Former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE on Monday condemned President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE’s rhetoric while campaigning for Democrats in Ohio, arguing that the president “assigns moral equivalence” to “dark forces” of hatred.
“When hatred is given a space to fester it encourages the seedier side of society to come out … and the president of the United States assigns moral equivalence to these dark forces,” Biden said during a rally at Youngstown State University in support of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Richard CordrayRichard Adams CordrayPoll: Biden, Trump neck and neck in Ohio On The Money: Trump officials struggle to get relief loans out the door | Dow soars more than 1600 points | Kudlow says officials ‘looking at’ offering coronavirus bonds Ex-CFPB director urges agency to ‘act immediately’ to help consumers during pandemic MORE and other candidates, The Toledo Blade reported.
“The forces of hate and terror have worked on the psyche of our fellow Americans, and targets have been people with different political beliefs or different colors of their skin or different religions,” he added.ADVERTISEMENT
Biden during his remarks condemned Saturday’s attack at a synagogue in Pittsburgh that left 11 people dead, as well as a series of bombs sent last week to Democrats and other former government officials, including himself, who have exchanged criticism with Trump.
The former vice president told the crowd that “words matter, words from our leaders matter” and said that “political opponents are not our enemies,” according to the Blade. He also said that “the press is not the enemy of the people,” a reference to Trump’s attacks against the news media.
Biden was among several Democrats who were mailed bombs last week, along with former President Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhite House accuses Biden of pushing ‘conspiracy theories’ with Trump election claim Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton qualifies to run for county commissioner in Florida MORE, former Attorney General Eric HolderEric Himpton HolderTrump official criticizes ex-Clinton spokesman over defunding police tweet Obama to speak about George Floyd in virtual town hall GOP group launches redistricting site MORE and others. One of the packages, addressed to former CIA Director John BrennanJohn Owen BrennanGraham postpones Russia probe subpoena vote as tensions boil over GOP votes to give chairman authority to subpoena Obama officials Rosenstein takes fire from Republicans in heated testimony MORE, was also mailed to CNN’s offices in New York, forcing an evacuation.
Authorities have since charged Cesar Sayoc Jr., a Florida resident, with sending the bombs.
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Biden on Monday urged voters to participate in next week’s midterm elections, describing them as “a battle for the soul of America” and saying that the election is “about more than issues.”
“We all know there’s something in our gut that’s bigger than the election, something that’s bigger than politics as usual. It’s about more than issues. It’s about who we are as Americans,” he said, according to the Blade.