Biden and Trump go on the offensive as U.S. campaign enters final stretch

[webfact]

Biden and Trump go on the offensive as U.S. campaign enters final stretch

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Jeff Mason

 

Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Joe Biden gives a thumbs up as he arrives to meet with union leaders at the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO headquarters on Labor Day in Harrisburg, PA, U.S., September 7, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

LANCASTER, Pa./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden took rhetorical swipes at each other on Monday as the presidential campaign entered its traditional homestretch on the U.S. 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 has frequently referred to the former vice president as "Sleepy Joe."

 

Trump pushed back again against a report in The Atlantic that he had referred to fallen U.S. soldiers as "suckers" and "losers," calling it "a hoax." The story has dominated news coverage for days and 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 on Monday kicked off a flurry of travel to battleground states this week by both Biden and Trump as some opinion polls show the race tightening with less than 60 days to go until the Nov. 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 polarization and "law and order" intended to motivate his base and draw new supporters in suburban parts of key swing states, such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.

 

LABOR ENDORSEMENTS

Biden met with union leaders in Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania capital, and spoke virtually with the leader of the largest federation of U.S. labor unions, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. He also took questions from union workers and met earlier in the day with union members who served in the U.S. military.

 

Biden’s campaign also 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.

 

Biden promised to be the "strongest labor president" in the history of the country, vowing to hold executives legally accountable if they interfere with union organizing, and to raise the minimum wage and strengthen the National Labor Relations Board.

 

"Folks have figured out that it’s not the financial wizards of Wall Street that make this country run. It’s you, the essential workers," Biden said during the virtual event with Trumka.

 

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on Labor Day and answers questions from the press at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, U.S., September 7, 2020. REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger

 

Trump said that if Biden were elected, the Democrat would mandate another economic shutdown to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

 

"Biden's plan for the China virus is to shut down the entire U.S. 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, all considered crucial to both candidates' chances of victory.

 

Polls in Pennsylvania, which Trump won narrowly in 2016, have consistently put Biden in the lead, but averages show that margin narrowing to roughly 4 to 5 percentage points, down from about 8 points in late June. Biden is scheduled to be back in Pennsylvania on Friday.

 

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Jeff Mason; Additional reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Leslie Adler and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-09-08

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[Tug]

Keep after him Joe lord knows there’s enough dirt on trump to fill the Panama Canal not to mention attempting to rigg our election plus all the issues get her done!!

[pegman]

So Slow Joe wasn't doing the trick. Now it's Stupid Joe. Somehow I don't see that as catching on either

[JusticeGB]

Sleepy Joe is having difficulty reading his telly prompts and seems to be showing signs of senile dementia. Trump calls Black White without flinching. Wonderful elementary test (Election?) between Sleepy Joe and Compulsive Liar. 

[Katipo]

In a country of 330m people, these two are the best you can do? ????

[Paul Henry]

In the upcoming debates if live facts checking takes place Trump will look like a bigger idiot because every second word out of his mouth is a lie.The debate will be more like a comedy show than a political challenge to see who has the best policies for the future of the country. Hopefully his base supporters will finally wake up to what and who they are supporting. They need to realise their future and the future of the country is at stake. They may also be surprised to see that Biden is nothing like the President makes him out to be. What we have seen since his nomination is an alert, articulate, intelligent politician who can feel for the every day people of the USA and not put himself before everyone and every thing.

[riclag]

2 hours ago, JusticeGB said:

Sleepy Joe is having difficulty reading his telly prompts and seems to be showing signs of senile dementia. Trump calls Black White without flinching. Wonderful elementary test (Election?) between Sleepy Joe and Compulsive Liar. 

It seems that way doesn't it ! One side resisting  radical change !

That same side wants to continue with pre existing election methods and fundamental  law enforcement!  The optics of the last 3 months are so revealing

Edited September 8, 2020 by riclag

[PattayaJames]

44 minutes ago, Paul Henry said:

What we have seen since his nomination is an alert, articulate, intelligent politician.

Comedy gold. That's made my day thanks.

[Huckenfell]

I am not an American, so it really does'nt concern me. However i notice something that really stands out for me.   Mr Trump seems full of his vision of what he plans for the future of the USA.  Whereas Mr Biden appears to have nothing beyond his viscious dislike of Trump with no ideas of the future of the USA if he wins. In fact, no plans whatsoever. This is not only a worry for the USA, but also the rest of the world.

