Donald Trump is holding rallies on Wednesday in pivotal Pennsylvania while Vice President Kamala Harris prepares for another visit to the West — even as Hurricane Milton menaces Florida and threatens to overshadow presidential campaigning.
Trump, the former president and current Republican nominee, has events scheduled in Scranton — the birthplace of President Joe Biden — and in Reading, where he is expected to talk about the economy and immigration in a city that is two-thirds Hispanic.
The hurricane caused Trump to put off a virtual event Tuesday night focused on health care and postpone a Univision town hall in Miami.
Harris has her own Univision town hall planned for Thursday in Las Vegas before returning to Arizona for her second visit to both states in less than two weeks. She was set to fly to Nevada later Wednesday, but first attended a briefing on the storm and the federal response that Biden received at the White House.
Milton is approaching just days after Hurricane Helene killed more than 220 people in six Southeastern states and left behind a swath of destruction that federal, state and local authorities are trying to alleviate even as they now brace for the next storm.
Both Biden and Harris denounced the misinformation and disinformation surrounding the federal response to Helene, including the false assertion that there is a cap on assistance funding families can receive. They also denounced the false notion that funding is diverted away from Republican-heavy areas and to people in the country illegally and that federal authorities offering aid could eventually steal property from its owners. Both singled out Trump as driving much of the falsehoods.
“I want to be clear about something. Over the last few weeks, there’s been a reckless, irresponsible, and relentless promotion of disinformation and outright lies that are disturbing people," Biden said during the Milton briefing. "It’s undermining confidence in the incredible rescue and recovery work that has already been taken and will continue to be taken. And it’s harmful to those who need help the most.”
“What a ridiculous thing to say,” Biden said of the false rumors that funding is being diverted to migrants in the country illegally. Biden also referenced Georgia Republican Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene 's false suggestion that “I control the weather," he said, calling her comments like something “out of a comic book.”
“It’s beyond ridiculous," Biden said. "It’s got to stop.”
He also told Deanne Criswell, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, “You’re doing a hell of a job.”
Harris said that once the hurricane passes, “we will be there to help folks rebuild.”
“This is a storm that is expected to be of historic proportion," she said. Addressing Florida residents, Harris added, "Many of you, I know are tough, and you’ve ridden out these hurricanes before. This one is going to be different.”
Harris also joined a phone call with Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Trump’s campaign said that the former president had spoken to Netanyahu after Iran launched recent missile attacks on Israel.
“World leaders want to speak and meet with President Trump because they know he will soon be returning to the White House and will restore peace around the globe,” Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
Biden, meanwhile, already postponed a trip scheduled this week to Germany and Angola, saying, “I just don’t think I can be out of the country at this time.”
Harris spent Tuesday in New York taping interviews on ABC's “The View," with radio personality Howard Stern and on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” During her interview on “The View” and later amid her taping with Colbert, Harris failed to name major ways her future administration would be substantially different from Biden's.
“There is not a thing that comes to mind,” Harris said on “The View.”
Trump reacted on his social media platform, posting that Harris said “she would have done nothing different” than Biden whom he called “the WORST PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.”
Harris had her own sharp words for her opponent. Reacting to reports in Bob Woodward ’s new book, “War” that Trump, while president, secretly sent COVID-19 test kits to Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2020, when they were hard to find in the United States, she said incuriously, “You remember what those days were like?”
"You remember how many people did not have tests and were trying to scramble to get them?" Harris asked during the taping with Colbert. “Remember how rare it was to have them?”
She said of Trump, “And this man is giving COVID test kits to Vladimir Putin. Think about what this means,” before adding, “He thinks Vladimir Putin is his friend. What about the American people? They should be your first friends.”
Trump denied the reporting. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the U.S. sent test kits. which he referred to as “testers," but denied that the exchange occurred in secret.
“There were no secret shipments. The pandemic was starting back then," Peskov said in a message on Wednesday. “Many countries were exchanging equipment. We sent ventilators. Testers came from America.”
© Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
34 Comments
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stormcrow
Give that man a one way ticket to Moscow and send him back to his master where he belongs.
plasticmonkey
Trump the con man knows there's a sucker born every minute.
His entire "success" is based on lying.
Underworld
Trump preaches “America First”, but when COVID test kits were in very short supply, he was “Putin First”.
dagon
Biden speaking truth. People like MTG used to be put in padded rooms.
But inevitably some MAGA will try a false equivalency like: 'Crazy AOC and the Squad want universal health care and education for everyone!!'
Talk about crazy!
