Joe Biden accuses Donald Trump of viewing pensioners as ‘expendable’ during coronavirus pandemic

Joe Biden in Florida

Credit: AFP

Joe Biden told elderly voters in Florida that Donald Trump views them as "expendable" as he lambasted the president’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pensioners in the battleground state backed Mr Trump in 2016 but, according to polls, have shifted in large numbers to the Democrat.

Speaking at a retirement community centre north of Miami, Mr Biden, 77, said: "The only senior that Donald Trump cares about is the senior Donald Trump. He’s never been focused on you. This president cares more about the stock market than he does about the well-being of seniors.

"His handling of this pandemic has been erratic, just like his presidency has been."

Mr Biden, who wore a mask throughout his remarks, added: "You are expendable, you are forgettable, you are virtually nobody. That’s how he sees this."

Mr Trump, 74, responded by posting on Twitter a manipulated photograph depicting Mr Biden sitting in a wheelchair in a nursing home. It was captioned "Biden for resident".

In 2016 the president won Florida voters aged over 65 by 17 percentage points. He captured the state by 1.2 percentage points over Hillary Clinton.

A Quinnipiac poll last week showed Mr Biden leading Mr Trump by 15 points among Florida over-65s.

Kevin Wagner, a political science professor at Florida Atlantic University said: "Joe Biden continues to be competing better for senior voters than Hillary Clinton did in 2016, and that could be the difference in Florida."

Nationally, Mr Trump won over-65s by eight points in 2016, but recent polls show him trailing Mr Biden by up to 27 points among that group.

Older voters are key because they turn out to vote at higher rates.

Meanwhile, it was confirmed that the two candidates will hold separate, competing, televised town halls on Thursday night.

The town halls will replace the second presidential debate, which was cancelled in the wake of Mr Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis, and his decision not to take part in a virtual debate.

Mr Trump’s town hall will take place in Miami and be sponsored by NBC News, while Mr Biden’s event will be in Philadelphia on ABC News.

Campaigning in the key state of Pennsylvania, Mr Trump attacked Mr Biden over fracking, claiming his opponent wanted to ban it. Mr Biden has denied that.

Mr Trump added: "He’s shot, folks. I hate to tell you, he’s shot. Can you imagine if you lose to a guy like this? It’s unbelievable."

Amid widespread early voting around 13 million Americans have already cast their ballots.

In Georgia queues were so long people waited up to 10 hours to do so

The president’s frenzied schedule this week includes visits to Georgia and Iowa, two states he won easily in 2016 which are now close races.

Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential nominee in 2012, said the election had become a "vile, vituperative, hate-filled morass". Mr Romney added: "The world is watching America with abject horror."