Biden, Trump squabble over coronavirus response in dueling town halls

[webfact]

Biden, Trump squabble over coronavirus response in dueling town halls

By Steve Holland and Michael Martina

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden delivers remarks during a voter mobilization event, at Miramar Regional Park in Miramar, Florida, U.S., October 13, 2020. REUTERS/Tom Brenner

 

MIAMI/PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden attacked President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic on Thursday, as the two candidates held dueling televised town halls after their second planned debate was canceled.

 

The prime-time split-screen showdown offered a stark reminder of how deeply unusual this year's campaign has been amid a coronavirus pandemic that has infected nearly 8 million Americans, including the president himself. Millions have already voted early ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3.

 

Biden, speaking to voters in Philadelphia on ABC, sought to put Trump's handling of the pandemic front and center, blaming the Republican president for downplaying the virus that has killed more than 216,000 people in the United States.

 

"He said he didn't tell anybody because he was afraid Americans would panic," Biden said in Philadelphia on ABC. "Americans don't panic. He panicked."

 

Trump defended both his response to the pandemic as well as his own personal conduct, including staging a Rose Garden event at the White House where few wore masks or practiced social distancing, which resulted in numerous attendees contracting the disease.

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Des Moines International Airport in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., October 14, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

 

"Hey, I'm president - I have to see people, I can't be in a basement," Trump said on NBC in front of an outdoor audience of voters in Miami, implicitly criticizing Biden for spending months off the campaign trail as the pandemic raged.

 

Trump, who aggressively interrupted Biden during a chaotic debate two weeks ago, showed little interest in altering his belligerent tone.

 

He said he "heard different stories" about the efficacy of masks, even though his own administration's public health experts have said wearing them is key to stopping the spread of the virus.

 

The president also declined to denounce QAnon, the false conspiracy theory that Democrats are part of a global pedophile ring, first praising its adherents for opposing pedophilia before saying he knew nothing about the movement.

 

The second presidential debate had originally been scheduled for Thursday, but Trump pulled out of the event after organizers decided to turn it into a virtual affair following his diagnosis two weeks ago. A final debate is still scheduled for Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee.

 

Trump, who spent three days in a military hospital but has since returned to the campaign trail, is trying to alter the dynamics of the race. Reuters/Ipsos polls show Biden has a significant national lead, although his advantage in battleground states is less pronounced.

 

North Carolina, a highly competitive state, saw huge lines as it began more than two weeks of in-person early voting on Thursday, following record turnout in Georgia and Texas earlier in the week.

 

Some 18.3 million Americans have voted either in person or by mail so far, representing 12.9% of the total votes counted in the 2016 general election, according to the U.S. Elections Project at the University of Florida.

 

Voters are seeking to avoid in-person lines on Election Day to stay safe as coronavirus infections and hospitalizations continue to rise, but also to make sure their ballots will count. Many are concerned that Trump will challenge widely used mail-in ballots, after his repeated claims without evidence that they were fraudulent.

 

Trump's narrow 2016 victory depended in large part on late-deciding swing voters who came to his side in the campaign's waning days. But Reuters/Ipsos polling conducted from Friday to Tuesday shows there are far fewer undecided likely voters this year - around 8% - and they are just as likely to pick Biden as they are Trump.

 

Four years ago at this stage of the campaign, more than twice as many people were similarly wavering between Trump and his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

 

$1.5 BILLION

Perhaps the best measure of Democratic enthusiasm to defeat Trump is the massive amount of money that has poured into the party's coffers in recent months.

 

Democratic fundraising organization ActBlue said on Thursday it collected $1.5 billion online from July to September, the most it had ever raised in one quarter. By comparison, major Republican fundraising platform WinRed said on Monday that it collected $623.5 million in the same period.

 

Biden's campaign collected $383 million in September, setting a new record for a U.S. campaign for the second consecutive month.

 

Both candidates have been visiting battleground states this week, with Trump holding rallies in Florida, Pennsylvania and Iowa and Biden traveling to Ohio and Florida.

 

The U.S. economy tanked in the second quarter due to the coronavirus pandemic, and at least 25 million remained on jobless benefits at the end of September, Labor Department figures showed on Thursday.

 

The Biden campaign said on Thursday that three people who traveled with either Biden or Senator Kamala Harris, Biden's running mate, had tested positive for COVID-19.

 

One of Harris' top aides was among those who tested positive, but the campaign said she had not been in close contact. Nevertheless, Harris canceled her travel plans through the weekend as a precaution.

 

Biden had also been on a plane with an aviation company employee who tested positive but was not in close contact, his campaign said in a statement, and his travel schedule will remained unchanged.

