Trump turns to darker rhetoric as voting begins

At a pair of weekend speeches, former President Donald Trump continued to escalate the insults, threats and lies that have become hallmarks of his political campaigns.

At a speech in Erie, Pennsylvania, Trump suggested that police violence could deter crime.

Trump falsely claimed that police in California, Harris’ home state, do not charge people for shoplifting merchandise valued under $950. Trump then said police should be allowed to be “rough” on criminals to send a message.

“One rough hour, and I mean real rough, the word will get out, and it will end immediately. End immediately. You know? It’ll end immediately,” he repeated.

He immediately turned to insulting President Biden and Democratic nominee for president, Vice President Harris.

“Crooked Joe Biden became mentally impaired. Sad. But Lyin’ Kamala Harris – honestly, I believe she was born that way,” he said, mispronouncing Harris’ first name. “There’s something wrong with Kamala, and I just don’t know what it is, but there is definitely something missing. And you know what? Everybody knows it.”

That’s an insult he had used earlier in the weekend, in a rally in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

“Joe Biden became mentally impaired. Kamala was born that way,” he told the crowd. “She was born that way. And if you think about it, only a mentally disabled person could have allowed this to happen to our country,” he said, in reference to undocumented immigrants entering the country.

The new insults and threats come as voting has begun in some parts of Pennsylvania, kicking off what is thus far a tight presidential race. Trump and Harris are deadlocked in that state and other swing states. In that environment, Trump has chosen to maintain his harsh rhetoric, rather than to