Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is firing back at President Donald Trump and defending Goodyear after the president called for a boycott.
In a statement on Wednesday evening, Biden said, “Goodyear employs thousands of American workers, including in Ohio where it is headquartered.”
He continued, “To President Trump, those workers and their jobs aren’t a source of pride, just collateral damage in yet another one of his political attacks.”
“President Trump doesn’t have a clue about the dignity and worth that comes with good-paying union jobs at places like Goodyear — jobs that can support a family and sustain a community,” Biden added.
Read the statement below:
Joe Biden is blasting President Trump for his tweet calling for a boycott of Goodyear tires saying the company’s employers and jobs aren’t a “source of pride” to the president, rather “just collateral damage in yet another one of his political attacks.” pic.twitter.com/Nypf7EvaSs
— Sarah Mucha (@sarahmucha) August 19, 2020
The former vice president continued to criticize Trump for “taking his eye off the ball” and “getting distracted by petty political grievances” amid the COVID-19 which has led to more than 170,000 deaths.
Biden’s comments come after Trump called for a boycott of Goodyear on Twitter. He wrote, “Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES – They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS.”
He added, “Get better tires for far less! (This is what the Radical Left Democrats do. Two can play the same game, and we have to start playing it now!).”
Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES – They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS. Get better tires for far less! (This is what the Radical Left Democrats do. Two can play the same game, and we have to start playing it now!).
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2020
Trump’s comment appeared to be in reference to a report from WIBW, a local CBS affiliate television station, about a training session at the company’s corporate headquarters in Ohio.
WIBW referred to a slide that said MAGA apparel was “unacceptable” while Black Lives Matter apparel was “acceptable.”
In a statement to WIBW, the company said, “We do allow our associates to express their support on racial injustice and other equity issues but ask that they refrain from workplace expressions, verbal or otherwise, in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party as well as other similar forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of equity issues.”