US elections 2020: Trump, Biden intensify campaign

Washington, Oct 31: US President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden have intensified their poll campaigns for the November 3 presidential elections, both on the ground and in the virtual domain, making a case before Americans as to why they should vote for them.

Trump, a Republican, is seeking re-election to the White House. Biden, 77, who has been a Senator for several decades and was a vice president during the Obama Administration is urging his countrymen to put him in the Oval Office for a four-year term beginning January 20, 2021.

On Friday, Trump addressed three rallies in battle ground States of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota which the president hopes to wrest from the Democrats after several decades.

Biden, whose campaign has mostly been in the virtual domain, including through zoom calls, was also campaigning in three states of Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Vice President Mike Pence was in Arizona, while Democratic vice-presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris was making stops in Texas, a Republican bastion, which many political analysts say is in play this time.

In addition to this Trump's family members- daughters Ivanka and Tiffany and sons Eric and Donald J Trump Jr- were campaigning aggressively for their father in various battle ground States.

So are Jill Biden, the former second lady and Dough Emhoff, husband of Kamala Harris, making a case for the Biden-Harris ticket.

The Democrats whose campaigns, in the past led by former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, were known for a grass root movement and ground game, have moved their campaign into the virtual domain.

With no dearth of money that it raised in the last three months, the party has flooded the digital domain and air waves across the country with its campaigning, particularly in the battle ground States.

The few election rallies of the Biden campaigns are restricted to drive-in car rallies, that at times number a few hundred at the most, or a few dozen in person maintaining COVID-19 social distancing measures. The Biden campaign has described it as a responsible campaigning.

The Trump campaign says that the Bidens have not been able to attract people towards their side and reflects a lackluster response from Americans. On the other hand, the Biden campaign has accused the Republican Party and Trump of being irresponsible by holding massive rallies which they say are super spreaders for the coronavirus.

For the Republicans, President Trump is the star campaigner and the best messenger. His rallies have been attracting large crowds on an average ranging between 15,000 to 25,000, which is considered to be a big number by American standards in the time of COVID-19.

His rallies are full of energy and enthusiasm, with many of his supporters driving for hours and waiting at the venue to listen to their leader.

In their election rallies, both Biden and Trump emphasise on one common point, urging people to come out and vote. The two leaders broadly use the first half of their speech by ripping apart the policies of their opponents and even launching a scathing personal attack.

The second half of their speech is devoted to presenting their vision and key policy elements of what their administrations will do, if voted to power.

While both the Trump and Biden campaigns have a different pathway, the two leaders promise to create jobs, make the US a manufacturing hub, address the challenges posed by China, and promise not to raise taxes for the majority of Americans.

Both the campaigns argue that they have the best plan and it is only under them that the US can retain its core values of liberty and freedom.

On Saturday, Biden would be joined by former president Barack Obama in Michigan. They will discuss bringing Americans together to address the crises facing the country and winning the battle for the soul of the nation, his campaign said on Friday.

His running mate Harris would be in Florida, another battle ground State.

Over the next three days, Trump, as per his campaign, is planning to address as many as 14 election rallies in key battle ground States. On Saturday, the president is carpet bombing key State of Pennsylvania with as many as four rallies in one day. On Sunday and Monday, his election rallies are in Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Iowa.

As of Friday, Trump's last election rally was scheduled to be held at Grand Rapids in Michigan at 10.30 pm on Monday. Trump is known for adding more stops to his campaign at the last minute.