Peter Neil
trump - kgb asset for 40 years. the kremlin was jubilant when he wrote an op-ed with their talking points.
still talking to his buddy putin, and they’re still jubilant as he does their bidding to sow chaos in america.
a blatant violation of the logan act. maybe he’ll be the first to be prosecuted? and no, kerry did not violate it because it went through the state department and they were aware of all conversations. that is the difference.
strange that all the republican governors are saying that fema has been on the ground since the beginning and doing an excellent job of coordination relief efforts.
when you politicize a disaster where hundreds of lives are lost, you’re scum.
bass4funk
You are joking right? Lol
It is, because it will never happen. Not enough money to siphon off from the people.
FizzBit
INGSOC news alert. The 60 Minutes editing of Kamala's answers should be enough for any common sense US citizen to finally see that the MSM has disintegrated into a 1984 mouthpiece for the Democrats. Want more war and death in the world? Vote Kamala and delete your conscience. Easy peasy.
Some dude
Which is what Biden and Harris are doing.
He (Biden) also told Deanne Criswell, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, “You’re doing a hell of a job.”
Harris said that once the hurricane passes, “we will be there to help folks rebuild.”
“This is a storm that is expected to be of historic proportion," she said. Addressing Florida residents, Harris added, "Many of you, I know are tough, and you’ve ridden out these hurricanes before. This one is going to be different.”
Biden, meanwhile, already postponed a trip scheduled this week to Germany and Angola, saying, “I just don’t think I can be out of the country at this time.”
How does any of that constitute "politicising a disaster"?
The first one is giving credit to a public servant. The second is a promise to help. The third is an attempt to warn. The fourth seems like a fairly reasonable thing to do as the current president.
Look, I know that the hate that is gnawing away at you makes you incapable of seeing straight, but I'd really like to see how the above can be twisted into "politicising a disaster".
Moonraker
Yeah right. What kind of fool would exchange test kits for a Russian ventilator? It boggles the mind.
Bob Fosse
It is insane that maga believe mtg’s nonsense. Really baffling that such people exist.
Jewish space lasers and controlling the weather; listen to yourselves for a second.
lincolnman
One thing is becoming clearer as we head to the finish line - Trump's campaign is trying their best to hide him until after Nov 5th...
They duck another debate with Harris, they duck the 60 Minutes interview....
They know their guy is a complete senile mess...who every time he opens his mouth collapses into a gaffe-filled, slurred-word rant about pets being eaten, windmills causing cancer, or America's No 1 threat - sharks...
Now we find out he talks with Putin more often than he talks to Melania and that he gave his BFF scarce ventilators during COVID - while Americans were dying...
https://www.cnbctv18.com/world/trump-phone-calls-with-putin-to-biden-outburst-at-netanyahu-this-new-book-reveals-it-all-19489822.htm
His upcoming jail sentence(s) can't come quick enough...
bass4funk
Will never happen.
Bob Fosse
Who said they should? They don’t need to, she hasn’t actually accomplished anything other than making herself and maga look stupid.
Let her rant, it separates the wheat from the chaff in discussions when people support her.
lincolnman
Direct from the poster who posted several times; "never say never"....
Since when did Laura Loomer and Lauren Boebert becomes leftists?
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4876003-greene-loomer-clash-racist-harris/
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/marjorie-taylor-greene-calls-lauren-boebert-little-b-house-floor-gop-p-rcna90592
Cards fan
Yeah. He's a billionaire, so clearly not a marxist. There are no marxists in power in the US. Believing progressive taxation doesn't make you a marxist.
Or maybe they want stable, capable leadership.
Oh, I see so why do so many black people support Harris? Why do the unions also support her?
Raw Beer
But their response was terrible. Most of the complaints are true, not misinformation and disinformation.
Blacklabel
after 2 months of claiming she isn’t Joe Biden- she is.
“Not a thing” she would do different. Including losing the election to Trump.
Went from a +5 to a -3 in Michigan in one month in a far left poll.
Cards fan
How was it terrible? Were they withholding funds from supporters of their rivals like Trump? Now that's a terrible response.
Blacklabel
Biden undermining Kamala again. Like when he agreed with DeSantis and contradicted her claim that she is in charge of the hurricane response.
she so desperately needed him to go so she could be pretend president.
joy and vibes there after Bob’s book I’m sure! lol
lincolnman
Boom....
