PEMBROKE PINES, FLA. (WSVN) - In the waning days of the election campaign, Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden said he’s feeling optimistic, but when it comes to Florida, he’s not about to run a victory lap.
“I’m one of those superstitious guys,” he said. “It ain’t over ’till it’s over. There are 21 days left, and I’m feeling good.”
In an exclusive interview with 7News, Biden said he’s buoyed by recent polls that show he’s gaining support, particularly among Florida’s older voters, in part, he believes is because of President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus.
“Look, any president who says, ‘Don’t worry about it. The only people dying are seniors and people with heart conditions and the like,’ he’s dismissive of a population that has contributed so much and is also, I might add, worried about their children and grandchildren and how they’re gonna do,” he said.
Biden’s visit to Pembroke Pines and Miramar Tuesday reflected ongoing concerns about COVID-19. Masks were required and social distancing was enforced. It’s in stark contrast with Trump’s campaign event Monday night in Sanford.
“It’s so reckless and so dangerous, and now his own head of the CDC said, ‘The single most important thing you could do’ — and he held up a mask — ‘is wear a mask,'” Biden said. “It’s more consequential in saving lives between now and the time we have a vaccine than a vaccine would be.'”
In a state ravaged by the illness, with 15,000 confirmed deaths and more than 730,000 cases, Biden hopes his message can break through the rhetorical noise. The nation’s future, he thinks, depends on it. He says Florida can’t afford another Trump term.
“[Trump] has no plan. He has no plan on economic recovery,” Biden said. “He has no plan on how he’s gonna open the economy. He has no plan on COVID. He flat out said, ‘I don’t take full responsibility for what’s happening.’ The President is supposed to take responsibility and set standards.”
Biden’s plan to win starts by bridging the partisan divide that has gridlocked Washington for as long as anybody can remember.
“I’ve always had a great ability to work with Republicans across the aisle my whole career. People all say that’s changed, that was the old days. Well, it wasn’t the old days, but say it was. We gotta change it back, or we’re in real trouble,” Biden said.
The Biden campaign was targeting some demographics in Broward County that they hope to win to help bring them over the finish line come Election Day.
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