Trump, Biden Supporters Await Former VP’s Train

ALLIANCE, Ohio — About 100 supporters of President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden turned out in advance of Biden’s train stop here. 

Both groups were stationed in lots across the road from the Amtrak terminal where Biden is scheduled to stop this morning as he heads back east following last night’s debate in Cleveland. 

Fresh off their chaotic debate-stage clash, Trump and Biden are targeting voters across the Midwest, hitting hard at their contrasting messages as millions of voters cast early ballots.

Biden headed out on his most aggressive day on the campaign trail all year, with eight stops planned for a train tour that began mid-morning in Cleveland and was scheduled to end Wednesday night in western Pennsylvania. Trump was to address voters and donors in Minnesota late in the day.

“He lies to you,” Biden said this morning. “He’s too weak to beat the pandemic.”

Biden opened his day by delivering a speech alongside the rails of Cleveland’s train station. The former vice president’s campaign stenciled a map of the train journey he’s making with wife, Jill, on a board behind the lectern where he spoke.

Aboard the six-car train: only the Bidens, their campaign staff and a handful of journalists. The train features a Biden-Harris logo and a sign urging supporters to text “Train” to the campaign to show their support.

Awaiting Biden’s visit here, Philip Brady of Alliance, a Vietnam era veteran who said he has voted for five decades, said there has “never been a more important race” than the Nov. 3 election.

“Democracy is at stake,” he warned. The alternative to Biden is going to be “fascism or totalitarian government.”

Gino Rome of Canton opposes Trump over comments reported by The Atlantic in which he disparaged members of the military. She has sons in the Army and Navy.

“I don’t agree with what he called them,” she said.

She also is concerned about health care, particularly regarding protections the Afordable Care act provides for individuals with preexisting conditions. She has no thyroid and suffers from a heart condition.

Deborah and George Curl of Columbiana traveled to Alliance to show their support for Trump and to protest Biden’s appearance.

Deborah Curl said she supports “all the things that [Trump] stands for,” though she acknowledged she wasn’t “completely for him” in the beginning.

“He honors God. He honors America. He honors life,” she said.

“I wasn’t positive he would work out as well as he has but I really support him,” George Carl said. He praised Trump’s handling of the economy and the Middle East.

He said Biden isn’t “the safe candidate” for the country. “He made no statements last night that were understandable that I could get something from,” he said.

Regarding the debate, Deborah Curl acknowledged the president has “a little bit of an issue on not interrupting.” She also said Biden lied when he said Trump didn’t do a good job on the coronavirus.

“He did an excellent job,” she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story. The Business Journal will have more coverage following Biden’s stop in Alliance.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.