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland in Miami and Michael Martina in Philadelphia; Additional reporting by Lawrence Hurley, Jason Lange, Trevor Hunnicutt and Chris Kahn in New York and Doina Chiacu and James Oliphant in Washington; Writing by Sonya Hepinstall and Joseph Ax; Editing by Scott Malone and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-10-16

 

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[Bluespunk]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The president also declined to denounce QAnon, the false conspiracy theory that Democrats are part of a global pedophile ring, first praising its adherents for opposing pedophilia before saying he knew nothing about the movement.

That last claim is either a lie, or trump is once more showing what an idiot he is by choosing to comment on something he knows nothing about.

 

Though to be fair the things he knows nothing about is a very long list..

[GroveHillWanderer]

11 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

That last claim is either a lie, or trump is once more showing what an idiot he is by choosing to comment on something he knows nothing about.

 

Though to be fair the things he knows nothing about is a very long list..

He also totally contradicted himself, saying a) that he knows nothing about them and b) that he knows they are opposed to pedophilia.

 

One of those statements has to be a lie and I think it's fairly obvious which one it is.

[bendejo]

DT will get better ratings. 

When you watch Joe Biden giving a speech do you suspect he might bite the head off of a live chicken?  What about the other guy?

And that is why he gets better ratings.

 

 

[connda]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Biden, Trump squabble over coronavirus response in dueling town halls

Franchised reruns of Scooby-Doo are actually much more entertaining if not more educational.  Or watching Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove for the umpteenth time. 

 

 

[xylophone]

38 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

That last claim is either a lie, or trump is once more showing what an idiot he is by choosing to comment on something he knows nothing about.

Commonplace for this idiot though, and I dread to think that trump could sneak this election by fair means or foul.

 

It really alarms me the the American people are even believing anything this compulsive liar and thief says.........surely there is common sense left in the country and hopefully it prevails and the US gets a change of president, and the world can stop laughing at the US again.

[placeholder]

 Finally when questioned Trump reveal the details of his health insurance plan that he's been holding onto for nearly four years now...just kidding.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

57 minutes ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

He also totally contradicted himself, saying a) that he knows nothing about them and b) that he knows they are opposed to pedophilia.

 

Seems like Trump's latest refusal to disavow QAnon and its crazy conspiracy theories mirrors his recent response and refusal to disavow the right-wing fascist Proud Boys group...  But of course, he doesn't know who either of them are.... except that they're both part of his base.

 

Quote

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday tried to walk back his refusal to outright condemn a far right fascist group during his debate with Democrat Joe Biden, but the inflammatory moment was far from the first time the president has failed to denounce white supremacists or has advanced racist ideas.
 

Trump’s initial refusal to criticize the Proud Boys — instead saying the group should “stand back and stand by” — drew fierce blowback before he altered his message in a day-later effort to quell the firestorm.

 

“I don’t know who Proud Boys are. But whoever they are they have to stand down, let law enforcement do their work,” Trump told reporters as he left the White House for a campaign stop in Minnesota.

 

 

https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-race-and-ethnicity-joe-biden-donald-trump-3f4d31aed98ca5080fb428d7cdc0c223

 

It's part of a long and proud Trump tradition of claiming not to know or know anything about people and groups he's been involved with or linked to...whenever some controversy arises.

 

 

 

[simple1]

1 hour ago, Bluespunk said:

That last claim is either a lie, or trump is once more showing what an idiot he is by choosing to comment on something he knows nothing about.

 

Though to be fair the things he knows nothing about is a very long list..

Besides other conspiracy sites, trump has a history of retweeting QAnon stuff. Only a day or so ago he retweeted another QAnon conspiracy which was referenced by the NBC Mod.

 

‘You’re Not Like Someone’s Crazy Uncle Who Can Just Retweet Whatever!’

 

https://www.thewrap.com/savannah-guthrie-trump-town-hall-qanon-conspiracy-theories/

 

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

9 minutes ago, simple1 said:

‘You’re Not Like Someone’s Crazy Uncle Who Can Just Retweet Whatever!’

 

https://www.thewrap.com/savannah-guthrie-trump-town-hall-qanon-conspiracy-theories/

 

Sadly for the U.S., yes, Trump is... That's exactly who he is.

 

[onthedarkside]

A post linking to a non-credible news source, the UK Daily Mail, has been removed.

 

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/daily-mail/

 

[Berkshire]

1 hour ago, xylophone said:

Commonplace for this idiot though, and I dread to think that trump could sneak this election by fair means or foul.

