Mayors Romero, Giles, and Woods Frame Tomorrow’s Presidential Debate as a Choice Between Hope and Retribution

At a Biden/Harris Campaign press call this morning, a bipartisan group of Arizona’s mayors, Tucson’s Regina Romero, Mesa’s John Giles, and Tempe’s Corey Woods, delivered a preview of tomorrow’s Presidential Debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

In their comments to the press, the Mayors framed the debate and the Presidential contest as a choice between hope and retribution with the nation’s Democracy, soul, and ideals on the line.

Tucson Mayor Regina Romero Compares the Visions of President Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

“On Thursday Arizonans will have an opportunity to see the two distinct visions for our future. President Biden and his vision where freedoms are important, Democracy, is protected and all Americans, all Arizonans have a fair shot and an opportunity for success and happiness in this country.”

“Then we will see Donald Trump’s Vision where he will serve as a dictator on day one as he has promised and has threatened to terminate the Constitution.”

“President Biden is fighting for our freedoms and for Democracy and for Working Families in our country.”

“Donald Trump is running on revenge and retribution only serving himself and his corporate buddies as he hurts others, and we have heard him plenty of times talk about how he plans to hurt Americans in this country.”

Mayor Romero also pointed out Trump’s link to Charlie Kirk and Turning Point U.S.A., reminding listeners that some of their members took part in the attempted domestic terrorist insurrection attack on January 6, 2021.

“One of the reasons why my parents migrated to the United States is to give their six children an opportunity at success. An opportunity in this beautiful Democracy that opens its arms to everyone. To be able to have rights and freedoms. I believe that Donald Trump is the most serious threat to Democracy that Americans have ever seen… full stop.”

Romero then reviewed Mr. Trump’s track record at attacking Democracy and the rule of law including his:

• Embrace of the January 6 attack and his pledge to pardon the domestic insurrectionist attackers.
• Comment that he would be a dictator on day one if elected.
• Assertion that there will be a “bloodbath” if the election does not turn out the way he wants.
• “Exact” revenge and retribution on his enemies.

She closed with this statement:

“Make no mistake. Donald Trump’s America is not our America. That is not what I as Mayor and others have been working to make this country a more perfect union. He is working to dismantle our country so that it works for him and his political cronies. We must reject him and his extreme MAGA allies in November and electing Joe Biden and Democrats up and down the ballot will protect our country and will protect our Democracy.”

Mesa Mayor John Giles Explains why, as a Republican, he is supporting President Biden.

Mesa Mayor John Giles appealed to a greater calling and the need to combat disinformation in his remarks, stating:

“We need leaders who put country over party. As a Republican, I believe my party has a moral and ethical responsibility to restore faith in our election process. In Arizona, we faced the brunt of misinformation election denialism, and an erosion of trust in our legal system. The Grand Canyon State is Ground Zero of our entire country’s struggle against misinformation and false claims baselessly repeated to interrupt our electoral process.”

For example, Mayor Giles pointed out that:

• Arizona was one of seven states to put forth a slate of fake Presidential Electors.
• The “discredited” audit of votes in Maricopa County sanctioned by the “partisan” Republicans in the Arizona State Senate which wound up revealing more votes for Biden than previously noted.

Giles continued on the threat to the soul of the country theme, saying:

“We are in one of those moments that only happens once in a few Generations. When we have to defend Democracy, stand up for our personal freedom, and stand up for the right to vote for our civil rights. It is essential that we proceed in a manner that strengthens rather than diminishes public confidence. Joe Biden is the answer. A vote for the other candidate is a vote for chaos and an end to the balance of our Democratic institutions.”

Tempe Mayor Corey Woods Echoed Romero’s themes and touted Achievements for African Americans Under the Biden/Harris Administration.

Tempe Mayor Corey Woods went back to what was at stake in this election, conveying:

“Tomorrow, you’re going to see two very distinct views about the future of this great country. President Biden and Vice President Harris’s view is really one of hope. It’s about progress, sticking together, and ensuring that everyone regardless of race gender, or socioeconomic background has a fair shot at the American dream.”

