Trump, Biden go on the offensive
LANCASTER/WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden took rhetorical swipes at each other yesterday as the presidential campaign entered its traditional home stretch on the United States Labor Day holiday.
Trump described Biden, whom he trails in national polls, as a threat to the economy and ‘‘stupid,’’ while Biden took aim at Trump’s reported disparaging of fallen troops.
At a White House news conference, Trump said: ‘‘Biden and his very liberal running mate [Kamala Harris], the most liberal person in Congress by the way — is not a competent person in my opinion, would destroy this country and would destroy this economy.’’
He also called Biden ‘‘stupid.’’ Trump pushed back again against a report in The Atlantic that he had referred to fallen US soldiers as ‘‘suckers’’ and ‘‘losers,’’ calling it ‘‘a hoax’’. The story threatens Trump’s support among veterans and military members, a key voting bloc.
‘‘There’s nobody that has more respect for not only our military, but for people that gave their lives in the military,’’ Trump said.
Biden cited the reported remarks while campaigning in the electoral battleground state of Pennsylvania.
Referring to his son, Beau Biden, who served in Iraq as a member of the Delaware National Guard and died of brain cancer in 2015, he said: ‘‘Beau was wasn’t a loser or a sucker . . . He served with heroes.’’
Biden’s visit to Pennsylvania yesterday began a flurry of travel to battleground states this week by both Biden and Trump as some polls show the race tightening before the November 3 election.
With the coronavirus pandemic and civil unrest over racism and police brutality commanding attention in recent months, Biden is seeking to maintain his edge by painting the Republican president as an ineffectual leader who thrives on chaos and has left the working class behind.
Trump has struggled to change the contours of the campaign despite highly charged rhetoric on racial polarisation and ‘‘law and order’’ intended to motivate his base and draw supporters in key swing states, such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Biden had meetings with union leaders in Harrisburg and spoke virtually with the leader of the largest federation of US labour unions, AFLCIO president Richard Trumka.
Biden’s campaign announced the endorsements of three unions: the Laborers’ International Union of North America, the International Union of Elevator Constructors and the National Federation of Federal Employees.
Trump said if Biden was elected, the Democrat would mandate another economic shutdown to deal with the pandemic.
‘‘Biden’s plan for the China virus is to shut down the entire US economy,’’ Trump said.
‘‘He’d be laying off tens of millions of workers and causing countless deaths from suicide, substance abuse, depression, heart disease and other very serious illnesses.’’
Trump plans to visit North Carolina, Florida, Michigan and Pennsylvania later in the week.