Mayor Eric Adams spars with City Hall press corps over cryptic Trump support
LOWER MANHATTAN, New York (WABC) -- The election is one week away and Vice President Kamala Harris will make her closing argument from the Ellipse near the White House on Tuesday night.
The same place Former President Donald Trump held his infamous January 6th rally.
Donald Trump defended his rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night, but his campaign is coming under fire because of the jokes from a comedian comparing Puerto Rico to garbage.
Mayor Adams urged both campaigns and their supporters to cool the heated rhetoric at a Q&A on Tuesday.
By the time Mayor Adams left The Blue Room he had been asked about Donald Trump eleven times.
Questions like why he won't disavow support from the Republican former president and why he didn't condemn Trump's raucous-at times, racist rally at Madison Square Garden?
"You can't demonize an entire population based on the actions of those who attend. And so I'm clear, there's no room for racism, no room for hate. I don't know how many times I can say this," Adams said.
At his weekly Q&A on Tuesday, Adams sparred with reporters.
They asked if he supports mass deportations?
"I responded to my comments on Trump. Next question," Adams replied.
"Are you seeking a pardon from Trump?" they asked.
"Next question? Next question, next question. Next question," Adams said.
Earlier this month, Trump defended the mayor, who is facing federal bribery charges.
This weekend, Adams said "No," Trump is not a fascist.
"I know what Hitler has done and I know what a fascist regime looks like," Adams said.
On Sunday, Trump responded, in-kind.
"I want to thank Mayor Adams, because Mayor Adams has been treated pretty badly," Trump said.
The Trump campaign is distancing itself from their comedian's racist jokes. Today, Trump, himself, praised the rally.
"It was like a lovefest, an absolute lovefest and it was my honor to be involved," Trump said.
The Harris campaign is preparing for a massive rally tonight in Washington, D.C. on the same spot where Trump spoke to the crowd that later stormed The Capitol on January 6th.
The mayor has endorsed the Vice President. But struck a neutral tone at the Q&A.
"Someone needs to stand up and say, enough of this. Tone down the rhetoric. Let people hear the facts. Let them vote. And let us decide what the next four years are going to be for our city," Adams said.
Is he hedging his bets on behalf of the city, or angling for a pardon for himself?
For the Democratic mayor of America's largest city, it's puzzling. Or maybe not.
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