 

It really alarms me the the American people are even believing anything this compulsive liar and thief says.........surely there is common sense left in the country and hopefully it prevails and the US gets a change of president, and the world can stop laughing at the US again.

Agree that it's baffling how many Americans can still believe a word Trump says.  At this point, I do believe that his supporters/haters are pretty much entrenched.  What can possibly move the needle?  These town halls ain't going to do it.  Another debate won't do it.  The NY Post fairy tale hit job ain't going to do it.  But this one, from a sitting GOP Senator no less, might turn off some Republican women and evangelicals...

 

["The United States now regularly sells out our allies under his leadership. The way he treats women and spends like a drunken sailor. The ways I criticized President (Barack) Obama for that kind of spending I've criticized President Trump for as well.]

["He mocks evangelicals behind closed doors. His family has treated the presidency like a business opportunity. He's flirted with White supremacists," the Nebraska Republican said.]

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ben-sasse-republican-senator-unloads-on-trump-in-constituent-call-saying-he-mocks-evangelicals-and-has-flirted-with-white-supremacists/ar-BB1a4DV2

[Silurian]

2 hours ago, bendejo said:

DT will get better ratings. 

When you watch Joe Biden giving a speech do you suspect he might bite the head off of a live chicken?  What about the other guy?

And that is why he gets better ratings.

 

 

 

Well, seems some people actually want to watch a town hall that centers on policy rather than showmanship. 

 

Town Hall YouTube Views Suggest Biden hit Trump Where It Hurts Him Most—Ratings

 

Quote

At the end of Trump's town hall, the NBC News YouTube channel showed 153,660 viewers were watching. ABC News's YouTube channel showed 507,445 viewers at the end of Biden's town hall.

 

[Eric Loh]

While the television ratings are still being tabulated, the on-line viewership has Biden garnering 3 times more viewers than Trump. A hattrick of low ratings starting with the RNC then the debate and now this Town Hall. He will express his displeasure in his usual rant fest. 

 

 

[Silurian]

In contrast to Donald running for his bunker with his tail between his legs after the town hall, Biden stuck around for about another 30 minutes to answer questions and talk with the audience. Looks like all those "sleepy" and "slow" comments about Biden have just falling to the wayside.

 

After town hall wraps up, Biden sticks around to take questions from audience

 

Quote

The former vice president stayed behind after his 90-minute ABC News town hall Thursday night to answer additional questions from voters who sat in the audience. Nearly 30 minutes after the town hall finished, the Biden was seen on ABC's livestream continuing to speak to the audience at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

 

[Paul Henry]

Watched both shows. No contest, Trump did not answer one question but always went back to the past and said what he and the White House had done.  I will be kind and not count how many lies and mistruths he told but it would be easier to count the true statements NIL?. Biden did speak policy and was in most cases direct and positive with his answers. He did not waste time talking about the corrupt Trump and White House. Biden clear winner on winning vote. Trump clear winner on appeasing his diminishing group of followers. Trump not nominated for a Nobel peace price but should get a nomination for the next Emmys

especially with his handsome smile!

[Proboscis]

1 hour ago, Silurian said:

 

Well, seems some people actually want to watch a town hall that centers on policy rather than showmanship. 

 

Town Hall YouTube Views Suggest Biden hit Trump Where It Hurts Him Most—Ratings

 

 

The numbers quoted were just Youtube numbers. The actual viewers of the broadcast will be much larger.

 

My bet would be that the viewers of the Trump town hall will be greater. You see, while I think that Trump is highly likely to be a criminal (by which I mean highly likely to be indicted and charged and convited of a felony in the future) and is an absolutely dreadful president, he is a lot more entertaining to watch than the steady Biden. People did not watch The Apprentice because they loved Trump - they watched it because he was a bast$rd. As they used to say, the devil has the best tunes.

 

If it is a well-run country you want with quality foreign policy, then Biden is your man for President. 

 

For clowning around, there is always Trump

[OneMoreFarang]

Trump is not the problem. He is an idiot. There are many of them in this world.

The problem are all the people who enable him. There must be many people in the GOP with a clear enough mind who know that Trump is constantly bull<deleted>ting. Why don't they go public and denounce Trump? What else does Trump have to do before they decide enough is enough? Is power really so important for them? Is it more important than America and more important than democracy?

[xylophone]

12 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Trump is not the problem. He is an idiot. There are many of them in this world.

The problem are all the people who enable him. There must be many people in the GOP with a clear enough mind who know that Trump is constantly bull<deleted>ting. Why don't they go public and denounce Trump? What else does Trump have to do before they decide enough is enough? Is power really so important for them? Is it more important than America and more important than democracy?

