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 Former President Donald Trump closed his Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday with an ominous 80-minute speech denouncing his political rivals, assailing immigrants and promising to invoke an 18th century law to pave the way for mass deportations.

But it was the opening acts of the New York City rally – a hodgepodge of donors, entertainers and MAGA politicians – who unleashed an eleventh-hour campaign furor that prompted angry rebukes from Democrats and some Republicans who worried the vengeful show would hurt their standing with moderate voters.

Local Trump loyalists, who made up many of the speakers’ list ahead of the former president, took the opportunity to spew familiar grievances at some of Trump’s favorite targets. One failed Republican House candidate labeled Harris “the antichrist.”

He hardly stood out.

The rally began with Tony Hinchcliffe, a comedian and podcast host, assailing Puerto Rico – in the city that’s home to the largest Puerto Rican population on the US mainland. About 500,000 Puerto Ricans also live in battleground Pennsylvania, where Harris campaigned on Sunday.

“There’s a lot going on, like, I don’t know if you know this but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now,” he said. “I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”

The line was well-received by Trump supporters who filled the historic arena in Midtown Manhattan. Trump has recently taken to calling the US “a garbage can for the world” when he rails against undocumented immigrants.

“These Latinos, they love making babies, too. Just know that they do,” Hinchcliffe continued.

After the rally, Trump’s campaign sought to distance itself from Hinchcliffe, who like the other speakers was an invited guest, and his comments about Puerto Rico.

“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” Trump campaign spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a statement to CNN.

But Harris’ campaign had already seized on the comments about Puerto Rico, quickly clipping the video and posting it on social media channels. The vice president on Sunday visited a Puerto Rican restaurant in North Philadelphia, where she discussed her vision for the island along with plans to lower costs and create opportunity in Puerto Rican communities on the mainland.

Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, whose album “Un Verano Sin Ti” was the most-streamed album globally in 2023, posted a video of Harris spelling out her plan for Puerto Rico to his 45 million Instagram followers shortly after Hinchcliffe left the stage.

Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, whose reelection campaign depends on sizable support from the state’s Puerto Rican community, joined the backlash, writing of the “joke” on X, “It’s not funny and it’s not true. Puerto Ricans are amazing people and amazing Americans!”

Another Florida Republican, Rep. Carlos Gimenez, a close ally of Trump’s, blasted the remarks. “This is not a joke. It’s completely classless & in poor taste,” he said on X. “@TonyHinchcliffe clearly isn’t funny & definitely doesn’t reflect my values or those of the Republican Party.”

New York GOP Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, who’s facing a competitive reelection, also responded on X by saying, “I’m proud to be Puerto Rican,” adding, “The only thing that’s ‘garbage’ was a bad comedy set. Stay on message.”

Hinchcliffe, also on social media, addressed the furor, saying that his critics “have no sense of humor.”

“I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone … watch the whole set,” he wrote.

Trump — who was introduced by former first lady Melania Trump in her first speaking role at a rally this cycle — largely stuck to the script in his own remarks, including his now common assertion that his political rivals represent a traitorous “enemy within.”

“We’re running against a massive, crooked, malicious leftist machine that’s running the Democrat party,” the former president said. “They are smart and vicious, they are the enemy within, we must defeat them.”

Another warm-up act, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, reprised his old attacks on Harris and the idea, as he described it, of Americans celebrating her possible election.

 Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden, billed as a triumphant homecoming, turned into a political fiasco on Sunday night as a pro-Trump comedian’s racist diatribe drew furious condemnation, including from prominent Republicans.

The rally, held just more than a week before Election Day, was intended to serve as a platform for Trump to make his closing argument. But the racist slurs and vulgarity of the former president’s opening acts were so striking — and sparked such backlash — that his campaign was left on the defensive and issued a disavowal.

 When the season started, the Dallas Cowboys never believed they would be in such a predicament after seven games.

With Sunday's 30-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Cowboys are 3-4 and closer to the bottom of the NFC than a Super Bowl contender at the moment.

"We're disappointed," coach Mike McCarthy said. "Our men really had a good week of preparation. I thought there were areas of improvement. But still, we have a ton to work on."

The last time the Cowboys had a 3-4 record with a healthy Dak Prescott at quarterback was 2018. In 2020, the Cowboys were 2-5 on their way to 2-7, but Prescott suffered a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle in the fifth game of the season.

The 2018 Cowboys were jump-started by a midseason trade for wide receiver Amari Cooper and finished the campaign with a 10-6 record, winning the NFC East and a playoff game. Only five players active on Sunday remain from the 2018 roster -- Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott, right guard Zack Martin, cornerback Jourdan Lewis and special-teamer C.J. Goodwin.

The Cowboys will play at the Atlanta Falcons, leaders of the NFC South, next week.

"We know what it takes in this league," Prescott said. "You got hot, you get rolling, that's all you're looking to do. That's my point, that this is frustrating but nobody is giving up. Nobody is shook, as you can say, from where we're at. We just got to focus up, get ready to go on the road and got another good team coming up and do whatever we can do make sure we come out with a victory. Get even. Then worry about after that after this next road game."

The Cowboys' next four opponents -- the Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans and Washington Commanders -- are a combined 22-9 after each won on Sunday.

"We've got to go every Sunday by Sunday," Lewis said. "We can't think about the future. That's where we are now: thinking about that next game and that next opportunity."

Frustration, however, is growing. The Cowboys have lost four straight games to the 49ers, including two postseason contests and three in a row at Levi's Stadium.

Dallas cornerback Trevon Diggs, still in uniform, came out of the locker room to confront a television reporter about a tweet during the game that appeared to question his effort.

"It really sucks," wide receiver CeeDee Lamb said. "Especially coming here three times in the last three years. It's sickening."

Despite falling behind 27-10 after being outscored 21-0 and outgained 167 yards to 16 in the third quarter, the Cowboys still had a chance to pull out an improbable victory, but Prescott had four straight incompletions after taking over with 3:05 to play.

It was the end to a game Prescott would like to forget. While he threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Lamb, Prescott became the first Cowboys quarterback with two interceptions in three straight games since Troy Aikman in 1992, according to ESPN Research.

Prescott finished 25-of-38 for 243 yards and was sacked twice.

"I mean me, personally frustrated. Frustrated myself in my play. I imagine the rest of the guys are," Prescott said. "Not getting the win, two in a row now, sitting at 3-4. But I can definitely tell you that nobody's shaken or giving up. Frustration is very high. But it's a long season. I mean it's a long season. Division games, a lot are still ahead of us.

"Frustrated. That's the best way that I can put it."