Donald Trump’s campaign sent two of its top surrogates to Pennsylvania Thursday to stump for the Republican presidential candidate.
Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, is holding several "Coffee with Ivanka" events in the Philadelphia suburbs Thursday. The fashion mogul is trying to sway voters in the critical battleground state.
She was delayed arriving at her first event in Chester County due to fog at Philadelphia International Airport and didn't start until nearly noon.[[397001111, C]]
After apologizing for her tardiness, Trump spoke about playing a role in her father's campaign's family care initiatives.
"I got very excited when the campaign and I started to talk about some of these ideas... that hopefully would start to eliminate big systematic issues such as gender equality."
Trump's late arrival into the Philadelphia area delayed a planned noon event at The Drexelbrook in Drexel Hill, Delaware County, for about 80 minutes. And, it impacted a planned 2:30 p.m. event at Spring Hill Manor in Ivyland, Bucks County. [[338107532, C]]
At neither of the first two "coffee" events did Ivanka drink coffee while on stage, instead opting for a glass of water.
Women voters in Philadelphia’s suburbs could be critical in the race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. The race to appeal to these voters even got its own "Weekend Update" sketch featuring Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon on "Saturday Night Live." Trump has struggled to court female voters throughout the campaign and has worked to mitigate damage done by the release of a 2005 video where Donald Trump is heard crudely speaking about women during an "Access Hollywood" shoot.
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The 2005 video, dismissed by Donald Trump as "locker room talk," bothered 80 percent of Philadelphia suburban voters, said a Bloomberg Poll released Thursday that put Clinton up 9 points over Trump in the critical Keystone State in large part due to growing support (a 28-point lead) for Clinton in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties.
Also Thursday, another of Donald Trump's children, Donald Trump Jr., defended the "locker room talk" as something that happens very often, including in his own experience. [[396953061, C]]
"I've had conversations like that with plenty of people, where people use, you know, language [that's] off color. They're talking, two guys, amongst themselves," he said in an appearance on a Charlotte, North Carolina, talk radio show.
Ivanka Trump's suburban tour ended with her addressing the Montgomery County Republican Committee's dinner starting at 6 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel along Mall Boulevard in Montgomery County. The event carries at $125-per-person or $200-per-couple cost.
Also Thursday night, Trump’s running mate Mike Pence, spoke to Lehigh Valley Republicans at two events. The Indiana governor first spoke at the 3rd annual RepublicanFest reception in Orefield. He then wrapped up his visit by addressing the Northampton County Republican Committee’s Chairman’s Dinner at Hotel Bethlehem.
Mike Pence blamed the media and Hillary Clinton for what he characterizes as "a discussion of slander and lies" targeting his running mate.
Pence's remarks Thursday evening were the first time the Republican vice presidential candidate addressed multiple allegations of sexual assault leveled at Trump.
Pence told attendees at a GOP dinner in Orefield that Trump denies accusations that he groped or forcefully kissed women against their will. Pence said the claims are "unsubstantiated."
Pence blamed Clinton for pushing the story. He said Democrats are trying to draw attention away from hacked emails that are unflattering to her campaign.
