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| Trump uses official travel to gain campaign edge in swing states as he seeks to move past pandemic | Trump uses official travel to gain campaign edge in swing states as he seeks to move past pandemic |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Since resuming their travel schedules, President Trump and Vice President Pence have focused on battleground states crucial to their reelection chances, staging official government events at a time when likely Democratic nominee Joseph Biden and his top surrogates are unable to safely return to the campaign trail. | Since resuming their travel schedules, President Trump and Vice President Pence have focused on battleground states crucial to their reelection chances, staging official government events at a time when likely Democratic nominee Joseph Biden and his top surrogates are unable to safely return to the campaign trail. |
| Trump and Pence have used recent trips to thank factory and health-care workers and set the stage for reopening the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic, but their itineraries have highlighted the political imperatives that have informed their response to the crisis. | Trump and Pence have used recent trips to thank factory and health-care workers and set the stage for reopening the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic, but their itineraries have highlighted the political imperatives that have informed their response to the crisis. |
| On Thursday, Trump toured a Ford Motor Co. factory in Ypsilanti, Mich., that has been temporarily converted into a ventilator production facility. The visit came after he traveled to manufacturing plants in Phoenix and Allentown, Pa., over the past two weeks. On Wednesday, Pence visited a nursing home in Orlando and had lunch with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) at a local restaurant, and he also has traveled to Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin in recent weeks. Pence said he will return to Florida next week to attend a space launch, and DeSantis suggested Trump may make the trip, as well. | |
| The latest on the pandemic and Trump administration’s response | The latest on the pandemic and Trump administration’s response |
| The president’s trips, in particular, have taken on clear campaign overtones as he pushes for states to move beyond the pandemic and restart their economies despite continuing public health concerns and the rising death toll. Supporters have lined the streets to greet his motorcade as they hold American flags and Trump campaign signs, disregarding social distancing rules and outnumbering a smaller set of protesters. | The president’s trips, in particular, have taken on clear campaign overtones as he pushes for states to move beyond the pandemic and restart their economies despite continuing public health concerns and the rising death toll. Supporters have lined the streets to greet his motorcade as they hold American flags and Trump campaign signs, disregarding social distancing rules and outnumbering a smaller set of protesters. |
| Trump’s campaign soundtrack played on the public-address system during his tour of the Owens & Minor medical supply plant in Allentown. At a Honeywell plant that was producing face masks in Phoenix, Trump invited a married couple he had met during a 2016 campaign rally to make brief remarks as he addressed the workers. | Trump’s campaign soundtrack played on the public-address system during his tour of the Owens & Minor medical supply plant in Allentown. At a Honeywell plant that was producing face masks in Phoenix, Trump invited a married couple he had met during a 2016 campaign rally to make brief remarks as he addressed the workers. |
| After both trips, a White House spokesman tweeted out images of local newspapers featuring front-page pictures and banner headlines about Trump’s visits. | After both trips, a White House spokesman tweeted out images of local newspapers featuring front-page pictures and banner headlines about Trump’s visits. |
| Sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter to track the outbreak. All stories linked in the newsletter are free to access. | Sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter to track the outbreak. All stories linked in the newsletter are free to access. |
| “This was nothing more than a campaign trip for him,” said Nancy Patton Mills, chair of Pennsylvania’s Democratic Party, noting that Allentown remains in a code red, the most restrictive setting in the state’s phased reopening system. | “This was nothing more than a campaign trip for him,” said Nancy Patton Mills, chair of Pennsylvania’s Democratic Party, noting that Allentown remains in a code red, the most restrictive setting in the state’s phased reopening system. |