Edited September 8, 2020 by Huckenfell

[Jingthing]

32 minutes ago, Huckenfell said:

I am not an American, so it really does'nt concern me. However i notice something that really stands out for me.   Mr Trump seems full of his vision of what he plans for the future of the USA.  Whereas Mr Biden appears to have nothing beyond his viscious dislike of Trump with no ideas of the future of the USA if he wins. In fact, no plans whatsoever. This is not only a worry for the USA, but also the rest of the world.

You've got the two candidates mixed up.

 

https://www.politico.com/2020-election/candidates-views-on-the-issues/joe-biden/

Edited September 8, 2020 by Jingthing

[Srikcir]

I heard that Trump will put $100 million of his personal funds into his campaign.

TRANSLATION:

Trump will have to return some of his donated campaign funds back to his campaign that he diverted to the Trump organization, aka Trump Family and Friends.

Or not.

Hard to let go of hard cash just to lose the election.

[Jingthing]

40 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

You've got the two candidates mixed up.

 

https://www.politico.com/2020-election/candidates-views-on-the-issues/joe-biden/

Addition to my reply.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by Jingthing

[onthedarkside]

An unattributed news source post on Biden's tax proposals and replies have been removed.

 

If you wish to post such information, your post should contain a web link to the specific source and details of your post.

[herfiehandbag]

37 minutes ago, Huckenfell said:

I am not an American, so it really does'nt concern me. However i notice something that really stands out for me.   Mr Trump seems full of his vision of what he plans for the future of the USA.  Whereas Mr Biden appears to have nothing beyond his viscious dislike of Trump with no ideas of the future of the USA if he wins. In fact, no plans whatsoever. This is not only a worry for the USA, but also the rest of the world.

I'm not an American either, although it does rather concern me, as the United States has so much influence over the way in which the rest of the world runs. Something really stands out for me, Mr Trump's vision for the future of the USA, in as far as it is discernable or coherent. This vision, based on what he has done over the last four years, must be a worry not just for the USA but for the rest of the world!

[earlinclaifornia]

33 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

I heard that Trump will put $100 million of his personal funds into his campaign.

TRANSLATION:

Trump will have to return some of his donated campaign funds back to his campaign that he diverted to the Trump organization, aka Trump Family and Friends.

Or not.

Hard to let go of hard cash just to lose the election.

No amount of money will buy this election for trump. Trump's reelection effort has spent more than $983 million, a ...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/07/21/trumps-reelection-effort-has-spent-more-than-983-million-record-sum-this-point-campaign/

[Jingthing]

13 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

I'm not an American either, although it does rather concern me, as the United States has so much influence over the way in which the rest of the world runs. Something really stands out for me, Mr Trump's vision for the future of the USA, in as far as it is discernable or coherent. This vision, based on what he has done over the last four years, must be a worry not just for the USA but for the rest of the world!

Yes  Exactly. 

He is incredibly destructive.

 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/07/four-more-years-trumps-contempt-competence-would-be-catastrophic/?arc404=true

 

Four more years of Trump’s contempt for competence would be devastating

[Mick501]

Good Ol Joe and his pathetic never ending attacks.   Repeating the lies in the Atlantic about trump deriding dead soldiers...is he really so stupid to believe an alleged anonymous source when the truth could be easily verified?  Plenty on here that did, so he's not on his own there if he really is that stupid.  More likely just deceitful in keeping with the only policy initiative the Dems have pioneered in the last 4 years.

[Morch]

13 minutes ago, Mick501 said:

Good Ol Joe and his pathetic never ending attacks.   Repeating the lies in the Atlantic about trump deriding dead soldiers...is he really so stupid to believe an alleged anonymous source when the truth could be easily verified?  Plenty on here that did, so he's not on his own there if he really is that stupid.  More likely just deceitful in keeping with the only policy initiative the Dems have pioneered in the last 4 years.

 

You have no idea if the Atlantic's report is a lie. Other media sources confirm it, including Fox. Anonymous sources are part and parcel of reporting. Doubt you'd had any issues with that if we were discussing reports damaging Biden. The truth could be easily verified? How? Ask Trump what he said? Wait for some magic recording to surface?

