[Trump\Delay Election]
Sen. Harris: “Donald Trump is terrified. He knows he’s going to lose to Joe Biden. It will require every single one of us to make that happen. We will see you at the ballot box on November 3rd, President Trump.”
Photo: YouTube
With nearly every poll showing Joe Biden in the lead to become America’s next president, Donald Trump is now saying the country should “delay” the November election.
In a Thursday morning tweet, Trump said, “With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most inaccurate & fraudulent Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???”
No president has the authority to delay an election. Only Congress can do this–and it would require a change in federal law.
Trump’s tweet underscores his fears of losing the election in a landslide. For weeks, he has been peddling false information regarding mail-in balloting.
Biden had previously warned Trump would do exactly this.
At an April fundraiser, Biden said then “Mark my words: I think he is gonna try to kick back the election somehow, come up with some rationale why it can’t be held.”
Responding to Trump, California Senator Kamala Harris, a front-runner to be Biden’s vice-president pick, tweeted “Donald Trump is terrified. He knows he’s going to lose to Joe Biden. It will require every single one of us to make that happen. We will see you at the ballot box on November 3rd, President Trump.”
Other Democrats spoke out against Trump’s ridiculous suggestion.
New Mexico Senator Tom Udall said there was “no way” there would be a delay. “But the fact that he is even suggesting it is a serious, chilling attack on the democratic process. All members of Congress – and the administration – should speak out.”
New Jersey Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill told MSNBC that Congress sets the election date and “we’re not moving it.”
Illinois Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said the election date would remain “regardless of what conspiracy theories he tries to push.”
Even some Republicans are rejecting Trump’s notion.
“There will be no delay in the #2020Election. Congress sets the election date, and it should not be changed. It will be held on November 3rd, as planned and required by law,” said Illinois Rep. Rodney Davis.
“I think that’s probably a statement that gets some press attention, but I doubt it gets any serious traction,” said South Dakota Senator John Thune.
“I don’t think that’s a particularly good idea,” said South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham.
“Never in the history of the country, through wars, depressions and the Civil War, have we ever not had a federally scheduled election on time, and we’ll find a way to do that again this Nov. 3,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
“Never in the history of the federal elections have we not held an election, and we should go forward,” said Representative Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader of California.
“We’re going to have an election, it’s going to be legitimate, it’s going to be credible, it’s going to be the same as it’s always been,” said Florida Senator Marco Rubio.
Even Trump’s friends at Fox News are dismissing this particular Trump attempt to subvert the 2020 election.
Fox News politics editor Chris Stirewalt said, “It is a fragrant and flagrant expression of his current weakness. A person who is in a strong position would never, never suggest anything like that. So Trump may be making a tactical error here by further telegraphing his weak position in the polls and his weak position for re-election.”
