Trump plans attack on Biden as U.S. faces coronavirus crisis and protests

[webfact]

Trump plans attack on Biden as U.S. faces coronavirus crisis and protests

By Jeff Mason

 

U.S. President Donald Trump talks to staff and guests in the crowd as he checks out the stage where later in the night he will deliver his acceptance speech as the 2020 Republican presidential nominee during the final event of the 2020 Republican National Convention on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., August 27, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump prepared to attack Democratic rival Joe Biden on the Republican National Convention's final night on Thursday, as the United States struggles to address the coronavirus pandemic and a wave of anti-racism protests.

 

The Republican incumbent plans to take on his Democratic challenger, who is leading in opinion polls ahead of the Nov. 3 election, in a speech on the White House South Lawn, a controversial location for a partisan event.

 

"At no time before have voters faced a clearer choice between two parties, two visions, two philosophies, or two agendas," Trump is expected to say.

"We have spent the last four years reversing the damage Joe Biden inflicted over the last 47 years," he said, referring to Biden's career as a senator and vice president.

 

Biden countered by saying Trump was to blame for the way the pandemic and racial strife have spread across the United States.

 

"These guys are rooting for violence. That's what it's all about," Biden said on CNN. "To prove the issue 'be scared of Joe Biden,' they're pointing to what's happening in Donald Trump's America."

 

Excerpts from Trump's speech were provided by a source on condition of anonymity.

 

ECHOES OF 2016 CAMPAIGN

Trump's speech comes as the United States reports more than 180,000 deaths from the coronavirus -- more than any other country -- and amid a fresh wave of protests against the latest high-profile police shooting of a Black American.

 

The expected tone echoes his message four years ago, in his first run for public office.

 

"I have a message for all of you: The crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon, and I mean very soon, come to an end," Trump told the Republican convention in Cleveland in July 2016.

 

In Kenosha, Wisconsin, relative calm returned on Thursday after three nights of civil strife ending Tuesday - including arson, vandalism and deadly shootings - all sparked by a police shooting that paralyzed a Black man.

 

Trump, a former New York real estate developer, is seeking to turn around a re-election campaign that has been largely overshadowed by the pandemic, which has put millions of Americans out of work.

 

While his approval rating among Republican voters remains high, dissent within his own party is mounting. In three open letters being published on Thursday and Friday, Biden won endorsements from more than 160 people who worked for former President George W. Bush or for past Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and John McCain, the New York Times and Politico reported.

 

Earlier this week, 27 former Republican lawmakers endorsed Biden while the Lincoln Project, among the most prominent Republican-backed groups opposing Trump, said a former Republican Party head had joined it as a senior adviser.

 

FIREWORKS SPECTACLE

Trump, a former reality television host, and his advisers have set up his speech with a producer's eye. He will address the nation with the White House as his backdrop, irking critics who say holding a political event there is a potential violation of the law.

 

The Hatch Act, which limits the use of federal property for political purposes, excludes the president and vice president but not other federal employees, including White House staff.

 

Fireworks are expected over Washington's nearby monuments at the conclusion of Trump's speech. He will address a large crowd on the lawn despite warnings against such gatherings because of the pandemic, which has forced both political parties to scale back their conventions and make events mostly virtual.

 

Trump's campaign says coronavirus precautions will be taken.

 

The Republican convention has attracted fewer television viewers on two of its three nights so far, including on Wednesday, according to early Nielsen Media Research.

 

A total of 15.7 million people watched the third night of the mostly virtual Republican National Convention across six TV networks, fewer than the 21.4 million viewers who watched the third night of the Democratic National Convention across the same number of networks.

 

Democrats have criticized Trump's aggressive response to demonstrations sparked by the May 25 Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, a Black man.

 

On Wednesday, Trump said he was sending federal law enforcement and the National Guard to Kenosha, Wisconsin, after violent protests there following the latest shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake, by police.

 

Trump kicked off the week on Monday by accusing Democrats of seeking to steal the election by advocating for mail-in voting. His previous high-profile speeches have also emphasized grim themes, including his inaugural address in January 2017 that described "American carnage."

 

Other speakers scheduled for Thursday include Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell; Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson; attorney Rudy Giuliani, a fierce critic of Biden and his son Hunter, and religious leader Franklin Graham.

 

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Additional reporting by Jason Lange, Joseph Ax and Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Scott Malone, Soyoung Kim, Howard Goller and Jonathan Oatis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-28

 

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[TopDeadSenter]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

"I have a message for all of you: The crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon, and I mean very soon, come to an end," Trump told the Republican convention in Cleveland in July 2016.

