Trump makes final argument to Ohio voters
Says Clinton presidency would lead to investigations, courtrooms
11/4/2016
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally Friday in Wilmington, Ohio.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WILMINGTON, Ohio — Donald Trump today made what was likely his final argument to Ohio voters, hoping to wrap up a critical battleground state that polls suggest is one of his best shots at repainting a 2012 blue state red.
“Can you imagine four years of Hillary Clinton ... four more years of ISIS, four more years of higher taxes, four more years of nothing but problems in addition to all the legalities that she's done?” the Republican presidential nominee told roughly 3,000 in an airport hanger in Wilmington about an hour southwest of Columbus.
“She's an unstable person, folks,” Mr. Trump said, citing her email controversy as evidence. “I know my people. She is an unstable person.”
Mr. Trump rallied in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire on a single day, all considered critical states to his narrow path to 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House.
He predicted that a Clinton presidency would be characterized by investigation and ultimately a courtroom. He praised an FBI that he had previously criticized when it initially did not recommend charges in its investigation of her handling of e-mails while secretary of state.
“It's all coming down,” he said. “There's some amazing people in the FBI, and they're not happy.”
Mr. Trump chose Wilmington as the place to close his campaign in Ohio, rallying in an open airport hangar with that now famous Trump jet in the background as he spoke for 50 minutes.
The mixed, mostly white crowd — senior citizens, younger families, suits and ties, flannel, children draped in the American flag, and even a young pageant winner complete with sash - filled the hangar.
Wilmington had to some extent became Ohio’s poster child of economic loss. The community suffered a devastating blow in 2008 when more than 9,000 jobs were eliminated by the closure of the local DHL international shipping operation.
The move, however, could not be blamed on the North American Free Trade Agreement. The cargo hub was moved just over the Ohio border to Kentucky.
He repeated his pledges to repeal the federal Affordable Care Act, blasting the premium spikes seen in some states. He vowed to replace it with an unspecified cheaper and higher quality alternative.
Campaigning with Mrs. Clinton in North Carolina, her former primary opponent, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D., Vt.) took aim at Mr. Trump's proposals.
“Donald Trump has a brilliant idea,” he said. “And, as you know, Donald’s ideas are always brilliant because he is a self-defined genius, so by definition. And in the midst of the healthcare problems that we have as a nation, Mr. Trump’s brilliant idea is to throw 20 million Americans off of health insurance. Now, in fairness to Mr. Trump, we have to say that he really did not originate this idea. Most of his Republican colleagues feel the same way...
“ We don’t think it is a good idea to throw 20 million Americans off of health insurance.,” Mr. Sanders said. “We think we should be moving this country to guarantee healthcare to all people as a right.”
Wandering from the teleprompter and at times repeating himself, Mr. Trump again vowed to build a wall along the country's southern border that will include a “big beautiful door” for legal immigrants.
But he also pledged to halt America's program of accepting refugees from war-torn Syria.
He vowed to renegotiate or abandon the North American Free Trade Act and vowed to kill the controversial proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal supported by President Obama in its tracks.
He took specific aim at Mr. Obama, who has been criss-crossing the battleground states on Mrs. Clinton's behalf.
“He ought to be back there working,” he said.
Mrs. Clinton, meanwhile, campaigned in Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania today in hopes of maintaining her swing-state firewall against Mr. Trump’s recent gains in national and some state polls.
She’ll be back in Cleveland Sunday to make what will likely be her final argument for Ohio and its 18 electoral votes.
Contact Jim Provance at: jprovance@theblade.com or 614-221-0496.