LA TROBE, Pa. (AP) — Donald Trump’s campaign indicated it would begin previewing closing arguments Saturday night, just two weeks before Election Day. But the former president began the rally with detailed stories about Arnold Palmer, at one point praising the late golf legend’s genitals.
Mr. Trump was campaigning in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where Mr. Palmer was born in 1929, suffered from polio, and learned golf from his father, who was the head professional and greenkeeper at a local country club.
Politicians saluting Mr. Palmer in his hometown is nothing new. But Trump spent a full 12 minutes at the beginning of his speech, even suggesting how much more fun the night would be if Palmer, who died in 2016, joined him on stage.
“Arnold Palmer was a man through and through, and I say that out of respect for women,” Trump said. “This is a man who was fully human.”
Then he went further.
“When he took a shower with other pros, they came out of there. They said, ‘Oh my God.’ I can’t believe it,” Trump said with a laugh. “I had to say, we have some very sophisticated women here, but we used to see Arnold as a man.”
Trump’s senior adviser Jason Miller told reporters before the speech that Trump would preview his closing arguments against Vice President Kamala Harris and “start to get into the frame.” Candidates have traditionally spent their final days on the campaign trail summarizing to voters why they deserve to win the White House.
Trump ended up laying out many of his favorite campaign themes, but without offering much of a new framework for the campaign or why he should win. Instead, he boasted that he had created strong tax policies and a strong military during his first term.
He accused Harris of being “crazy” and added profanity.
“I have to tell Kamala Harris, enough is enough, I can’t take it anymore, I can’t take it anymore, you’re the vice president,” Trump said to roars from the crowd. “You’re the worst. You’re the worst vice president. Kamala, you’re fired. Get out of here.”
He also criticized Harris for suggesting she supported banning fracking during her unsuccessful 2020 presidential bid. Hydraulic fracturing is important to Pennsylvania’s economy, and Harris’ campaign says it no longer supports her position.
Mr. Trump invited members of the local steelworkers union, who support him, to the stage. He wore a construction hat with his name on it.
He also said he received a phone call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza.
President Trump said of his phone call with Prime Minister Netanyahu, “He said, ‘I can’t believe what happened,'” before moving on to criticize President Joe Biden, saying, “What Biden said… “I don’t listen to it,” he said.
While President Trump praised the raucous crowds outside and at airports, he also went out of his way to suggest that security around him had been further tightened in the wake of two assassination attempts, saying, “I’ve had a little bit of security lately.” You can see that it’s getting stronger, right?”
“We have more machine guns than I’ve ever seen. Look at them,” he said of the security. His remarks were interrupted by cries of “America!” from the crowd. united states of america! “Before you continue, you say, ‘We’ve got more players and they’re all kind of a core cast, oh my gosh–“
He then connected it to Latrobe’s native son, adding: You won’t find anyone better than Arnold. ”
