Janice R. Andrews
At his rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, former President Donald Trump made news when he talked about the recent controversy at Arlington National Cemetery and how excited he was to face Vice President Kamala Harris in Philadelphia. At the gathering at the 1st Summit Arena, there were a lot of people. Trump gave a speech with many of his usual attacks on illegal immigrants, the media, and his political opponents.
The Arlington controversy is at the center of attention
Trump talked about a recent event that happened at Arlington National Cemetery at the gathering. The trouble started when Trump went to the grave to remember the 13 U.S. service members who died while the country was leaving Afghanistan. The families of the victims had asked him to do so. Officials at the Pentagon were worried that Trump’s appearance could turn the serious event into a campaign stop, which is against federal law. When a cemetery worker tried to stop Trump’s team from bringing cameras to the graves, things got worse. This led to a fight with a campaign worker who insisted that cameras be there.
“I would like to get a lot less publicity,” Trump said to explain what he did. I’m the only person who would hire a PR firm to avoid getting attention. He said that the only reason he went to the graveyard was because a family asked him to and not because he wanted to get attention. But when the Trump campaign responded, saying the worker was having a “mental health episode,” it caused backlash. As a result, the Army made a rare statement supporting the worker’s skill.
Looking Ahead to the Debate in Philadelphia
Trump quickly turned his attention from the Arlington scandal to the upcoming discussion with Vice President Kamala Harris. As they get ready for the ABC presidential debate in Philadelphia, both the Trump and Harris camps are putting a lot of effort into Pennsylvania, which is a key swing state. The discussion will happen a little more than a week after Labor Day.
At first, Trump didn’t want to take part in the debate because he was still suing ABC News and was worried that Harris would be his opponent instead of Vice President Biden. He did say that he would be at the Johnstown gathering, though, saying, “I look forward to the debate with her.” This is a big moment because both camps are still arguing about how the debate should be set up, especially whether there should be live mics the whole time.
People are angry about fracking and energy policies.
At some points in his speech, Trump also criticized Harris’s views on fracking, which is a controversial topic in Pennsylvania because of its oil and gas business. Trump attacked Harris for changing her mind about the issue. He reminded the crowd that she had supported a ban on fracking when she was running for president in 2019 but changed her mind when she became Biden’s running mate.
Trump said, “I will tell Pennsylvania to drill, baby, drill,” indicating that he supports increasing energy production in the United States. The blue-collar people in Johnstown really connected with this comment. Many of them remembered Trump’s past promises to help the local steel industry. In a recent CNN interview, Harris made her current stance clear: “We are in 2024, and I have not changed that position, nor will I going forward.” I promised to keep my word, and I will.
There was a rally of angry rhetoric.
There were policy debates at Trump’s gathering, but he also used it to say the kinds of things that make people angry that he always does. He hit Harris over and over again and made it seem like there was a big gap between his fans and his opponents in the political world. Trump said at one point that if a Republican had handled immigration policy the way Harris has, “they’d be putting them on a string.” He said things about immigration that were not true, like saying that other countries are bringing their prisoners to the U.S., and he called for drug sellers to be put to death.
Democrats have criticized Trump’s gathering for having a tone that divides people. They say that his words only make things worse between people across the country. Harris recently gave a victory speech at the Democratic National Convention. In it, she talked about the risks of a Trump presidency and said, “Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails.” What he would do with the huge power that comes with being president of the United States—not to make your life better, but to serve himself, who is the only client he has ever had.
Taking a cue from RFK Jr.: A New Slogan
In a surprise move, Trump borrowed a phrase from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who just stopped running for office and backed Trump in a court filing in Pennsylvania. Trump used Kennedy’s phrase, “Make America healthy again,” as a theme for his speech. He promised to get rid of harmful chemicals in the body and in the world. This fits with Kennedy’s known position as an anti-vaccine activist and former environmental lawyer who has spoken out against Trump’s actions in rolling back over 100 environmental rules while he was in office.
How Things Will Go From Here in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is still a very important swing state as Trump and Harris get ready to fight in Philadelphia. An Emerson College/The Hill poll from August says that Trump and Harris are tied in the state with 48% of potential voters’ approval. “We win this state, we win the whole thing,” Trump said. This shows how important it is for both parties to win over Pennsylvanians’ hearts and minds.
Trump’s victory gathering in Johnstown was a clear example of how he plans to win over working-class voters and strengthen his support in Pennsylvania. With the debate coming up in Philadelphia, all eyes are on the Keystone State, which could very well decide who wins the 2024 presidential election.
