Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden shot down President Donald Trump’s campaign narrative painting him as a radical socialist who is responsible for the recent violence in cities across the country.
Flanked by American flags, Biden told the nation during Monday’s speech in Pittsburgh, “You know me, you know my heart. You know my story, my family’s story. Ask yourself, do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really?”
He continued, “I want a safe America, safe from COVID, safe from crime and looting. Safe from racially motivated violence, safe from bad cops. Let me be crystal clear, safe from four more years of Donald Trump.”
Watch the video below:
Biden: ‘You know me … ask yourself, do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really?!’ pic.twitter.com/wHj20DJGOo
— NowThis Impact (@nowthisimpact) August 31, 2020
Before Biden’s appearance in Pittsburgh, Trump blasted the former vice president on Twitter, writing, “Joe Biden is coming out of the basement earlier than his hoped for ten days because his people told him he has no choice, his poll numbers are PLUNGING!”
Trump added, “His problem is interesting. He must always be weak on CRIME because of the Bernie Sanders Radical Left voter. If he loses them, like Crooked Hillary did, he is ‘toast.'”
….His problem is interesting. He must always be weak on CRIME because of the Bernie Sanders Radical Left voter. If he loses them, like Crooked Hillary did, he is “toast”, and many will vote for me because of TRADE (Bernie was good on trade). Joe MUST always be weak on crime!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 31, 2020
For the past two weeks, Trump has been accusing Biden of going soft on anarchists and rioters. In a Sunday tweet, Trump wrote, “When is Slow Joe Biden going to criticize the Anarchists, Thugs [and] Agitators in ANTIFA?”
During his speech, Biden criticized Trump for failing to condemn violence by his supporters. The Democrat said, “He may believe mouthing the words law and order makes him strong, but his failure to call on his own supporters to stop acting as an armed militia in this country shows you how weak he is.”
On his Twitter feed, Trump called a caravan of his supporters who went into Portland, Oregon, “great patriots.” Fights broke out between pro-Trump supporters and counterprotesters over the weekend in Portland.