It is a disgrace that the president who ordered peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C. disbursed using federal officers and troops employing tear gas for a photo op of him holding someone else’s Bible has attacked Joe Biden on religion.

Claiming that Biden would “hurt the Bible and hurt God,” among other wild claims, demonstrates yet again that Donald Trump will do and say anything in his desperate attempt to win reelection.

In recent days, he has reiterated his false claims that his administration has done a great job handling the pandemic response despite over 160,000 deaths and economic devastation, falsely asserted that children are virtually immune from COVID-19 despite scientific evidence showing they can both contract and spread the disease, repeated his oft-stated claim that the virus will “go away,” and repeatedly attacked mail-in voting and raised the specter of widespread voter fraud.

Although we have no plan for winning the war against COVID-19, Trump promises new health care and immigration plans by the end of August. How can they take priority over the greatest health care crisis we have ever faced? Simple, they play to his political base.

He publicly assails Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx because they tell the truth and espouse things like wearing masks. Again, playing to his political base at the expense of American lives.

He makes overly optimistic claims about the development of vaccines while continuing to push the use of a drug that has been proven to be ineffective and even dangerous (hydroxychloroquine).

Make no mistake, the worst of this campaign of misinformation and hate is yet to come, and Americans must stay focused on the facts and not buy into false rhetoric and hate mongering. Remember, Trump is only concerned about Trump.

Stay strong and vote!

MIKE McCLELLAN,

Alpena