Posted on 09/25/2020 1:13:20 PM PDT by lightman
Gov. Tom Wolf issued a statement Friday calling President Donald J. Trumps continued scheduling of large campaign rallies in Pennsylvania dangerous, manipulative and wrong, and urged all attendees to think of the health and safety of their families and their communities before attending... any rally put on by the Trump campaign.
If they do persist in going, Wolf said, their duty to their families and friends includes wearing a mask and maintaining proper social distancing for the duration of the events.
Wolfs comments come as the president is making huge personal investments in trying to hold Pennsylvania and its 20 swing-state electoral college votes in his column in his race for a second term against former Vice President Joe Biden. That will include a scheduled appearance Saturday on the grounds of Harrisburg International Airport.
Recent polling shows Biden, the longtime senator from Delaware, holding a small lead over Trump among likely voters.
Biden has avoided large, in-person events during his campaign.
For Wolf, a Democrat who has generally avoided direct, public criticism of Trump, the statement represented a continuation of the governors personal crusade against large public gatherings while the coronavirus pandemic is still very much a part of Pennsylvania, and Americas, reality.
New case incidence rates, while well below the peaks reached last spring, have been trending up statewide as schools and colleges have reopened, and most recently Wolf has found himself in a pitched battle with the states Republican-controlled legislature over attendance at high school sporting events.
The governor asked Trump Friday to "abide by COVID-19 mitigation guidance when visiting the commonwealth and forego holding unsafe rallies in Pennsylvania, which he said would help solve problems for Pennsylvanians instead of exacerbating public health risks in the commonwealth.
And then, he turned really critical:
It is gravely concerning that the president would insist on holding this event with blatant disregard for social distancing and masking requirements. His decision to bring thousands of people together in a tight space in the midst of a global pandemic caused by an airborne virus is flat out wrong. No matter what party you support, all Americans should be very concerned that the president has put headlines and publicity above the health and safety of our families and communities, Wolf said in the statement issued by his office.
"... It is dangerous and disappointing that the president continues to ignore science and his own health advisors while putting the lives of those who support him at risk. The president has admitted to lying about the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in the meantime, our country has lost more than 200,000 lives on his watch. While we continue to see only tepid and contradictory attempts at leadership from the White House, families have lost loved ones, the economy has taken a massive hit and communities are crying out for help.
Instead of spending his time on rallies, the president should return to Washington and deal with things that matter to Pennsylvanians, like unemployment assistance, state and local aid, hazard pay and a cohesive strategy for pulling the country out of this pandemic as quickly as possible, the statement from Wolf continued.
To hold this event is not just misguided, it is dangerous, it is manipulative and it is wrong.I would ask Pennsylvanians to think of the health and safety of their families and their communities before attending this event or any rally put on by the Trump campaign. And I would ask the president, for once, to put the health of his constituents ahead of his own political fortunes.
Wolfs longstanding guidance for public gatherings has been a cap of 25 persons for indoor events, and 250 for outdoor events.
However, those parts of Wolfs pandemic emergency declaration were specifically struck down this week in a holding by a federal district court judge, so its not clear that the governor has any enforcement authority to pursue regarding Saturdays event, which a Trump campaign spokeswoman said will be held outdoors.
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Serial Killer Tom Wolf that is.
If President Trump keeps holding rallies, and people don’t get sick, they’re going to figure out it’s all a hoax. -Governor Wolf.
Sounds like panic I think.
I suppose Wolf has also excoriated all the peaceful protestors and told them they are risking the lives of their families and friends. No? Quelle surprise!
What does being put on blast, mean?
It must be a local phrase. I know on notice, but not this.
It sounds like the governor wants everyone to hear Trump, as in on a loudspeaker.
Until they come out and say no protests or riots because of covid I will not listen to theses beaurucrats.
Peaceful Protest.
When will the politicians stop trying to use the corny-virus to hold our country back?
November 4th
It means he "destroyed" Trump, just like the thousands of headlines we see on Freerepublic telling us how Mark Levin or Kayleigh McEnany have destroyed someone or another.
When Biden wins.
One of the reasons why the Media/Dem Party has kept the virus hysteria going for so long was to keep Trump penned up in the White House. They know from 2016 just how potent his rallies were in building support among those who were tired of politicians lying to them election after election.
The common word would be blasted, then.
I dont know where they got on blast. When I put my radio on full blast, it is at its loudest for all to hear.
Odd.
What does being put on blast, mean?
~~~~
It means he “destroyed” Trump, just like the thousands of headlines we see on Freerepublic telling us how Mark Levin or Kayleigh McEnany have destroyed someone or another.
~~~~
No, I agree with ConservativeMind.
This is no parlance that I am familar with.
It sounds almost like a bad dub, or engrish.
Did this get written by the CCP and translated to english?
Someone set us up a bomb. Main screen turn on.
But it’s okay for Wolf to “peacefully demonstrate” with thousands of unwashed thugs as they destroy lives and attempt to overthrow the US.
Have there been any spikes in coronavirus cases two weeks after any of Trumps rallies? The airport rallies are the best .... outdoors, away from cities where there is easy access from rioters, no car travel for PDJT, beautiful plane in background, etc. Has any previous candidate held airport rallies? They are terrific.
If there have been any spikes, the media would be breathlessly reporting it.
Excellent point.
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