“We don’t need to go back to where we were under the previous President, which is government based on fear, chaos, revenge, and retribution.“

This November, our freedoms and our Democracy are truly on the ballot, and as people talk about the great Maya Angelou once said, ” When someone tells you who they are, you have to believe them.” When the former president talks about being willing to be a dictator and governing from a place of exacting retribution on political enemies, we can’t just simply laugh that off as just sort of commentary or as a joke.”

Mayor Woods then pointed out the achievements of African Americans during the Biden/Harris Administration including:

• “The fastest growth of black business ownership in over 30 years.
• They’ve invested President 16 billion dollars in historic black colleges and universities.
• They’ve forgiven 167 billion dollars in student loan debt. 
• Wealth of the black community has been up more than 60% since before the pandemic.
• Black unemployment reaching historic lows.
• 59 of Biden/Harris’s judicial appointees have an African American. He’s appointed more black women to the federal appellate courts than all previous administrations combined and of course, we know he appointed the first black woman to the the United States Supreme Court.”

Of course, President Biden also made history by selecting the first Black Woman for Vice President, Kamala Harris.

Woods closed by relaying:

“President Biden is fighting on behalf of the American people and on behalf of all of us regardless of race, class, or socioeconomic status and it’s critically important that President Biden and Vice President Harris be returned to the White House for the next four years… We need a President who’s going to lead with honor, compassion, and dignity, and President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are indeed those people.”

Giles and Romero Respond to Questions.

In response to a question from a journalist on why he was supporting President Biden and Vice President Harris even though he was a Republican, Mayor Giles, citing his relationship with the late Senator John McCain, said:

“Yes, I am a Republican but frankly, I’m not sure what being a Republican means much anymore. Let me refer you to a story that’s breaking right now a day ago in Arizona that the the leader of the Maricopa County Republican party, suggested that one of our Republican candidates (Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer) ought to be lynched because she didn’t think that he represented the Christian values that she thought were the foundation of the Republican Party. If that’s where the Republican party…nationally and where it’s at in, Arizona, it’s turned into a personality cult. It no longer stands for the principles that it did when I was a younger man… I’m hoping that President Biden will again be successful and that that will help to provoke some changes in my party and that once again, we can have two strong parties in this country right now. That’s not the case now.”

When another journalist asked about immigration, Mayor Romero responded, reminding the listeners that:

“President Biden on his first day in office sent a comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill to Congress. They completely ignored it. Most recently we have seen a Bipartisan Bill. A very strict bill. There are some things in there that I absolutely didn’t agree with but it was a solution. Trump basically called Congress and said don’t vote on that bill. Why? Because he thrives on chaos, and he wants to use people and their lives as political pawns. That is disgusting.”

She also pointed out that Trump’s immigration policies, with his plans to “round up immigrants and toss them out of the country” would be humanely and economically costly and repressive.

Giles picked up from Romero, offering:

“There’s no substitute for congressional action on immigration. That’s the solution to this problem…Again back to Country over Party, former President Trump scuttled (the Bipartisan Senate Deal on Border Security) for his own personal political agenda. Now as a result of that President Biden has taken some executive actions that I very much appreciate in the last few weeks like the very humane announcement last week about the long-term spouses of US citizens and keeping families together that I’m sure many thousands of families in Arizona are going to appreciate And a few weeks before that, he toughened the Asylum program. That has resulted just in the last couple of weeks in a reduction of 40 percent of border crossings at the Arizona border process. So, President Biden has done what he can on that important issue. But again, it’s no substitute for congressional action.”

Giles also pointed out that Biden/Harris Administration policies on inflation and the economy have helped have a positive effect, noting:

“…If you look at the facts, Joe Biden has got an amazing, economic success rate. We absolutely have seen inflation as a post-pandemic but it’s been less than you’ve seen, worldwide, and a lot…of people have said that the United States really has been leading the world…with (actions reducing) inflation. So progress is being made on that front. I think if you look at just the cold hard numbers President Biden has a very good track record when it comes to dealing with the economy.“

It should be noted that Tucson, Mesa, and Tempe have all benefited to varying degrees from the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Bipartisan CHIPS Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, all Biden/Harris Legislative achievements.

Readers also need to remember that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, were able to pass vital aid to these cities in Arizona and across the nation that Donald ‘Mr. Inflation Week’ Trump could not.