TRUMP SWIMMING IN OWN EGO AS THE CRISIS WORSENS: BIDEN

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Tuesday (Wednesday, June 3, 2020 in Manila) blistered President Donald Trump a day after police drove back peaceful protesters near the White House so Trump could pose with a Bible before a damaged church. Biden said Trump’s “narcissism has become more important than the nation that he leads” and “this president today is part of the problem and accelerates it,” Biden said, adding that Trump is “consumed with his blinding ego,” Steve Peoples and Will Weissert reported for the Associated Press (AP) early on June 3.

Biden delivered a speech at Philadelphia’s City Hall, addressing the civil unrest across America following the death of George Floyd. Biden said “the moment has come” to deal with systemic racism and deeply ingrained economic inequality — and insisted that the nation can’t wait until November’s election and its outcome. “I call on the Congress to act this month,” Biden said, urging lawmakers to start “with real police reform” and citing proposed legislation outlawing choke holds.

He noted that “peaceful protesters” were dispersed from the “doorstep of the people’s house, the White House” using tear gas and flash grenades to stage what he called a “photo op” publicity stunt. “The president held up a Bible,” Biden added. “I just wished he opened it once in awhile instead of brandishing it.” The 20-plus minute address was covered live by cable networks and Biden used it to declare, “This job’s not about me. It’s about you. It’s about us.”

Biden’s criticism comes a day after Trump threatened the nation’s governors that he would deploy the military to states if they did not stamp out violent protests over police brutality that have roiled the nation. He noted that “peaceful protesters” were dispersed from the “doorstep of the people’s house, the White House” using tear gas and flash grenades to stage what he called a “photo op” publicity stunt. “The president held up a Bible,” Biden added. “I just wished he opened it once in awhile instead of brandishing it.” The 20-plus minute address was covered live by cable networks and Biden used it to declare, “This job’s not about me. It’s about you. It’s about us.”