Democratic WH Challenger Joe Biden bashed President Donald Trump calling him a conman during a campaign trail event organized in Georgia, traditionally a Republican stronghold. The former VP blasted Trump administration’s response to COVID-19 pandemic, labelling it a “capitulation”. Trump maintained his momentum in the swing states that conquered in 2016, warning in Michigan that its “economic survival” was on the line if Biden bagged the Presidency.
The opinion polls show the Republican lags behind with a week remaining in election day. But the final lap to White House is getting tighter in critical battleground states such as Florida North Carolina and Arizona. More than 69 people have already casted their votes via postal ballots or in person.
Trump Kept Blitzing
Trump on Tuesday extended his campaign trail to Nebraska, Wisconsin and Michigan; he cemented victories in the last two. In Lansing, Michigan’s capital, the Republican cautioned: “This election is a matter of economic survival for Michigan.”
Addressing the sub-urban women, Trump said: “Your husbands, they want to get back to work, right? We’re getting your husbands back to work.”
At Wisconsin, the President criticized the media for sensitizing the public about COVID-19 saying all the media talks about is “COVID, COIVD, COVID”. Wisconsin’s Governor Tony Evers on Tuesday warned his citizens: “There is no way to sugarcoat it, we are facing an urgent crisis and there is an imminent risk to you and your family.”
Andrea Palm, Secretary-designee of Wisconsin’s Department of health service, warned: “The increasing cases, and our increase in deaths today are the largest single day increases we’ve seen throughout the course of this pandemic. We must take significant and collective action.”
Before leaving his office, the President once again recorded his disapproval for main-in ballots – over 46 million people have used the ballots in wake of coronavirus. The huge volume of mail-in votes would cause a delay in ascertaining the winner taking days or weeks to tally the virtual ballots.
“It would be very, very proper and very nice if a winner were declared on November 3, instead of counting ballots for two weeks, which is totally inappropriate,” Trump told reporters before heading to the Midwest.
Yet, the Republican seem to drew energy from his supporters like a sponge, predicting a “great red wave,” slamming opinion polls and claimed he would bag an even greater Electoral College vote this time around. He couldn’t stop himself from hammering pundits who said back then “’he can’t get to 270’ – and they were right – we got to 306.”
Meanwhile, First Lady Melania Trump in a separate bid took a shot at his husband’s Democratic rival calling him a “socialist”. During a campaign foray in Pennsylvania, Mrs. Trump contested the claim that former Obama deputy could do a better job as a WH guardian.
“Well, the American people can look at Joe Biden’s 36 years in Congress and eight years in the vice-presidency and determine whether they think he’ll finally be able to get something done for the American people.”
“The Democrats have chosen to put their own agendas ahead of the American people’s well-being,” she added, while also addressing citizens, like her, who have suffered from the COVID-19.
Biden Carries on his Drive
Biden traveled to spa town of Warm Springs, Georgia and pledged to heal a sick and divide nation.
“Many wonder, has it gone too far?” Biden asked in a state Democrats have not won since Bill Clinton carried it in 1992 but think they can clinch this year.
“Have we passed the point of no return? Has the heart of this nation turned to stone?” Biden said. “I don’t think so. I refuse to believe it. I know this country. I know our people. And I know we can unite and heal this nation.”
Even though he presented himself as the saviour and President of all the nation, the Democrat didn’t’ cease to target his opponent in an overall moderate speech.
“Time and again throughout our history, we have seen the charlatans, the conmen, the phony populists – who have sought to play to our fears, appeal to our worst appetites, and pick at the oldest scabs we have for their own political gain.
“They appear when the nation has been hit the hardest and we’re at our most vulnerable. Never to solve anything. Always to benefit themselves.”
Biden got much-needed help from his former boss Obama who delivered a scathing criticism of Trump to drive out Democratic base voters in Florida. Obama slammed the Republican for turning the WH, one of the most secure buildings in the US into a coronavirus hotbed.
“He said this at one of his rallies, ‘Covid, Covid, Covid,’ he’s complaining. He’s jealous of Covid’s media coverage,” Obama said at a drive-in rally in Orlando. “If he had been focused on Covid from the beginning, cases wouldn’t be reaching new record highs across the country this week.
