| |
Harris Slams Trump for Military Comment10/15 06:09
ERIE, Pa. (AP) -- Vice President Kamala Harris zeroed in on former President
Donald Trump 's comments suggesting the U.S. military could be used to deal
with "the enemy from within" as the two presidential nominees took the fight
for battleground Pennsylvania to opposite ends of the state on Monday.
Harris, at her rally in northwestern Pennsylvania, called Trump a serious
threat to American democracy who is "out for unchecked power."
"He considers anyone who doesn't support him or who will not bend to his
will an enemy of our country," Harris said after playing a clip of the comment
on the jumbo screen at her rally at an Erie arena. "This is among the reasons I
believe so strongly that a second Trump term would be a huge risk for America,
and dangerous."
Democrat Harris and Republican Trump have been become fixtures in the
country's largest 2024 battleground state. It was Harris' 10th visit to
Pennsylvania this campaign season, and Trump's Monday town hall in suburban
Philadelphia came after visits last week to Scranton and Reading.
Harris is highlighting what she says are examples of Trump's increasingly
"unstable and unhinged" behavior. It's part of her effort to win over a small
universe of undecided voters and tear away even a small slice of traditionally
Republican voters in the fight for Pennsylvania and six other closely contested
states that are expected to determine who wins next month's election.
She argued that Trump's comments in a Fox News "Sunday Morning Futures"
interview are the latest example of threatening rhetoric from the former
president that should concern Americans about what a potential second Trump
term could look like.
Trump made the comment in response to a question about "outside agitators"
potentially disrupting Election Day, pivoting to what he said is a foe closer
to home.
"I think the bigger problem is the enemy from within," Trump said. He added:
"We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left lunatics.
And I think they're the big -- and it should be very easily handled by, if
necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military, because
they can't let that happen."
Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance, defended Trump's comments during a
campaign stop in Minneapolis earlier Monday.
"Is it a justifiable use of those assets if they're rioting and looting and
burning cities down to the ground? Of course it is. Right?" Vance told
reporters. "I think the question is, is it a justifiable use of assets, depends
on what's actually happening."
Harris and Trump have thrown themselves fully into the race for Pennsylvania.
Trump beat Hillary Clinton by more than 40,000 votes in Pennsylvania on his
way to winning the presidency in 2016. But Joe Biden, a Scranton native, beat
Trump by about 80,000 votes in the state four years ago.
Both sides believe the race for Pennsylvania could be even closer this time.
Trump spoke at a town hall Monday in suburban Oaks. Responding to a man who
said his dream of homeownership feels out of reach, Trump said regulations make
it too expensive to build in some places. He repeated his pledge to increase
U.S. oil drilling, which he said would drive down costs, though domestic
production is already at record highs.
"We're going to drill baby drill, we're going to have so much energy and
we're going to bring prices down," Trump said.
He also claimed that government data from crime statistics to jobless
numbers is "fake," alleging the numbers are manipulated to help the incumbent
Democrats.
Trump cut short his remarks after twice being interrupted by medical
emergencies, turning the town hall into a concert instead. After the second
incident, Trump spoke for a few more minutes and then called for music. He then
stood onstage -- at times swaying along -- as music played.
Harris' campaign called Erie a "pivot" area, a Democratic-majority city of
about 94,000 people bordered by suburbs and rural areas with significant
numbers of Republicans. Erie County is often cited as one of the state's
reliable bellwether regions, where the electorate has a decidedly moderate
voting record. Trump visited Erie on Sept. 29.
Harris also talked up early voting during her rally. Mail-in voting is well
underway in the state where some 7 million people are likely to cast votes in
the presidential race.
"If you have already received your ballot in the mail, please do not wait,"
Harris urged her supporters. "Fill it out and return it today or tomorrow. But
please get it out."
Beforehand, she stopped by a newly opened coffee shop and record store in
Erie as she continues to press her case for Black men's support.
The visit to LegendErie Records and Coffee House, a Black-owned small
business, came after her campaign unveiled a plan earlier Monday to give Black
men more economic opportunities and other chances. The campaign is trying to
step up outreach to Black men, a key voting bloc that has some Democrats
concerned about a possible lack of enthusiasm.
Pennsylvania and its 19 electoral votes, the most of any swing state, have
generated the most attention by far from the Democratic and Republican
presidential campaigns. Including Monday's scheduled events, they will have
made 46 stops in the state, according to Associated Press tracking of the
campaigns' public events.
Michigan, with 33 visits, and Wisconsin, with 29, are the next most-visited
states, illustrating how both campaigns are focusing on winning states that had
been part of the Democrats' so-called "blue wall" until Trump emerged as the
Republican standard-bearer.
Democrats have won three straight elections for Pennsylvania governor, and
both current U.S. senators are Democrats, but the state's Legislature is
closely divided.
Trump rallygoer Tom Bonanno said he believed there was greater enthusiasm
for Trump this year than in the former president's two previous campaigns.
"I'm feeling a shift because the economy affects everyone," Bonanno said.
"It's not just going to be on, you're feeling joy or happiness or whatever
they're running on. It's about the economy once again."
Luther Manus, 97, a World War II and Vietnam veteran, walked from Harris'
Monday night rally impressed with the candidate but was circumspect about how
much she'll be able to accomplish in a polarized Washington if she wins.
"I think she's superb," Manus said as the arena was emptying out. But he
added: "If they give her a Democratic Senate and a Democratic House, she'll be
able to do much of what she said. Without that, she's going to have a problem,
just like Obama and Biden."
|
|