Great message from Trump. This is what voters want to hear. And end to the crime and violence spree engulfing the nation. Not supporting, excusing, downplaying the violence and beatifying violent career criminals in a desperate bid to be approved by the woke mob. The public do not want to see talking heads boasting of mostly peaceful protests in front of burning car lots and buildings reminiscent of some Apocalypse Now scenes. It reeks of dishonesty.

 Donald Trump, the Law and Order President, does what it says on the box, and I am grateful for it.

[Tug]

Hey I’ll give trump this if joe Biden was wreaking havoc for 47 years trumps obviously much better than joe in that regard let’s see joe Biden legislation on violence against women check legislation on voters rights check #2on the team that saved our bacon in the Great Recession check just scratching the surface there now trump hummm let’s see 180,000 dead Americans check failed trade war putting farmers out of business and wreaking their markets all financed by the American tax payers paying tarreffs check tax break for the wealthy check wrecking health care check exacerbating race relations check made America a laughingstock check betraying our allies and getting them and their families killed check wrecking the post office check breaking the law check undermining our elections and soliciting foreign interference check hey I’m just scratching the surface on trump he’s a really destructive guy

[PatOngo]

16 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

This is what voters want to hear. And end to the crime and violence spree engulfing the nation.

This has been going on for months now, when will your president of law and order add some substance to his hollow words? Seems his redneck supporters will believe any rubbish he dishes them!

[PatOngo]

16 minutes ago, Tug said:

trump he’s a really destructive guy

I think his redneck base like that! ????

[Mama Noodle]

Republicans are doing a pouncing again eh ????

[Tug]

1 minute ago, Mama Noodle said:

Republicans are doing a pouncing again eh ????

Naaaaa just deflecting lying and projecting it’s all they got

[Mama Noodle]

43 minutes ago, webfact said:

A total of 15.7 million people watched the third night of the mostly virtual Republican National Convention across six TV networks, fewer than the 21.4 million viewers who watched the third night of the Democratic National Convention across the same number of networks.

What they didn’t tell you in this is that some networks didn’t give the RNC the same coverage as they gave the DNC - either by not covering it or continually breaking away for “fact checks” or “analysis” 

 

It also does not include online viewership which would appear the RNC beatdown the DNC. 

[Mama Noodle]

2 minutes ago, Tug said:

Naaaaa just deflecting lying and projecting it’s all they got

Right, and the DNC didn’t do anything of the sort ????

[PatOngo]

6 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

Right, and the DNC didn’t do anything of the sort ????

Do you mean......they're ALL clowns on both sides?

[Chomper Higgot]

Trump’s evidence for crime and violence is the crime and violence under his Presidency and Administration.

 

Then there is the crime within his Presidency and Administration.

[Mama Noodle]

Anyway, articles like the OP are expected. DNC good RNC bad. DNC honest RNC lies. But the truth of the matter is that the race is dead close and even Nate Silver has just about the same odds of Trump winning at this point as in 2016. 
 

And Dems are doing their damndest to instill as much chaos and uncertainty into this one as possible. 

[Mama Noodle]

2 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Do you mean......they're ALL clowns on both sides?

Yeah, I can get down with that statement, but the least Joe Biden could do is get out of the basement and stop trying to win by hiding, being a coward, and shielding his diminishing mental capacity. 
 

Even Pelosi the other day said she does not want Biden to debate Trump and that’s just cowardly. 

[Puchaiyank]

No, no, no...do not attack Joe...attack his record of accomplishments for the past nearly 50 years in government...oh, yea...I forgot.

[PatOngo]

1 minute ago, Mama Noodle said:

Yeah, I can get down with that statement, but the least Joe Biden could do is get out of the basement and stop trying to win by hiding, being a coward, and shielding his diminishing mental capacity. 
 

Even Pelosi the other day said she does not want Biden to debate Trump and that’s just cowardly. 

Well the upside, the American sideshow is entertaining! ????

[simple1]

46 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Great message from Trump. This is what voters want to hear. And end to the crime and violence spree engulfing the nation. Not supporting, excusing, downplaying the violence and beatifying violent career criminals in a desperate bid to be approved by the woke mob. The public do not want to see talking heads boasting of mostly peaceful protests in front of burning car lots and buildings reminiscent of some Apocalypse Now scenes. It reeks of dishonesty.

 Donald Trump, the Law and Order President, does what it says on the box, and I am grateful for it.

Could save yourself time by cut and pasting the ridiculous hyperbolic claims by trump sycophants at the convention. it is now indisputable the republicans party, with a few exceptions, has transitioned to the cult of personality, in contradiction to accepted democratic principles. 

