DES
MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Donald Trump warned Saturday of a "war on the
American farmer," telling a crowd in Iowa that rival Hillary Clinton
"wants to shut down family farms" and implement anti-agriculture
policies.
Trump's
speech at the annual "Roast and Ride" fundraiser for Republican Sen.
Joni Ernst came just hours after Clinton received her first national
security briefing as the Democratic presidential nominee.
Trump
skipped the 42-mile motorcycle ride that preceded the event in a state
where polls show a tight contest, a rare bright spot for Trump amid a
sea of challenging battleground states. Joining him on stage were top
Iowa Republicans — among them Ernst, Gov. Terry Branstad, Sen. Chuck
Grassley and Rep. Steve King — in a rare show of support for a candidate
who has struggled to unite his party.
In
a hat tip to Iowa's agriculture industry, Trump renewed his commitment
to continuing a requirement that all gasoline sold contain an
ethanol-based additive, an issue important to corn growers. He also
promised to cut taxes on family farms, which he called the "backbone" of
the country.
"Hillary
Clinton wants to shut down family farms just like she wants to shut
down the mines and the steelworkers," he said in front of a wall of
straw bales at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. "She will do this not only
through radical regulation, but also by raising taxes on family farms -
and all businesses - to rates as high as nearly 50 percent."
Clinton's
campaign website touts a plan to increase funding to support farmers
and ranchers in local food markets and regional food systems, saying
she'll create a "focused safety net to help family farms get through
challenging times." It also says she plans to target federal resources
in commodity payment, crop insurance, and disaster assistance programs
to support family operations.
Branstad,
in an interview with The Associated Press prior to the speech, said he
felt that Trump could score points against Clinton by focusing on
agricultural issues. Branstad, whose son runs Trump's campaign in the
state, said he also hopes Trump would launch campaign ads there and that
he sees the race as "about even."
"I don't like that but, hopefully, that's going to change," Branstad said.
Speaking
to an overwhelmingly white crowd, he again pledged that as president he
would help African-Americans living in cities with high crime and low
employment. He offered no specifics for how he would achieve that goal.
He also continued to criticize Clinton for branding young criminals as
"super-predators" in comments more than 20 years ago.
"Remember
that? 'Super-predators,'" he said. "And they were very, very insulted.
But now people have forgotten." Clinton's primary opponent, Sen. Bernie
Sanders, had criticized her for the remark, and she has since apologized
for it.
Amid
his ongoing appeal to black voters, Trump drew an online backlash
Saturday for a tweet he sent in response to the shooting death of NBA
star Dwyane Wade's cousin, who was gunned down near the Chicago school
where she had planned to register her children.
"Just
what I have been saying. African-Americans will VOTE TRUMP!" Trump
tweeted. He later sent a tweet offering his "condolences to Dwyane Wade
and his family."
Campaigning
in Florida, Clinton running mate Tim Kaine said, "We just ought to be
extending our sympathy to the family," and added, "That's the only
reaction that's appropriate right now."
Clinton
met Saturday for more than two hours with intelligence officials at the
FBI office in White Plains, New York, for her first overview of the
major threats facing the nation around the globe since becoming the
Democratic nominee. Trump received his briefing earlier this month, a
customary move for major party nominees but one that has been the
subject of a political tussle during the campaign.
Trump
also previewed his immigration plans at the Iowa event, saying that he
was developing an "exit-entry tracking system to ensure those who
overstay their visas, that they're quickly removed." The proposal echoed
the language of Trump's former primary rival, New Jersey Gov. Chris
Christie, who is now advising him.
__
Thomas
reported from White Plains, New York. Associated Press writers Jill
Colvin in Washington and Alan Suderman in Miami contributed to this
report.
___
No comments:
Post a Comment