Expand / Collapse search
☰

Melania Trump makes rare campaign appearance on Main Line

Published  November 3, 2016 2:44pm EDT
U.S.
FOX 29 Philadelphia

BERWYN, Pa. (WTXF/AP) - Donald Trump's wife Melania made a brief, rare campaign appearance -- her first in more than three months -- and in our area.

Melania Trump hasn't been on the trail since the Republican convention in July, but she spoke at 2pm at the Main Line Sports Center in Berwyn.

The former model from Slovenia tried to counter Hilary Clinton campaign's pounding attacks on her husband as anti-woman, a strategy Democrats see as the best hope for rattling him and driving female voters away from him.

In excerpts of Melania Trump's prepared remarks, distributed by the campaign, she said, "I come here today to talk about my husband, Donald, and his deep love and respect for this country and all of its people. ... And I have come here today to talk about our partnership, our family and what I know for sure in my heart about this man who will make America great again."

In an interview two weeks ago, shortly after the final presidential debate, Mrs. Trump said her husband apologized to her for the accusations of harassment, groping and assault.

Trump denied apologizing, saying "I didn't do anything."

Earlier, at the Republican National Convention in July in Cleveland, two passages of Mrs. Trump's speech were nearly identical to passages from Michelle Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention eight years earlier. But according to The Associated Press, rather than acknowledge any error, Trump's campaign went into denial mode, blaming the media for creating a controversy and suggesting Hillary Clinton bore some responsibility.

Then, the Trump campaign said the similarities were a coincidence.

Finally, a behind-the-scenes in-house staff writer from the Trump Organization named Meredith McIver took the fall, admitting she didn't check Mrs. Obama's speeches that Mrs. Trump read to her as examples she liked.

McIver offered to resign, saying "This was my mistake, and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused Melania and the Trumps, as well as to Mrs. Obama. No harm was meant." Trump did not accept her resignation.