Kellyanne Conway calls social media companies’ action against Trump ‘election interference’

“Twitter, Facebook, many of the forums are already overly anti-Trump. I think what’s happened is that the president has over 200 million followers on all of his social media platforms, he has used it in a way no other politician has used it, and they don’t like that,” she said. 

“I think what many of these tech companies are doing now to the president, to conservatives, the shadow banning, the censoring, the selective engagement, is election interference,” she added.

In the same interview, Sandra Smith challenged Ms Conway about the president’s statement that children are “nearly immune” when under-18s make up 7.4 per cent of cases (see earlier post). The post removed by Facebook spread that falsehood.

A bigger crowd than at the airport on drive to Whirlpool factory

Per the pool report: 

The motorcade moved slowly along our route so supporters could wave and cheer on the president.

Hundreds stood along the side of the road and along green fields of corn to chant “4 more years” and wave signs and flags that read “Trump 2020,” “Thank you,” and “MAGA.” There were also signs that read “Q” and at the beginning of the drive there was a flag that was one half Confederate stripes, one half the American flag. Your pooler did not see anyone wearing a mask on the short trip.

My co-poolers spotted a few “IBEW Biden” and “We love Joe” signs as well, but the majority of the crowd appeared there to see POTUS.

President to sign ‘Made in America’ order for critical inputs

The purpose of the president’s trip to the Whirlpool facility is to sign an executive order requiring the federal government to purchase certain medications and equipment from US manufacturers.

Officially it is called the Executive Order on Combating Public Health Emergencies and Strengthening National Security by Ensuring Essential Medicines, Medical Countermeasures, and Critical Inputs Are Made In the United States.

Per the White House: “During a time when Americans are fearing for their health and suffering financially due to the effects of the China Virus, President Trump is taking bold action. Today’s Executive Order will expand Made in America manufacturing, bring blue-collar jobs back to the United States, and ensure Americans have critical access to the medicines they need.”

In attendance, in addition to the president, are Eugene Scalia, secretary of the Department of Labor; representative Jim Jordan, Ohio’s 4th Congressional District; and Jon Husted, Lieutenant Governor of Ohio.

Trump-Cuomo meeting this weekend?

The president will end his travels today at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster where he is expected to spend the weekend.

Asked whether he would be speaking with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo while in the tristate area, the president said: “We’ll be talking to Governor Cuomo. They’re looking to do a project — the Second Avenue subway, as you know. And we’re talking about that. We’re also talking about the tram from the airport to a certain location. So we’ll be talking to him. Yes.”

Pressed if it would be an in-person meeting, he replied: “I think they have something scheduled, maybe in Bedminster. Yeah.”

More from the tarmac in Cleveland

Per the pool report (Meridith McGraw of Politico)

President Trump gave rally-like remarks from a podium in front of Marine One that focused on the economy and Joe Biden.

Trump said he is doing better than the last election in Ohio according to his former state director Bob Paduchik.

The president addressed DeWine’s positive Covid test: “A very good friend of mine just tested positive…we want to wish him the best. He’ll be fine,” Trump said.

Trump said he looked forward to seeing the governor but was informed he tested positive.

With cheers from the group of supporters, Trump came out swinging against Joe Biden and the “radical left.”

“He’s not all there,” Trump said.

Reading from prepared remarks, the President criticised Biden’s record in office. “During Joe Biden’s decades in office he’s done nothing…and I wouldn’t say he’s at the top of his game.”

“Biden’s policies our China first and America last,” Trump said. He then predicted a crash in the markets because he is “following the radical left agenda…hurt the Bible, hurt everything. He’s against God…guns.”

“We’re going to win bigger in Ohio now than years ago,” Trump predicted.

The Trump administration’s top envoy for Iran is stepping down just as the United States tries to moves ahead with a major diplomatic effort that would extend a UN arms embargo against Tehran in the face of widespread international opposition.

Brian Hook announced his departure on Thursday, a day after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US would call for a UN Security Council vote next week on a resolution to indefinitely extend the embargo, which is due to expire in October.

That resolution is expected to fail, setting the stage for a showdown between the US and the other Security Council members over the reimposition of all international sanctions on Iran. President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal two years ago but his administration argues it retains the right to invoke the “snapback” of UN sanctions because it is a council member. Others disagree.

Pompeo said in a statement that Hook “has been my point person on Iran for over two years and he has achieved historic results.”

Hook will be replaced after an as-yet undetermined transition period as Iran envoy by Elliott Abrams, the US envoy for Venezuela.

Associated Press 

Asked by your pooler about what he thought of Thursday’s announcement by the NY Attorney General that they were moving to dissolve the NRA, President Trump said, “I just heard about that” before leaving the White House, and that it’s “a terrible thing.” He repeatedly suggested that the National Rifle Association should “move to Texas and lead a…beautiful life” there.

He added that the group had been “decimated” by costs of recent legal actions and that it was a “sad” situation.

Trump departs White House

Per the pool report filed by Asawin Suebsaeng of The Daily Beast: 

At noon ET, President Donald Trump, wearing a standard red tie, began talking to the pool before boarding Marine One, on his way to his Ohio visit.

He opened by describing Joe Biden’s recent “junkie” comment to a Black journalist as a “great insult to the Black community,” and by previewing briefly his trip to Ohio.

He reiterated he was “optimistic” about development of a coronavirus vaccine before the end of year. Asked by a reporter about if it would help his 2020 prospects against Biden, he said it “wouldn’t hurt,” but also that he’s already doing so much for the country. He once again said how what the Chinese government did with regards to COVID “was a terrible thing… to the world.”

Trump heads to Ohio

The president will deliver remarks on Economic Prosperity in Cleveland, Ohio this afternoon before two other stops in the state — a visit to a Whirlpool Plant in Clyde, Ohio, and a campaign fundraising reception and roundtable at Shoreby Yacht Club in Bratenahl, Ohio. 

He will end the day at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey.