A look at the questionable town hall encounter between a president and his citizens
Photo: The New York Times
On Tuesday, September 15th, Trump met with undecided voters at an ABC News town hall in philadelphia. The purpose of the meeting was to answer civil questions and shed light on the views as well as past, present, and future responses to the problems facing the current administration and citizens of the United States.
Trump was faced by multiple people from a wide variety of backgrounds and political interests who were given a slot to discuss a concern for the people and the country. He was asked about his recently uncovered remarks in a phone call with Bob Woodward which contained audio of the President stating: “I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down…” in regards to his response to the nation on COVID-19. The President then held a conference after the audio was broadcast, where he stated he only played it down in an effort to diffuse the growing hysteria of the nation. When asked in the town hall, he diverted from that statement and claimed he “up-played” it and if not for him, the nation would have suffered greater losses.
Trump was also questioned about his stance on the injustice taking place in America between law enforcement and the black community. When asked if he felt racial injustice was occurring and what could be done to address the issues, Trump began to rant about his endorsements by police and felt that “they were tragic events, but if you look at the police, they do a phenomenal job.” He also felt that “people choke and make mistakes” and that there are some “bad apples” in the police force in regards to the loss of lives in the black community. When questioned again after differing from an answer, Trump claimed, “We have to give the police back their authority.”
With a barrage of questions dealing with a mask mandate, his remarks about U.S. troops, racial inequality and injustice, becoming a U.S. citizen, healthcare and coverage for pre-existing conditions, etc., Trump offered no real strategy or plan of action to combat any issue that holds true. Instead, the President praised himself, his administration, his use of the national guard, blamed all economical downfalls on a “disease”, and even interrupted the people questioning him through all of it.
The President is under fire for his comments about climate change as wildfires continue to spread and devastate across the U.S., COVID and the still rising death toll of nearly 195,000 Americans and 6.3 million confirmed cases, and a number of other issues as seen in the ABC conference. President Trump is set to have his first presidential debate against former VP Joe Biden on Sept. 29th. With all of these rising concerns against his current handlings as President, Trump may have to reassess his strategy against opponent Joe Biden in their first standoff.
Sources and information provided with footage by:
ABC News
CNN