policy
LATROBE, Pa. (AP) — Donald Trump's campaign indicated he would begin previewing his closing arguments Saturday evening, barely two weeks before Election Day. But the previous president opened his rally with an in depth story about Arnold Palmer, even praising the late, legendary golfer's genitals at one point.
Trump campaigned in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where Palmer was born in 1929 and learned to golf from his father, who suffered from polio and was head pro and greenskeeper on the local country club.
Politicians greeting Palmer in his hometown is nothing recent. But Trump spent a full 12 minutes in the beginning of his speech, even suggesting how way more fun the evening could be if Palmer, who died in 2016, could join him on stage.
“Arnold Palmer was a pure man, and I say that with all due respect to women,” Trump said. “This is a guy who was completely a man.”
Then he went further.
“When he was showering with other professionals, they came out of there. They said, ‘Oh my God.’ That’s unbelievable,” Trump said, laughing. “I had to say that. We have women here who are very cultured, but they used to think of Arnold as a man.”
Trump senior adviser Jason Miller told reporters before the speech that Trump planned to preview and “start engaging with” his closing argument against Vice President Kamala Harris. Traditionally, candidates use their final days on the campaign trail to inform voters why they should win the White House.
Trump ultimately touched on a lot of his favorite campaign themes, but didn't provide much in the way in which of reframing the race or why he should win it. Instead, he boasted about creating strong tax policies and a robust military during his first term.
He called Harris “crazy” and added an obscenity.
“You need to tell Kamala Harris that you've had enough, that you just can't take it anymore, we can't stand you anymore, you're as – vice president,” Trump said to cheers from the group. “The worst. You are the worst vice chairman. Kamala, you're fired. Get out of here.”
He also criticized Harris for suggesting during her unsuccessful presidential run in 2020 that she would support a ban on hydraulic fracturing, which is very important to Pennsylvania's economy and a position Harris' campaign said she now not supports.
Trump invited members of an area steel staff union to the stage who supported him. He placed on a construction hat along with his name on it.
He also said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called him in light of Israel's ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza.
“He said, 'It's unbelievable what happened,'” Trump said of Netanyahu's call, before moving on to criticize President Joe Biden, saying the Israeli prime minister “wouldn't listen to Biden.”
Trump praised the rowdy crowd outside and at an airport, but in addition made it clear that there was more conspicuous security around him after two assassination attempts, saying: “They give you a little more security these days, have you noticed?”
“I've got more machine guns than I've ever seen – look at these guys,” he said, referring to security. He was interrupted by shouts from the group of “USA!” USA!” Before we continue: “We have more people, and each one in every of them can also be a central solid, holy shit.”
Then he attributed it back to Latrobe's native son and added, “You look like Arnold.” Can’t look higher than Arnold.”
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Weissert reported from Washington.
image credit : www.boston.com