Wednesday October 27, 2021
After the attack on Powell
Biden: Trump incites people across the country
US President Biden is actually mostly silent about his predecessor. But during an election campaign appearance in Virginia, he finds unusually sharp words against Trump: He spreads hatred – and denigrates “American heroes”.
Most recently, US President Joe Biden has avoided putting Donald Trump’s name in his mouth – now the Democrat has addressed his Republican predecessor with unusual clarity. During an appearance in the state of Virginia on Tuesday evening, he criticized, among other things, Trump’s remarks about the former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who died last week.
The attack against Powell was “offensive”. “I would say it’s amazing,” said Biden in Arlington. But: “It wasn’t. Trump did the same with (his sharp inner-party adversary) John McCain. That’s Donald Trump.”
Trump had ridiculed that Powell had been treated well by the “fake news media” after his death, even though he had made “big mistakes in Iraq” and justified a military operation in the country with reference to alleged weapons of mass destruction. Biden then replied that Powell was an “American hero”. Trump, on the other hand, urged a mob of insurgents to storm the Capitol on January 6th. “And to this day he incites people all over the country.”
Biden found clear words for Trump’s Republicans during his campaign appearance in Virginia, where a new governor will be elected on November 2nd. “Today’s Republican Party stands for nothing more than further tax cuts for the rich and the most powerful corporations,” he said. Extremism has taken the helm in the party across America.
The leading candidates in the Virginia gubernatorial race are former Democratic incumbent Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin. Biden called Youngkin “a supporter of Donald Trump”. The hotly contested vote in the state is also seen as a test of sentiment for national politics.