CNN —
Donald Trump has shifted his focus to making closing arguments to voters as he heads into the final stages of his campaign for the White House.
That’s what his campaign said Saturday as the former president took to the stage in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
But shortly after leaving after listening to the pro wrestler’s entrance music, President Trump immediately launched into a rambling anecdote about the late golf legend Arnold Palmer, the namesake of the local airport. The story, which lasted nearly 15 minutes, seemed to have little purpose beyond evoking regional icons, and included references to Palmer’s vast wealth and some blunt remarks about the Hall of Fame player’s nudity. Ta.
“Arnold Palmer was a total man. I say this with all due respect to women, I love women…This man was strong and tough, and I refuse to say that, but other “I took a shower with a professional and they came out of there,” and they said, “Oh my God.” It’s unbelievable,” President Trump said.
Upon hearing this anecdote, one rally attendee commented, “I wasn’t expecting to hear that tonight.”
From there, Trump invited former Pittsburgh Steeler star Antonio Brown, who has had legal troubles, to the stage, called his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris a “fucking vice president,” and used a screen urging his supporters to vote. attacked mail-in voting. Vote absentee early.
In between the profane and bizarre moments, there were glimpses of a closing moment. “With your help, we will restore the strength, supremacy, prosperity and pride of this nation,” President Trump told the crowd, reading from a teleprompter. …This will be a new golden age for America. 100 years from now, the 2024 presidential election will be seen as America’s greatest victory.
He also showed a video of Harris expressing support for banning fracking, an issue important to many Keystone State voters.
But on other occasions, Trump interrupted his written remarks just as he was about to get across the core of his campaign message, the kind of thing that was cut out for airplay by a local television station in Pittsburgh. .
“This election is a choice between whether we continue to fail four more years of unbelievably bad things. Four such horrible years. Everything they touch—” Trump said, pausing. Ta.
The crowd shouted back a corresponding expletive.
The rally marked the beginning of two days of appearances for Mr. Trump in Pennsylvania, a battleground state that both sides are prioritizing in both broadcasting and scheduling. President Trump will hold a town hall in a Philadelphia suburb on Saturday. He also plans to stop by McDonald’s to watch a Pittsburgh Steelers game and work as a fry cook, a visit meant to denigrate Harris’ experience working at the Golden Arches. .
Ahead of the Latrobe event, the Trump campaign suggested the former president would begin adjusting his message to the current urgency and contrasts between the two candidates.
“I think today’s remarks are important because they are the beginning of a framework,” said Jason Miller, Trump’s top adviser. His pitch will be delivered in full at a rally scheduled for a week later at Madison Square Garden, Miller added.
But there was little to distinguish Trump’s remarks from the dozens of speeches he gave during the campaign. He lambasted the mental capacity of immigrants and opponents. He complained about the lawsuits against him as a former president and the investigation into Russian election interference that dogged his early days in office.
Saturday’s erratic performance, played in front of a smaller-than-usual crowd that lacked energy during the pre-program, followed a string of recent performances that deviated from expectations.
Mr. Trump’s rally in Detroit failed to fill the venue his campaign had booked, and his appearance on stage was marked by a technical problem with his microphone. The former president stood awkwardly by the podium, waiting for repairs to be completed, and vowed to come down hard on the contractor who provided the sound system.
Earlier this week, President Trump decided to cancel questioning at a town hall after a member of the audience developed a medical condition. Instead, he waved his arms on stage, called out a song to play on the sound system, and left after 40 minutes without taking any further questions.
The incident echoes recent attacks by Ms. Harris and her allies, who argue that Mr. Trump has become unstable and erratic in the final stages of the campaign. They also used President Trump’s decision to cancel high-profile interviews with “60 Minutes” and CNBC as evidence that the former president’s travel schedule is catching up with the 78-year-old former president.
Speaking in Detroit on Friday, Mr. Trump pushed back against suggestions that he had given up a step.
“I’ve already been 48 days without a break, and there are losers who don’t have the energy of a rabbit,” he said.
The next day at Latrobe he spoke for about an hour and 40 minutes, publicly demonstrating his ability to continue fighting.
Still, Trump kept his eyes on the moment in his rearview mirror when he could make a third White House bid.
“We’ve been through a lot together, and the finish line is finally in sight,” President Trump said.