| “We’re all living our lives with caution because we don’t want to get sick, and here comes Trump,” she said. “Imagine what people would think if Biden all of a sudden came out visiting face-mask factories, disturbing local police and first responders to protect him. It was in very poor taste.” | “We’re all living our lives with caution because we don’t want to get sick, and here comes Trump,” she said. “Imagine what people would think if Biden all of a sudden came out visiting face-mask factories, disturbing local police and first responders to protect him. It was in very poor taste.” |
| Trump allies said the president was demonstrating leadership and rallying the country to begin to restart businesses amid a historic economic collapse that has forced more than 30 million Americans out of work. | Trump allies said the president was demonstrating leadership and rallying the country to begin to restart businesses amid a historic economic collapse that has forced more than 30 million Americans out of work. |
| “Americans can see that President Trump is fighting to protect their safety and reopen the economy,” Tim Murtaugh, communications director for Trump’s campaign, said in a statement. “He is doing his job as president and critics would complain if he didn’t go visit states. They are the ones playing politics.” | “Americans can see that President Trump is fighting to protect their safety and reopen the economy,” Tim Murtaugh, communications director for Trump’s campaign, said in a statement. “He is doing his job as president and critics would complain if he didn’t go visit states. They are the ones playing politics.” |
| Democrats have sought to counter Trump’s trips through Biden surrogates in the states, who have held conference calls with reporters and published newspaper opinion pieces critical of the president’s handling of the pandemic. Biden has done remote interviews from his Delaware home with local television stations in swing states, and he released a statement to the Morning Call, a newspaper in Lehigh Valley, ahead of Trump’s visit to Allentown, criticizing him for not having “done the work” to justify a safe economic reopening. | Democrats have sought to counter Trump’s trips through Biden surrogates in the states, who have held conference calls with reporters and published newspaper opinion pieces critical of the president’s handling of the pandemic. Biden has done remote interviews from his Delaware home with local television stations in swing states, and he released a statement to the Morning Call, a newspaper in Lehigh Valley, ahead of Trump’s visit to Allentown, criticizing him for not having “done the work” to justify a safe economic reopening. |
| Trump and Pence have been able to resume their travel schedules with the aid of rapid coronavirus tests that are administered to all who come in close contact with them. Biden and his surrogates, including former president Barack Obama, do not have access to enough of those tests to ensure they and others are protected. | Trump and Pence have been able to resume their travel schedules with the aid of rapid coronavirus tests that are administered to all who come in close contact with them. Biden and his surrogates, including former president Barack Obama, do not have access to enough of those tests to ensure they and others are protected. |
| But Trump said in an interview last week that he would be willing to have his administration help provide the necessary coronavirus tests to the Biden campaign. “I’d love to see him get out of the basement so he can speak,” Trump said on Fox & Friends. | But Trump said in an interview last week that he would be willing to have his administration help provide the necessary coronavirus tests to the Biden campaign. “I’d love to see him get out of the basement so he can speak,” Trump said on Fox & Friends. |
| Biden’s aides said they are not worried that Trump is exploiting an unfair advantage with less than six months until Election Day. They pointed to national polling that has shown Biden with a consistent lead over Trump, although the results in battleground states have been far closer, and they cited widespread public disapproval of Trump’s management of the pandemic, which has killed more than 91,000 Americans. A new Quinnipiac poll showed Biden leading Trump by 11 points nationally and that 56 percent disapproved of Trump’s handling of the pandemic, up from 51 percent in early April. | Biden’s aides said they are not worried that Trump is exploiting an unfair advantage with less than six months until Election Day. They pointed to national polling that has shown Biden with a consistent lead over Trump, although the results in battleground states have been far closer, and they cited widespread public disapproval of Trump’s management of the pandemic, which has killed more than 91,000 Americans. A new Quinnipiac poll showed Biden leading Trump by 11 points nationally and that 56 percent disapproved of Trump’s handling of the pandemic, up from 51 percent in early April. |
