Trump says US ‘in decline’; Biden has dire warning
Former President Donald Trump threatens that America will be destroyed if Republicans do not produce a strong electoral wave on Tuesday.
-
President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign rally for Pennsylvania's Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro and Democratic Senate candidate Governor John Fetterman, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP)
Former US President Donald Trump predicts the US' destruction if Republicans don't get an electoral majority on Tuesday. On the other campus, led by US President Joe Biden, Democrats are warning that abortion rights, Social Security, and even democracy itself are at stake.
Three out of six living presidents spoke on Saturday in Pennsylvania, while entering the final weekend of the 2022 midterm elections. Their words were directed at Americans who now have the power to tip the balance of power in Washington and key state capitals. Across America, polls will close on Tuesday, but more than 39 million people already made their vote.
Read next: Four critical Senate battlegrounds govern US midterms
Trump was slated to campaign in Florida on Sunday, while Biden was scheduled to do so in suburban New York. Trump described the United States as "a country in decline" as he campaigned in western Pennsylvania on Saturday. "If you want to stop the ruin of our country and save the American dream, then vote Republican in a massive red wave on Tuesday," he said to thousands of applauding fans.
United Democratic front
It is worth noting that Biden and former President Barack Obama campaigned together for the first time since Biden took office. Even former President Bill Clinton, who has been largely absent from national politics in recent years, was out in support of his party in adjacent New York. “Sulking and moping is not an option,” Obama charged. “On Tuesday, let’s make sure our country doesn’t get set back 50 years.”
Prior to his arrival in Pennsylvania, Biden already had to cope with a new political crisis after upsetting some members of his party by endorsing plans to close fossil fuel plants in favor of renewable energy sources. Although he made the remarks in California the day prior, Pennsylvania's fossil fuel sector is significant employment.
Read next: Biden insists Democrats can win US midterms
After the shooting in western Pennsylvania, Trump grabbed the opportunity to accuse Biden of having "resumed the war on coal, your coal."
The White House claimed that Biden was "commenting on a fact of economics and technology" and that his words were "twisted to suggest a meaning that was not intended; he regrets it if anyone hearing these remarks took offense."
Democrats are extremely worried about their slim majorities in the House and Senate as voters grow increasingly dissatisfied with Biden's leadership in the face of rising prices, crime worries, and general pessimism about the future of the nation.
Trump's hopes for a GOP flood
Trump's weekend excursions were a part of the last blitz that also included Ohio. He is betting that a strong GOP turnout on Tuesday will boost his anticipated 2024 campaign, which he plans to start in the days or weeks after the polls close, momentum.
Read next: $881bln pumped by billionaires in midterm election, GOP takes majority
“Everybody, I promise you, in the very next — very, very, very short period of time, you’re going to be happy,” Trump said of another White House bid. “But first we have to win a historic victory for Republicans on Nov. 8.”
Biden's buzzer beater
The majority of Biden's speech in Pennsylvania was similar to the ones he has been giving for weeks: he highlighted a variety of his signature legislative accomplishments while issuing a dire warning that Social Security, Medicare, voting rights, and abortion rights are all in jeopardy if Republicans gain control of Congress.
The President emphasized the Inflation Reduction Action, which was approved in August by the Democratic-led Congress and includes a number of healthcare provisions that are well-liked by older people and those who are less wealthy, such as a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket medical expenses and a $35 monthly cap per prescription for insulin. A rebate to Medicare must be paid by businesses whose pricing increases exceed overall inflation under the new law.
However, Biden seemed more animated in front of a larger and more animated crowd in his home state. Threats to democracy require us to "reaffirm the values that have long defined us," Biden added. “We are good people. I know this.” He added, “Get out and vote!”