[Mick501]

11 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

You have no idea if the Atlantic's report is a lie. Other media sources confirm it, including Fox. Anonymous sources are part and parcel of reporting. Doubt you'd had any issues with that if we were discussing reports damaging Biden. The truth could be easily verified? How? Ask Trump what he said? Wait for some magic recording to surface?

Of 10 people who were there who have since been interviewed, all 10 have said its a lie and the flight. Was cancelled due to weather.mmthat includes John Bolton who is a harsh Trump critic.  So yeah, I have a 100% idea, based on concrete evidence. Of course, concrete evidence is not a concept Dems care for much.

[AndyFoxy]

Even John Bolton said it isn’t true. And he hates Donald.

[Morch]

2 minutes ago, Mick501 said:

Of 10 people who were there who have since been interviewed, all 10 have said its a lie and the flight. Was cancelled due to weather.mmthat includes John Bolton who is a harsh Trump critic.  So yeah, I have a 100% idea, based on concrete evidence. Of course, concrete evidence is not a concept Dems care for much.

 

Once again, could someone provide a list of these 10 named people? Confirm that they were present? I kinda doubt many media sources (including Fox) would insist the story was correct in the face of such undisputed evidence. Certainly not seeing that Fox reporter getting on Trump's bad side unless she was sure of her sources.

 

Bolton did not actually fully debunk the story, that's a misrepresentation of what he said. Concrete evidence? Let's have it.

 

[Morch]

3 minutes ago, AndyFoxy said:

Even John Bolton said it isn’t true. And he hates Donald.

 

Bolton said he did not hear the President say it. On a later interview he said it wasn't true, but as far as I recall didn't have much of an answer when asked if things could have been said when he wasn't around. On the same interview, though, he did agree Trump denigrates and disparages anyone but Trump.

Edited September 8, 2020 by Morch

[CorpusChristie]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

He also called Biden "stupid." Trump has frequently referred to the former vice president as "Sleepy Joe."

Trump has a point , Biden does seem rather sleepy and stupid and he actually makes Trump look rather dynamic and sharp 

[ThaiFelix]

6 hours ago, Katipo said:

In a country of 330m people, these two are the best you can do? ????

Well the best money can buy!

[Slip]

6 hours ago, Mick501 said:

Of 10 people who were there who have since been interviewed, all 10 have said its a lie and the flight. Was cancelled due to weather.mmthat includes John Bolton who is a harsh Trump critic.  So yeah, I have a 100% idea, based on concrete evidence. Of course, concrete evidence is not a concept Dems care for much.

Is it the word 'concrete' or the word 'evidence' that you don't know the meaning of?

[Nout]

7 hours ago, Morch said:

 

You have no idea if the Atlantic's report is a lie. Other media sources confirm it, including Fox. Anonymous sources are part and parcel of reporting. Doubt you'd had any issues with that if we were discussing reports damaging Biden. The truth could be easily verified? How? Ask Trump what he said? Wait for some magic recording to surface?

They confirmed the report had been made. They did not confirm the veracity of the contents of the anonymous accusation.

[Tug]

9 hours ago, Huckenfell said:

I am not an American, so it really does'nt concern me. However i notice something that really stands out for me.   Mr Trump seems full of his vision of what he plans for the future of the USA.  Whereas Mr Biden appears to have nothing beyond his viscious dislike of Trump with no ideas of the future of the USA if he wins. In fact, no plans whatsoever. This is not only a worry for the USA, but also the rest of the world.

Gotta find me some of those trump glasses I haven’t experienced an alternative reality since the early 70s lol trump spouts gibberish and no plans of any concrete nature rember his health plan?neither do I except to destroy the crappy healthcare we have with nothing to replace it how do you feel about him undermining nato or the world order?how about the environment?mr Biden has addressed all thease issues and many more sorry dude but you are way off base imo

[Berkshire]

This is what to expect from Trump and his campaign for the next couple of months: lies, lies, and more lies.

 

[During a campaign speech in North Carolina on Tuesday, President Donald Trump spent much of his time attacking his opponent, Democratic nominee Joe Biden, with accusations that were often false or misleading.

He inaccurately went after Biden on topics ranging from gun control, the border, his tax plan and pandemic response. CNN counted at least 10 false or misleading claims Trump made against his opponent.]

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/09/08/politics/donald-trump-north-carolina-rally-fact-check/index.html