesn’t win.
“I don't think people are going to have the energy to do it anymore,” he said.
“They may say, ‘hey, Kamala, she's a dictator, she's a fascist’ or whatever, but I don't think they're going to storm the Capitol.”
He said one thing he gets nervous about is “lone wolves” with guns but acknowledges that “if you live in the US, you’re scared about that already”.
More American Presidential Election to come throughout this week.
Listen back here:
Close-up of on a crumpled American flag. (Photo by Gerard Bottino / SOPA images/Sipa USA)
