Former President Donald J. Trump spewed crude and vulgar comments at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, including offensive remarks about a famous golfer’s penis size and crude insults about Vice President Kamala Harris.
The performance, which took place 17 days before the election in a key battleground state, reinforced the impression that the Republican candidates are increasingly unfiltered and undisciplined. The move comes as some of Trump’s allies and aides worry that his temperament and rough-and-tumble attitude are turning off undecided voters.
It’s unclear whether the abuse and insults are an expression of frustration as the campaign continues, or a reflexive desire to entertain the crowd. At her event on Saturday, Harris called attention to Trump’s temperament and tendency to “rambling off-script.”
Trump began his speech at the Latrobe, Pennsylvania, airport with a 12-minute reminiscence about golfer Arnold Palmer, who grew up in the western Pennsylvania town and for whom the airport is named.
His monologue culminated with a lewd remark about the size of Mr. Palmer’s penis. Shortly after, Trump gave the crowd a chance to shout profanities. He went on to use that four-letter word to describe Ms. Harris.
“It’s been a really horrible four years,” Trump said of the Biden-Harris administration, looking out at the crowd of several hundred people gathered in front of him. “We’ve been through horrible things. Think about it. Everything they touch changes.”
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