| “This is not a time when people have a huge appetite for a whole bunch of political events,” said one Biden aide, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the campaign’s strategy. “Most people are terrified and trying to figure out what is happening. A more measured approach works” for the former vice president, the aide said. | “This is not a time when people have a huge appetite for a whole bunch of political events,” said one Biden aide, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the campaign’s strategy. “Most people are terrified and trying to figure out what is happening. A more measured approach works” for the former vice president, the aide said. |
| Sharif Street, a Democratic Pennsylvania state senator, said Biden’s roots in the state — he was born in Scranton — will remind voters that the former vice president has deep connections there, while for Trump the region is “just another stop on the campaign trail.” | Sharif Street, a Democratic Pennsylvania state senator, said Biden’s roots in the state — he was born in Scranton — will remind voters that the former vice president has deep connections there, while for Trump the region is “just another stop on the campaign trail.” |
| Trump won Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Florida in 2016 over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, and those states are expected to be crucial for him again this fall. Democrats are eyeing a potential upset in Arizona, which has traditionally voted for GOP presidential candidates in recent cycles. | Trump won Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Florida in 2016 over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, and those states are expected to be crucial for him again this fall. Democrats are eyeing a potential upset in Arizona, which has traditionally voted for GOP presidential candidates in recent cycles. |
| Trump threatens funding for Michigan, Nevada over absentee, mail-in voting plans | Trump threatens funding for Michigan, Nevada over absentee, mail-in voting plans |
| Trump has not held a campaign rally since March 2. With the election likely to hinge on public views of Trump’s response to the crisis, he has sought to demonstrate confidence that the public health emergency is receding, even as the death toll has soared well beyond his administration’s projections. Most states have begun some form of economic reopening. | Trump has not held a campaign rally since March 2. With the election likely to hinge on public views of Trump’s response to the crisis, he has sought to demonstrate confidence that the public health emergency is receding, even as the death toll has soared well beyond his administration’s projections. Most states have begun some form of economic reopening. |
| During his visits to Phoenix and Allentown, Trump praised workers for producing crucial medical supplies for hospitals and compared the crisis to other moments of national resolve, such as World War II. | During his visits to Phoenix and Allentown, Trump praised workers for producing crucial medical supplies for hospitals and compared the crisis to other moments of national resolve, such as World War II. |
| But the partisan political flavor of the events was underscored in Phoenix when Trump, while addressing factory workers, called Jorge and Betty Rivas to the microphone. The couple, who own a Mexican restaurant in the Tucson area, had caught Trump’s eye in 2016, when he brought Betty Rivas onstage at a campaign rally after seeing her in the audience holding a sign reading, “Latinos Love D. Trump.” | But the partisan political flavor of the events was underscored in Phoenix when Trump, while addressing factory workers, called Jorge and Betty Rivas to the microphone. The couple, who own a Mexican restaurant in the Tucson area, had caught Trump’s eye in 2016, when he brought Betty Rivas onstage at a campaign rally after seeing her in the audience holding a sign reading, “Latinos Love D. Trump.” |
| The Rivases also attended his rally in Phoenix in late February, where they appeared in the VIP section. After they suffered a subsequent public backlash, with calls to boycott their restaurant, Trump tweeted his support for the family in early March. | The Rivases also attended his rally in Phoenix in late February, where they appeared in the VIP section. After they suffered a subsequent public backlash, with calls to boycott their restaurant, Trump tweeted his support for the family in early March. |
| “All the Latinos are going to vote for you because we think you’re doing . . . a very good job,” Jorge Rivas told Trump at the Honeywell plant, where he and his wife provided workers with 250 burritos. | “All the Latinos are going to vote for you because we think you’re doing . . . a very good job,” Jorge Rivas told Trump at the Honeywell plant, where he and his wife provided workers with 250 burritos. |
| “I really appreciate it,” Trump replied. “That’s beautiful.” | “I really appreciate it,” Trump replied. “That’s beautiful.” |
| In an interview, Jorge Rivas said he wasn’t trying to be political but aimed to express his support for the president’s attempts to help small businesses reopen. | In an interview, Jorge Rivas said he wasn’t trying to be political but aimed to express his support for the president’s attempts to help small businesses reopen. |
