Biden defends light campaign schedule during unscheduled Pennsylvania stop

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Monday defended his light travel and campaign schedule, saying he’ll embark on a swing-state blitz this week and that he regularly keeps 12 hour days even when he has no public appearances on the docket.

Biden did not have any events on his schedule for Monday, but in the late afternoon, he made an unscheduled trip from his home in Wilmington, Del. to Chester, Pa., which is 15 miles away. 

President Trump held three rallies on Monday across Pennsylvania, a key battleground and a potential tipping point state for the Electoral College. He attacked Biden over his energy policy and repeatedly mocked him for putting a “lid” on public events.

Biden spoke for a few minutes on the street to reporters in his traveling press pool, attacking Trump’s efforts to control the coronavirus.

Following his remarks, a reporter asked Biden about his “light” campaign schedule with the election only eight days away.

The Democratic nominee said he and his campaign are busy with their online efforts during the pandemic and that “there’s not been a day that hasn’t been a 12-hour day yet.”

Biden said he will be crisscrossing the country in the next few days, with stops planned in Iowa, Wisconsin, Georgia and Florida — all considered battleground states. He said it only seems like his campaign is not as active because it isn’t holding irresponsible rallies like Trump is.

“The reason it looks like we’re not traveling — we’re not putting on superspreaders,” Biden said. “We are doing what we’re doing here. Everyone is wearing a mask and trying the best they can to be socially distanced. … It’s important to be responsible.” 

Biden also defended his efforts to expand the map as he and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), make planned stops in the traditionally red states of Georgia and Texas this week. 

Biden doesn’t need to win either state to win the White House, but polls show he’s running close to Trump.

“I’m not overconfident about anything,” Biden said. “I just want to make sure we earn every vote possible. As you know, that ‘blue wall’ has to be reestablished. By the grace of God, I’ll win Pennsylvania. It’s a big deal to me personally as well as politically. I think we’re going to win Michigan. I think we’re going to win Wisconsin. I think we’re going to win Minnesota. I think we have a fighting chance to win Ohio. I think we have a fighting chance in North Carolina, a fighting chance in Georgia, a fighting chance in Iowa. So fortunately [because of the fundraising advantage] we’re able to compete in a way we haven’t been able to compete before in all of these states.”