President Trump touts jobs at Mosinee, Wisconsin event
MOSINEE, Wis. - President Donald Trump campaigned in Mosinee, Wisconsin on Thursday, Sept. 17 -- on same day that more than one million absentee ballots are to be mailed.
The president arrived on Air Force One around 8 p.m., speaking at Central Wisconsin Aviation for a "Great American Comeback" event, according to his campaign. It was his fifth visit to the badger state in 2020.
The president spoke for roughly one-and-a-half hours before a packed crowd outside Central Wisconsin Aviation. Hundreds of people had lined up to see the president -- some as early as 8 a.m. and others since Wednesday afternoon.
Stepping off of Air Force One around 8 p.m., President Trump touted jobs on Thursday. The latest Marquette University Law School poll found that he gets the highest marks for his handling of the economy.
"The single greatest year Wisconsin has ever had was last year," President Trump said. "The second best year that Wisconsin has ever had was the year before.
"And you're going to have your best year, economically, next year."
The president's trade advisor said President Trump was working the phones -- and has taken some credit -- for the Big Ten reversing course and bringing back fall football.
Also mentioned in the president's speech was his Democratic challenger in the Nov. 3 election -- Joe Biden. President Trump ripped Biden for not attending the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee in August. He also warned his supporters about Biden winning the White House.
"On November 3, Wisconsin will decide whether we will quickly return to record prosperity, or whether we will allow Biden and the Democrats to impose a $4 trillion tax hike, ban American energy, confiscate your guns -- which is what they want to do -- shut down the economy, destroy the suburbs," President Trump said.
President Trump also pledged on Thursday night to pump an additional $13 billion to help Wisconsin farmers.
Democrats, though, point to the hundreds of dairy farmers who have gone out of business in recent years. Democrats also called Thursday's visit, and others like it, are super-spreader events amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Mike Pence was just here in Wisconsin, in Janesville, holding a super-spreader event and Donald Trump is going to be doing the same thing in Mosinee, Wisconsin," said State Rep. Melissa Sargent (D-Madison). "This is a total dismissal of the reality of COVID."
Biden on Thursday also blasted the president, writing: "For months, President Trump misled the American people about the coronavirus -- and Wisconsin families continue to suffer the consequences."
White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro said of Biden's comments that he is being an armchair quarterback.
"The president, in the fog of this China virus war, was taking this virus very seriously, wanted to be calm, not alarm the public, because we weren't sure how serious it was," Navarro said. "Everything we were doing was moving as quickly as possible from that January 31 announcement of the travel ban."
There was a COVID-19 disclaimer on tickets to get into Thursday's event -- noting that there is a risk of COVID-19 and that those who attend won't sue the campaign. Everyone going inside will also have their temperatures checked.
Several people who spoke with FOX6 News said they are just not worried about going to the outdoor event.
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