| “It’s something we did because that’s the way we feel,” he said. “I think he’s doing the right thing. A lot of people are hurting because they don’t have a job.” | “It’s something we did because that’s the way we feel,” he said. “I think he’s doing the right thing. A lot of people are hurting because they don’t have a job.” |
| Yet Democrats said Trump has used the factory employees as props for his reopening push without demonstrating sufficient caution for public health. Reporters did not see Trump wearing a face mask on his trips to the facilities in Phoenix and Allentown, though he later asserted he did so in Phoenix while out of public view. | Yet Democrats said Trump has used the factory employees as props for his reopening push without demonstrating sufficient caution for public health. Reporters did not see Trump wearing a face mask on his trips to the facilities in Phoenix and Allentown, though he later asserted he did so in Phoenix while out of public view. |
| Pence did not wear one while touring the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota in violation of the company’s policy, though he has begun wearing masks on some of his subsequent trips after public criticism. He did not wear one while entering the restaurant for lunch in Orlando. | Pence did not wear one while touring the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota in violation of the company’s policy, though he has begun wearing masks on some of his subsequent trips after public criticism. He did not wear one while entering the restaurant for lunch in Orlando. |
| A Ford spokesman said Tuesday that Trump would be required to wear a mask during his visit to the plant in Ypsilanti. But the president was noncommittal when asked about it by reporters. | A Ford spokesman said Tuesday that Trump would be required to wear a mask during his visit to the plant in Ypsilanti. But the president was noncommittal when asked about it by reporters. |
| “It depends. In certain areas, I would,” he said. “So, we’ll see.” | “It depends. In certain areas, I would,” he said. “So, we’ll see.” |
| In Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) has been cited as a potential vice presidential running mate for Biden. Yet she has been under pressure from protesters, some legally armed, who marched on the state capitol in Lansing in protest of her decision this month to extend an emergency shutdown declaration for some businesses. | In Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) has been cited as a potential vice presidential running mate for Biden. Yet she has been under pressure from protesters, some legally armed, who marched on the state capitol in Lansing in protest of her decision this month to extend an emergency shutdown declaration for some businesses. |
| Trump tweeted his support for the protesters, and his visit to the Ford plant will technically violate Whitmer’s recent order instructing manufacturing facilities to suspend “nonessential in-person visits, including tours.” | Trump tweeted his support for the protesters, and his visit to the Ford plant will technically violate Whitmer’s recent order instructing manufacturing facilities to suspend “nonessential in-person visits, including tours.” |
| “He’s using this crisis and federal dollars to come here and have a campaign rally in a plant,” said Lavora Barnes, chair of the Michigan Democratic Party. She said she does not fault the company because “who says no when the president of the United States wants to come say thank you?” | “He’s using this crisis and federal dollars to come here and have a campaign rally in a plant,” said Lavora Barnes, chair of the Michigan Democratic Party. She said she does not fault the company because “who says no when the president of the United States wants to come say thank you?” |
| Rather, Barnes said, “I fault the president for using this crisis and these workers as a backdrop for a political rally.” | Rather, Barnes said, “I fault the president for using this crisis and these workers as a backdrop for a political rally.” |
| Laura Cox, chair of Michigan’s Republican Party, faulted Whitmer for not being more flexible in her shutdown order, but she disputed the notion that Trump’s visit was politically motivated. Trump “asked these people, Ford Motor Company, GM, to step up to the plate and help Americans, and Ford did that,” she said. “They stepped up and built ventilators that are saving the lives of people every day, and the president wants to say, ‘Hey, good job.’ ” | Laura Cox, chair of Michigan’s Republican Party, faulted Whitmer for not being more flexible in her shutdown order, but she disputed the notion that Trump’s visit was politically motivated. Trump “asked these people, Ford Motor Company, GM, to step up to the plate and help Americans, and Ford did that,” she said. “They stepped up and built ventilators that are saving the lives of people every day, and the president wants to say, ‘Hey, good job.’ ” |
| Matt Viser and Scott Clement contributed to this report. | Matt Viser and Scott Clement contributed to this report. |