ZCZC
BFF-04
US-VOTE
Combative Trump says pandemic almost over, Biden says he did ‘nothing’
WASHINGTON, Oct 16, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – President Donald Trump gave a
combative, at times agitated defense of his Covid-19 response Thursday while
his election challenger Joe Biden — offering a glaring contrast in style in
a rival televised town hall — — accused him of doing “nothing” to end the
pandemic.
The dueling appearances, scheduled at the same time on rival networks,
showed Biden giving unflashy, often in-depth answers to voters in the
audience, while Trump delivered a fiery defense of his presidency.
Trump, who is well behind in the polls ahead of the November 3 election,
was especially under pressure when it came to the coronavirus that has killed
217,000 Americans and inflicted deep economic damage.
“We’re rounding the corner,” Trump insisted with his usual optimism, even
as swaths of the United States see sharply rising caseloads.
But pressed by the host of the NBC town hall in Miami, he became quickly
frustrated, especially when he was asked about his previous lukewarm
denunciations of extremist right wing groups in the United States.
He notably refused to denounce QAnon, a bizarre conspiracy theory movement
that believes Trump is fighting a “deep state” linked to a mysterious global
elite running the world’s governments, while also trafficking in child sex.
Trump said “I know nothing about QAnon,” and then continued to say that he
liked the shadowy group’s position being “very much against pedophilia.”
The president entered calmer waters when fielding a series of more
comfortable questions from members of the audience, one of whom sparked
applause with her statement: “You have a great smile.”
“You’re so handsome when you smile,” she said.
– Bipartisan promise –
By contrast, Biden’s appearance on the rival ABC news network mirrored his
generally low key campaign, with promises of bipartisan healing in divided
Washington and aiming steady fire on Trump’s coronavirus record.
“We’re in a situation where we have 210,000 plus people dead and what’s he
doing? Nothing. He’s still not wearing masks,” Biden said of Trump at the
event in Philadelphia.
His standout comments at a time of profound political conflict in the
country were when he vowed to change the atmosphere, saying “grudges don’t
work.”
“We’ve got to change the nature of the way we deal with one another,” Biden
said.
“What I will be doing if I’m elected president, the first thing — and not
a joke… I’m going to pick up the phone and call them and say, ‘Let’s get
together.'”
– No debate –
Originally, both candidates had been meant to meet Thursday for what would
have been their second of three presidential debates.
The first debate, which took place in Philadelphia, was a brutal affair in
which Trump repeatedly talked over the top of Biden and the Democrat told him
to “shut up.” The follow-up, however, was scrapped after organizers switched
to a virtual format, citing Trump’s coronavirus infection, and the president
refused to accept the arrangement.
Trump, who says he is clear of Covid-19 and got back on the campaign trail
Monday, has rallies booked around the country for every night this week.
He predicted to supporters at a rally in North Carolina earlier Thursday
that Biden would be given an easier time over on ABC. “I’m being set up
tonight,” he said.
The decision by NBC to accept a Trump appearance at the same time as
Biden’s town hall likely meant that few Americans would get to see and
contrast the two men.
With only 19 days until the election, Trump is now running out of time to
overtake Biden.
Even a close US Senate ally to Trump, Lindsey Graham, said Thursday Biden
may be on his way to victory.
“You all have a good chance of winning the White House,” he told Democratic
colleagues at a hearing on Trump’s conservative Supreme Court nominee Amy
Coney Barrett.
– Harris on hold –
And despite Trump’s insistence that the coronavirus pandemic is in the rear
view mirror, it continues to disrupt the tense presidential election.
Following Trump’s temporary time out from the campaign while he recovered
last week, Biden’s vice presidential running mate Kamala Harris has now put
her own travel on hold after her communications director tested positive.
Harris staffer Liz Allen and a flight crew member were diagnosed late
Wednesday.
Harris did not need to quarantine, the Biden campaign said, but “out of an
abundance of caution” would cancel travel and campaign virtually until
October 19.
Biden has reported multiple negative coronavirus tests since Trump’s Covid-
19 diagnosis on October 1, the latest dating from Thursday.
The campaign said that yet another person who tested positive had traveled
on Biden’s plane this week but had been so far away that the candidate was in
no danger and doctors said “there is no need” for him to quarantine.
While Trump boasts of being “immune” to the coronavirus after recovering,
he continues to be dogged by the pandemic’s fallout.
On Wednesday, his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, revealed that their son
Barron, 14, had contracted the virus, but was now negative.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0858 hrs