President Trump unloaded on Joe Biden in his acceptance speech Thursday, saying China would “own” America if his Democratic rival is elected while promising he’ll keep fighting to protect jobs.

“Joe Biden’s agenda is: ‘Made in China.’ Mine is: Made in the USA,” Trump said.

With just 66 days to go until Election Day, Trump accepted the GOP party’s renomination from a White House South Lawn stage and laid out how he differs from the Democrats.

“If we had listened to Joe, hundreds of thousands of more Americans would have died,” Trump said of his decisions to stop travel from China and Europe at the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump hit on crushing “the virus” with new vaccines, building the wall, fighting terrorism and illegal immigration; protecting 401k accounts, keeping taxes low, protecting teachers, police and the unborn. Also, going to Mars and creating 10 million jobs post-pandemic.

Trump spelled out how he differs from the “wild-eyed Marxists” on the left who back the “cancel culture” — hitting Biden and the DNC for taking “God” out of it’s party platform.

“At no time before have voters faced a clearer choice between two parties, two visions, two philosophies or two agendas,” Trump said.

“At the Democrat convention, you barely heard a word about their agenda,” Trump added. “But that’s not because they don’t have one. It’s because their agenda is the most extreme set of proposals ever put forward by a major party nominee.”

The speech comes as the politicking intensified Thursday, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying Biden shouldn’t debate Trump and “legitimize” a discussion with him.

“I don’t think that there should be any debates,” Pelosi told reporters. “I do not think that the president of the United States has comported himself in a way that anybody has any association with truth, evidence, data and facts.”

The first presidential debate is scheduled for Sept. 29; two more are set for Oct. 15 and 22. The Biden camp has said the former vice president will debate Trump.

The debate between Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris is set for Oct. 7.

Trump said the Democratic agenda “is the most extreme set of proposals ever put forward by a major party nominee.”

“The Republican Party goes forward united, determined, and ready to welcome millions of Democrats, independents, and anyone who believes in the greatness of America and the righteous heart of the American people,” Trump said. “This towering American spirit has prevailed over every challenge and lifted us to the summit of human endeavor.”

The president faces challenges on multiple fronts, with the coronavirus pandemic still infecting thousands every day as the world waits for a successful vaccine. The unemployment picture remains dour — with Massachusetts leading the nation with a 16.1% unemployment rate.

Then there’s the unrest in Wisconsin following Sunday’s police shooting of a Black man in Kenosha and protests in the nights that followed that left two dead and another wounded. A 17-year-old is charged in those shootings.

Kyle Rittenhouse faces charges of first-degree intentional homicide, one count of first-degree reckless homicide, one count of attempted first-degree intentional homicide and two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment.

But Trump addressed his party’s final night of the virus-constricted convention with a live crowd of about 2,000 seated out in the open — a clear juxtaposition to the DNC’s enclosed and all-virtual event.

The night ended with opera singing and fireworks set off around the Washington Monument.

Herald wire services contributed.

___

(c)2020 the Boston Herald

Visit the Boston Herald at www.bostonherald.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

—-

This content is published through a licensing agreement with Acquire Media using its NewsEdge technology.

Rating: 4.9/5. From 9 votes.
Please wait...