Trump scoffs at 'friendly' transition of power
At the second of three events in Pennsylvania Monday, Trump told supporters at a rally in Lititz while he wants any transition to be done "absolutely by the book" but that it’s "very hypocritical" for Democrats and other critics to expect a friendly transfer of power.
"We want it to be done absolutely by the book, and we want to go absolutely by our great Constitution. But you know what, when they start talking about this friendly wonderful transition. And then you see what they put us through. It's really very hypocritical isn’t it?" Trump told the fired up crowd. "On November 3rd we must finish the job and drain that very deep and very nasty swamp once."
Ticking through the battleground state Monday, Trump urged voters to turnout in stronger numbers than in 2016 as he narrowly won the state then by only .72%.
"For the last four years, you've seen me fight for you and now I am relying on you to deliver a historic victory for our country. Bigger even than four years ago," Trump said.
Trump continued to brush off the effects of COVID-19 as cases and hospitalizations rise across the country, saying, "One day you get it, and, that's OK. You get better. We have such great, I think, cures." He again raised the diagnosis of his youngest son, Barron, 14, to downplay the effects of the disease on children. According to the latest report from the American Academy of Pediatrics, at least 120 children have died from COVID-19 since late March.
"I mean, I got it and I'm here. We have great medicines and therapeutics," he said. “You know who else got it? Barron. My very tall son… It’s gone. Young kids, they have a strong immune system. I've gained such respect for them.”
“It's absolutely an amazing thing what we've done in a period of seven months because, you know, I'm the president of the United States,” Trump added.
Some Amish supporters, without masks, stood directly behind Trump at the rally, and the demographic received a nod from Trump.
“We have Pennsylvania Dutch. Don't tell anyone. You know, they -- they’re great people. They're great people, but they're not known for going out and voting for a lot of reasons. Don't tell anybody, but the Pennsylvania Dutch are voting en masse,” Trump said.
In slamming trade positions taken by the Obama administration, Trump also said he wants the U.S. to be a “developing nation” as the World Trade Organization still recognizes China as a developing country.
“They are considered a developing nation and I said so we are a developing nation, too. We’re developing, they are developing, we are developing, they get big advantages,” Trump said. “We want to be a developing nation also.”