Trump’s unity call amid friendly fire
CARSON CITY: President Donald Trump lashed out at “stupid” critics from within his own party and called for unity on Monday (AEST) after growing Republican criticism and warnings of a “bloodbath” in the November 3 election.
Mr Trump issued the comments as he and his Democratic opponent Joe Biden hit the ground in crucial swing states in the final stretch before an election that opinion polls show the real estate mogul is at risk of losing.
Speaking to a rally in the western state of Nevada, Mr Trump ranged from attacks on Mr Biden and boasts about his economic policies to discussions on water pressure.
But he also addressed comments from Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, who recently told constituents that Mr Trump “kisses dictators’ butts”, mistreats women and uses the White House as a business.
Other Republicans have warned of electoral losses in the polls that will include congressional races, including Senator Ted Cruz, who like Senator Sasse said there was a risk of a “bloodbath”. Even one of Mr Trump’s closest Senate allies, Lindsey Graham, recently said Democrats had a “good chance”.
“We have some stupid people,” Mr Trump said at the rally in Carson City, Nevada’s capital.
“We have this guy Sasse, you know, wants to make a statement ... the Republicans have to stick together better.”
Mr Trump, scrambling to make up lost ground, is on a furious multistate barnstorming tour, hopping from Nevada to California and then back to Nevada for a day of rallies and fundraising, before moving on to Arizona.
Mr Trump attended church on Sunday (local time) in a cavernous — but not entirely full — evangelical church in Las Vegas. Congregants prayed for him, and when a collection plate was passed, a pool photographer saw Mr Trump toss in a handful of $20 bills.
Mr Biden, a practising Catholic, went to church with his wife Jill near Wilmington, Delaware, before walking outside to visit the grave of son Beau, who died of brain cancer in 2015.
Limiting his own campaign itinerary due to pandemic concerns, the 77-yearold then flew to North Carolina for a pair of events.
In Durham, the maskwearing former vice president jogged to a stage in a parking lot where people in dozens of vehicles waited for him.
“We choose hope over fear, we choose unity over division, science over fiction and yes, we choose truth over lies,” he told them.
His motorcade also made an unannounced stop to allow him and his granddaughter to order milkshakes, with Mr Biden — keen to play up the stark differences between his campaign and Mr Trump’s — keeping his mask on throughout.
The candidates’ final nationally televised debate will be on Thursday in Nashville, Tennessee.
Their first debate descended into a chaotic stream of interruptions by Mr Trump, headshaking and angry rejoinders; the second was replaced by duelling town-hall meetings after Mr Trump refused to debate virtually on the heels of his bout of coronavirus.
The final debate will be face-to-face.