Trump Rips Biden, Touts Economic Recovery At Oakland County Rally

OAKLAND COUNTY, MI — President Donald Trump Friday spoke at the first of what will be four stops in Michigan ahead of Tuesday's general election.

Trump spoke for about an hour to a crowd of thousands in Oakland County's Waterford Township, taking jabs at Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The president said states should open their economies, chastising both Whitmer's and Biden's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"A vote for Biden is a vote to extend demolished and wipe out Michigan's auto industry and many of your other industries," Trump said. "A vote for me is to keep and create auto jobs and all sorts of jobs in Michigan, where they belong."

Friday's stop in Oakland County is the first of four Trump will be making in Michigan as his campaign kicks things into gear ahead of Tuesday's election. Michigan is a key swing state in Tuesday's election, carrying 16 electoral college votes. Trump won the state in 2016 by a margin of fewer than 11,000 votes.

The president will also be Michigan on Sunday, where he is scheduled to speak at Sports Park in Washington Township in Macomb County. On Monday, Trump is scheduled to speak at a Traverse City airport at 5 p.m. Following that event, Trump is set to travel to Wisconsin for an engagement before returning to Michigan to hold a 10:30 p.m. rally at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids.

Friday's rally was Trump's second event in Michigan in less than a week. On Tuesday, the president made his first visit to the Lansing area since 2016.

Biden also has made several stops in Michigan. He visited Metro Detroit in October and September, with running mate Kamala Harris also taking trips to Oakland County. He is scheduled to return to the metro Detroit region Saturday with former Democratic President Barrack Obama.

With less than a week until Election Day, Trump is trailing Democratic rival Joe Biden in most national polls, according to The Associated Press. Polls show similar trends in Michigan.

Entering his rally Friday, Trump was greeted with thousands in attendance, many of whom were bundled in 30-degree weather but with few donning masks. The crowd shouted chants of "U.S.A." and "four more years."

The crowd also chanted "lock her up" at Trump's first reference to Whitmer, who early on during the coronavirus pandemic issued executive orders shutting down parts of the state's economy in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

"Not me, see? They blame me every time that happens," Trump said when the chants began.

Trump told people in attendance at the rally that Whitmer needs to open up Michigan and that he's "tired of watching her husband go sailing," a reference to a controversy from May, when the governor's husband reportedly asked a dock company to place his boat in the water before Memorial Day Weekend.

The president spoke of the coronavirus and how the nation is working on a vaccine. Trump said the vaccine will be offered to front-line workers and senior citizens before anyone else, adding that the vaccine will be provided for free.

A significant increase in COVID-19 cases around the nation was of little concern to Trump, who said he, his wife, first lady Melania Trump, and others are examples that the virus can be beaten. He also said the rise in cases is due to increased testing.

"We test more than anybody in history," Trump said. "We have tests on top of tests."

Trump also used the rally as an opportunity to take shots at Biden, who he referred to often as "Sleepy Joe." The president said Biden does not want to reopen economies, saying he wants to "keep everyone locked up."

"Joe Biden is going to lock down your state, wipe out your factories, ship out your jobs, bring things to China whenever they can," Trump said.