[2 is 1]

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Donald Trump, the Law and Order President, does what it says on the box, and I am grateful for it.

Joke of day!  Trumps gaslighting works for some! 

[PatOngo]

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Donald Trump, the Law and Order President, does what it says on the box, and I am grateful for it.

To the rest of the world he is the BS president!

[Scott]

Inflammatory and off-topic posts and replies removed.  

 

[fangless]

54 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

continually breaking away for “fact checks”

If people could actually believe anything that Trump says there would be no need to spend all that time on “fact checks”.

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.   Please get back on topic.  

 

[chrisinth]

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Great message from Trump. This is what voters want to hear. And end to the crime and violence spree engulfing the nation. Not supporting, excusing, downplaying the violence and beatifying violent career criminals in a desperate bid to be approved by the woke mob. The public do not want to see talking heads boasting of mostly peaceful protests in front of burning car lots and buildings reminiscent of some Apocalypse Now scenes. It reeks of dishonesty.

 Donald Trump, the Law and Order President, does what it says on the box, and I am grateful for it.

As a non-American, I can't quite see what the great message is from Trump. Trump is the president of your country, it is his watch that all this is happening in. He obviously hasn't stood by his message from 2016 as below as the crime and violence continues today.

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"I have a message for all of you: The crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon, and I mean very soon, come to an end," Trump told the Republican convention in Cleveland in July 2016.

Instead of childish accusations directed at everyone outside the White house, he should be uniting political parties and acting as the leader he was elected for by the American people, and bringing the problems your country is facing to a close.

 

Obviously, IMO, but at a guess my comments apply to most people looking at America today. Could be wrong though.

[Thailand]

Isn't the mayhem violence in the cities,huge  death toll from Covid etc actually happening on Trump's watch so where does the buck stop?

[Chomper Higgot]

57 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

Yeah, I can get down with that statement, but the least Joe Biden could do is get out of the basement and stop trying to win by hiding, being a coward, and shielding his diminishing mental capacity. 
 

Even Pelosi the other day said she does not want Biden to debate Trump and that’s just cowardly. 

Pelosi is trolling Trump.

 

Trump will bite the bait.

[stevenl]

13 minutes ago, chrisinth said:

As a non-American, I can't quite see what the great message is from Trump. Trump is the president of your country, it is his watch that all this is happening in. He obviously hasn't stood by his message from 2016 as below as the crime and violence continues today.

 

Instead of childish accusations directed at everyone outside the White house, he should be uniting political parties and acting as the leader he was elected for by the American people, and bringing the problems your country is facing to a close.

 

Obviously, IMO, but at a guess my comments apply to most people looking at America today. Could be wrong though.

And now he is promising exactly the same again if he gets reelected. His party doesn't have a program, and still people are falling for it, again.

[chrisinth]

22 minutes ago, stevenl said:

And now he is promising exactly the same again if he gets reelected. His party doesn't have a program, and still people are falling for it, again.

Please understand that no part of me is politically minded, either in my home country or in any other country. But I am fascinated about how politics are conducted in America.

 

Again, no horse in the race, but Kamala Harris has just ripped Donald a new one with her recent address. Woman speaks the truth (this will go viral...........). And yes, I know it's CNN, but it is Kamala doing the speaking..................

 

 

[Scott]

Troll post removed.   It's a discussion forum.  

 

 

[BobBKK]

53 minutes ago, chrisinth said:

Please understand that no part of me is politically minded, either in my home country or in any other country. But I am fascinated about how politics are conducted in America.

 

Again, no horse in the race, but Kamala Harris has just ripped Donald a new one with her recent address. Woman speaks the truth (this will go viral...........). And yes, I know it's CNN, but it is Kamala doing the speaking..................

 

 

nvm

Edited August 28, 2020 by BobBKK

[Eric Loh]

Major mistake holding the RNC final day on the White House lawn. Go against normal protocul and decorum and also the gathering of 1,500 guests go against his own administration's guidelines on size, mask and social distancing. Reinforce him as a person that tramples on decency and behavior befitting a leader no less a President. His thrash speech will appeal to his bedrock supporters but will turn off the educated whites folks in swing states and the minorities. No wonder 20 GOPs decided not to attend this controversial RNC gig on the WH lawn.  

[Berkshire]

1 hour ago, Thailand said:

Isn't the mayhem violence in the cities,huge  death toll from Covid etc actually happening on Trump's watch so where does the buck stop?

Exactly.  The country's a mess right now and Trump keeps saying he needs to be reelected because "he alone can fix it."  Why then doesn't he fix it NOW when he's in charge???