Totally agree with your comments and I have said the same/similar before.........one I cannot understand is Pence, who is a devout christian, yet has said nothing about trump using the bible to garner support, and yet trump has broken just about every commandment in it, also mocks the afflicted as well as bullying others.

 

Not christian-like behaviour, but Pence says and does nothing!!! 

[Sujo]

43 minutes ago, Proboscis said:

The numbers quoted were just Youtube numbers. The actual viewers of the broadcast will be much larger.

 

My bet would be that the viewers of the Trump town hall will be greater. You see, while I think that Trump is highly likely to be a criminal (by which I mean highly likely to be indicted and charged and convited of a felony in the future) and is an absolutely dreadful president, he is a lot more entertaining to watch than the steady Biden. People did not watch The Apprentice because they loved Trump - they watched it because he was a bast$rd. As they used to say, the devil has the best tunes.

 

If it is a well-run country you want with quality foreign policy, then Biden is your man for President. 

 

For clowning around, there is always Trump

True, people watching does not equal support. I chose to watch the trump town hall for humor value. 

 

Biden is boring but being president is not about entrrtainment value.

[Silurian]

Biden continually out raises Donald in fundraising. Donald's campaign has just blown through a tremendous amounts of cash (no telling how much was funneled away by greedy campaign staff) without much to show for it. Biden's campaign headed into October with almost twice the cash on hand than Donald's campaign.

 

What happened with Brad Parscale anyway? Does he have to give back that Ferrari?

 

Biden routs Trump in September fundraising, $383M to $248M

 

Quote

President Donald Trump, the Republican National Committee and affiliated joint fundraising committees raised $247.8 million in September, Trump’s campaign announced, leaving him at a significant cash deficit to former Vice President Joe Biden entering the final stretch of the 2020 election.

Biden’s campaign and affiliated committees raised a record $383 million in September, and they had $432 million in reserves at the end of the month, his campaign announced Wednesday.

 

[earlinclaifornia]

trump claimed that NBC was a set up and Guthrie made his ass pay. Hope she could do the last debate.

[jwdub]

2 hours ago, Sujo said:

True, people watching does not equal support. I chose to watch the trump town hall for humor value. 

 

Biden is boring but being president is not about entrrtainment value.

Yup, It's similar to watching NASCAR for the crashes, today’s society would rather chance seeing a melt down over a calm person answering questions. What fun is that?

[Isaan sailor]

Softballs for Joe.  Hardballs for Donald.  Not exactly fair and balanced.

[Tug]

4 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Trump is not the problem. He is an idiot. There are many of them in this world.

The problem are all the people who enable him. There must be many people in the GOP with a clear enough mind who know that Trump is constantly bull<deleted>ting. Why don't they go public and denounce Trump? What else does Trump have to do before they decide enough is enough? Is power really so important for them? Is it more important than America and more important than democracy?

Agree with you but the problem for the rest of the republicans is trump will absolutely destroy their and their families lives if they cross him he is a viscous vindictive man to me trump was on broadcast mode mostly lies and bs Joe Biden was on broadcast with the receiver on answering questions real policy ideas and even staying late answering questions there is no question in my mind who is the better leader let’s get this done and start rebuilding out nation and reputation learning from what trump has brought to the fore and become a better America 

[Sujo]

1 hour ago, Isaan sailor said:

Softballs for Joe.  Hardballs for Donald.  Not exactly fair and balanced.

You object to asking the don about his own comments?

[Silurian]

2 hours ago, Isaan sailor said:

Softballs for Joe.  Hardballs for Donald.  Not exactly fair and balanced.

 

Yeah, just take a look at those "hardball questions" for Donald from NBC...

 

Do you have any remaining symptoms from COVID?

When did you get sick (when was your last negative test before testing positive)?

Do you believe in wearing masks?

Do you believe in herd immunity?

Why share a Bin Laden conspiracy tweet?

Do you denounce QAnon?

Will you accept losing?

Why should you get a second term?

 

If those are hardball, what is a softball? What is your favorite color?

[onthedarkside]

A trolling post re Joe Biden that's been repeatedly posted after being removed has been removed once again.

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, Isaan sailor said:

Softballs for Joe.  Hardballs for Donald.  Not exactly fair and balanced.

Poor dear. The most powerful "man" in the world is such a victim.

Actually as Carl Bernstein said, he's homicidal. 

[Jingthing]

10 hours ago, bendejo said:

DT will get better ratings. 

When you watch Joe Biden giving a speech do you suspect he might bite the head off of a live chicken?  What about the other guy?

And that is why he gets better ratings.

 

 

45 makes better television. Biden will make a much better president.