"Vice President Kamala Harris has reached a record-breaking lead over former President Donald Trump in a newly released poll. The poll, conducted by Morning Consult between October 4 and 6, shows that Harris leads Trump by 6 points, 51 percent to his 45 percent. The poll surveyed 11,353 likely U.S. voters, with a margin of error of +/-1 percentage point."
https://www.newsweek.com/kamala-harris-donald-trump-national-polls-1965695
Now watch the excuses and deflections fly...
Some dude
after 2 months of claiming she isn’t Joe Biden- she is.
“Not a thing” she would do different. Including losing the election to Trump.
Well, Biden thrashed Trump in the 2020 election. So if Harris does nothing substantially different, logic suggests that she'll do the same.
funkymofo
Trump literally chickened out because 60 Minutes was going to fact check him- like they do with every story. The GOP is trying to hide him now- he's doing about 50% of the rallies he did in 2020, attendance is way down and people are leaving in droves- and he's refusing to debate or appear anywhere other than his rallies or safe spaces. He's just playing to his base- there are no new votes for him, dire polls.
It always makes me laugh when the right try to co-opt Orwell.
Blacklabel
did he really now? Thrashed huh?
or…was it less than 40,000 votes in a few states? After “interesting changes” to voting laws for COVID?
Swing states that Harris is losing now.
Underworld
Blacklabel
Hate to break it to you, but Biden beat Trump in the last election.
Blacklabel
that’s an internet poll of people who ask to take it lol
“In the 2018 and 2022 US midterm elections, Morning Consult performed well below average, with larger errors than most other pollsters.”
when even Wikipedia says you are terrible with no credibility …..lol
Underworld
Blacklabel
Biden thrashed Trump
or…was it less than 40,000 votes in a
It was 7 million popular votes and 306 electoral votes to thrash Trump.
Common sense laws to keep people safe when voting.
lincolnman
The Trump and MAGA lies are even becoming too much for their fellow Repubs...
Republican Chuck Edwards, the member for North Carolina’s 11th district, contradicted criticism from Trump and others of the Biden administration’s handling of the disaster by voicing praise for “a level of support that is unmatched by most any other disaster nationwide. He also condemned “outrageous rumors”, which he said were hampering attempts to aid badly affected communities in his constituency."
Kevin Corbin, a Republican North Carolina state senator, pleaded with his Facebook followers last week: “PLEASE help stop this junk. The misinformation is extremely damaging to the response efforts from Helene and from any disaster,”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/republican-congressman-issues-rebuke-over-outrageous-helene-disinformation/ar-AA1rYcSk?ocid=windirect&cvid=5a7e56d8fda340508e840f5356080afc&ei=61
Seems like they are the only Repubs with any courage and spine left...
WhiskeyGalore
Certainly, untruths have come out about aid to those affected by Hurricane Milton, the BBC Verify team did a good job clearing them up.
https://bbc.com/news/articles/czd1q9q9gl9o
bass4funk
Well, if there were anything remotely true to that statement, she would have never won her district again soundly
Yes, let her dig into the establishment and call them out, makes her more popular. Good on her.
Blacklabel
did she really? Can you compare the content of the 2 interviews?
Kamala embarrassed herself, what did Trump say?
bass4funk
Because it hasn’t not in 8 years and it won’t moving forward.
Seriously, that’s all you got? Lol
Some dude
its not
Too bad, I thought you might have finally admitted the truth.
Anyway, the history books will record a difference of seven million votes and 306 electoral votes, also known as a thrashing.
Your delusional redefinition of those numbers matters only to yourself.
itsonlyrocknroll
Kamala Harris campaign from beginning to this sorry seemingly inevitable demise has/is wallowing in a unhinged "Trump derangement syndrome"
Harris campaign has had numinous opportunities to change direction, and fully acknowledge an electorate time and again crying out for clear honest explanations as to why Harris/Biden did not address the now ever growing failures in office, in government.
Immigration, law and order, an economy, fiscal monetary policy infested with an ideological tax and spend dogma that inflicts a debilitating earnings downward spiral of middle class families.
Yet every Harris interview, a foaming at the mouth, word salad, interspersed with a rabid "Trump derangement syndrome" rant.
Oh yes... Just check this out....
"Have You No Empathy, Man?" - VP Harris On Trump's Lies About FEMA's Hurricane Helene Relief Work
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfgqM13RQvo
lincolnman
So Trump was having routine telephone calls with Putin even after he left office in 2020 - Hmmm, wonder what those "talks" were all about...
Probably Trump sitting on the "throne", reading off from a selection of our most sensitive Top Secret documents and war-plans he kept in his bathroom...
Likely in exchange for a dacha next to Putin's when his jail sentences are announced...