Biden visits Michigan, wants 'full recovery' for Trump
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden was back on the campaign trail Friday in the battleground state of Michigan after he and his wife Jill tested negative for COVID-19.
His results came just hours after his rival, President Donald Trump, was sidelined after contracting the virus.
Trump’s diagnosis brings the coronavirus back in the spotlight with a little more than four weeks to go before the election.
Trump’s positive test is also likely to reinforce Biden's message that Trump failed in his response to the disease, which has killed more than 200,000 people in the United States, and would clearly challenge the president's argument that the end of the pandemic is near.
[TRUMP ON 10/1] "...the end of the pandemic is in sight. Next year will be one of the greatest years of our history."
Polls show voters trust Biden to handle the coronavirus more than Trump, who has pushed for a quicker reopening of the economy and schools, rarely wears a mask and has held large campaign rallies with little social distancing.
While in Grand Rapids, Biden took time out to wish Trump and the First Lady a quick recovery:
[BIDEN] "...sending my prayers for the health and safety of the first lady and president praising the United States after they tested positive for covid-19. My wife, Jill, and I pray that they'll make a quick and full recovery. This is not a matter of politics. It's a bracing reminder to all of us that we have to take this virus seriously."
He also gave advice to the American people...
[BIDEN] "...we can save one hundred thousand lives in the next one hundred days. According to the head of the CDC, if everyone wears a mask in public, so be patriotic. It's not about being a tough guy. It's about doing your part. Wearing a mask is not only going to protect you, but also protects those around you."
Michigan, which Trump narrowly won over Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016, is a vital battleground in the Nov. 3 election.
Biden leads Trump in national opinion polls and is 5 percentage points ahead of Trump among likely voters in Michigan.
The Trump campaign has suspended its upcoming events as the president convalesces.
