Donald Trump calls Joe Biden a 'pathetic candidate' who he says has 'waved the white flag on life' as he kicks off three rally tour of Pennsylvania and U.S. average coronavirus cases hit an all-time high
President Donald Trump branded his rival Joe Biden a 'pathetic candidate' as he kicked off the first of three rallies in a state where he is down 8 points in a new poll.
'He’s a pathetic candidate,' Trump said of Biden in brief comments to traveling reporters Monday.
Trump launched an attack on Biden when asked about his own chief of staff's comment Sunday that 'we're not going to control the pandemic.' Chief of staff Mark Meadows sought to clean up the comment Monday morning, saying Biden had thrown a 'white mask' of surrender.
'Well, the only person waving a white flag along with his white mask is Joe Biden,' said Meadows, mocking Biden for his mask-wearing while Vice President Mike Pence's office battles a coronavirus outbreak on his staff.
'He’s waved the white flag on life. He doesn’t leave his basement,' said Trump before the first of three rallies in the Keystone state. 'This guy doesn't leave his basement. He's a pathetic candidate, I will tell you that,' Trump said in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
President Donald Trump holds three campaign rallies in Pennsylvania Monday
'I think we’ll win Pennsylvania by more than we did last time,' Trump predicted. Asked why he is giving up on the pandemic, Trump replied: 'I’m not.'
Trump also repeated his claim that 'we’re absolutely rounding the corner – other than the fake news trying to scare everybody, we are absolutely rounding the corner,' Trump said, even as U.S. coronavirus cases continued to rise. He said the administration's effort: 'We are doing a great job.'
Trump was heading back on the road Monday for his extended rally tour with three events scheduled in Pennsylvania even as he got bad polling news there – with the coronavirus interfering with other campaigns later this week.
Trump kept up the attacks at his first rally in Allentown.
'We used to call him One percent Joe,' Trump said, pointing to his rival's low primary showing in Iowa in 2008. 'And then he ran. And now he’s at 50 percent. You know where he’s at 50 percent … right up there he’s at' – Trump pointed to his head – 'and he ends up winning,' Trump said.
He called CBS '60 Minutes' a 'a total joke of a show' and insulted interviewer Lesley Stahl, whose questions prompted Trump to storm out of an interview. 'And It was just question, question, kill – all always going for the kill. She’s a zippo but always going for the kill,' he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump points a finger as he arrives to hold a campaign event, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S., October 26, 2020. He attacked Joe Biden, Lesley Stahl, Savvanah Guthrie, and Rep. Adam Schiff at his Allentown event
Then he mocked vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris' laugh when she got asked on the show about socialism.
'She kept laughing. I said is there something wrong with her too,' Trump said.
Trump repeatedly attacked Biden's intellect, saying: 'Can you even imagine losing to a guy like this? Actually, I wish he was a good or even a great candidate. Because if something happened, you’d feel a little better.'
He brought up a Biden flub during an online concert when he mentioned 'four more years of George' - a likely reference to President George W. Bush.
'But could you imagine? He can’t remember my name. Now I’m not that big of an ego guy. He should be able – you know I’m the candidate that like, a good candidate and I happen to be president. He could not remember my name yesterday this is what you’re putting in office. I don’t think he’s going to make it,' Trump said.
After ripping Lesley Stahl, Trump went after NBC's Savannah Guthrie for her persistent town hall questions of him.
'She was coming out of her chair, she was asking - She was crazed,' Trump said.
'Savannah take it easy. Just relax. Don’t let the hatred show.'
At one he called Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). 'watermelon head.' He mocked Schiff for saying the Kremlin may be behind what Trump calls Hunter Biden's 'laptop from hell' containing business and personal information.
'And they say it’s Russia, Russia Russia Does anybody here believe it was Russia?' said Trump, of the laptop brought forth by a Delaware computer shop owner and provided to the New York Post by lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
'By the way, nice trucks,' he told Truckers for Trump after calling out the group.
'If I don't sound like the typical Washington politician, it's because I'm not a politician,' Trump said, during a section where he read from a teleprompter.
His attacks in all directions came as U.S. coronavirus weekly average infections hit an all-time high.
The president has three rallies on his schedule for Pennsylvania, a state that was key to his 2016 victory.
A University of Wisconsin / YouGov poll had Biden leading him there, 52 to 44 – giving Biden an 8-point lead that has him above a majority.
President Trump left the White House on a day when a new poll had him down in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania
President Donald Trump held a rally Sunday at the airport in Londonderry, New Hampshire. He heads out for three Pennsylvania rallies Monday
Trump supporters arrive to a rally in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S., October 26, 2020
Trump is back on the rout just hours after returning from trips to New Hampshire, a state Hillary Clinton barely carried in 2016, and Maine, where he is hoping to pry a single electoral vote from Joe Biden's column.
It is impossible to separate the coronavirus from Trump's final campaing push. He fused his claims about the virus with encouragement for Americans to vote in his Monday morning tweets.
'The Fake News Media is riding COVID, COVID, COVID, all the way to the Election. Losers!' he wrote. In another: 'Cases up because we TEST, TEST, TEST. A Fake News Media Conspiracy. Many young people who heal very fast. 99.9%. Corrupt Media conspiracy at all time high. On November 4th., topic will totally change. VOTE!'
Trump also hyped his rallies and attacked his Democratic opponent. 'Three BIG Rallies today. Heading to Pennsylvania. I have plenty to say about the dishonesty of the Media and Sleepy Joe. A terrible coverup is happening in our Country!!!'
Trump speaks to supporters after signing a pumpkin while visiting Trewordy Orchards in Maine
Vice President Mike Pence makes a fist at the end of a rally in Kinston, North Carolina, U.S., October 25, 2020. He campaigned despite being exposed to staff members who tested positive for the coronavirus. The White House said he was an 'essential' employee and met an exception to health guidelines for potential exposure
President Donald Trump acknowledges supporters as he leaves a campaign rally at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, in Londonderry, N.H.
His frantic push for votes will take Trump to Michigan and Wisconsin on Tuesday.
The same University of Wisconsin poll had Biden leading in Michigan and Wisconsin – which would have Biden reclaiming the 'blue wall' that fell to Trump in 2016 if they hold up.
Trump also heads to Nebraska in pursuit of a single electoral vote (Nebraska divides its electoral votes by congressional district).
Then he heads west, but his plan to hold an event in populous Las Vegas ran smack into Gov. Steve Sisolak's social distancing guidelints.
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Instead, he will rally supporters across the state line in Arizona, an hour and a half drive away, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Nevada GOP chair Michael McDonald blamed the governor's enforcement. 'He has such a large following in Southern Nevada and also in Nevada, this could be possibly one of the largest rallies he has ever held.'
The rally push comes as Vice President Mike Pence keeps up his own travel, despite give advisors testing positive for the coronavirus.
Pence flies to Hibbing Minnesota, birthplace of singer Bob Dylan, as Republicans hope to flip a state that Clinton closely won in 2016.
Pence is keeping up his schedule despite being a 'close contact' of infected aide Marc Short, due to being an 'essential employee.' He campaigned in North Carolina Sunday, just hours after news broke about infections among his top advisors.