密歇根州兰辛——前密歇根州州长里克·斯奈德支持乔·拜登成为最新一位高调支持民主党总统候选人的共和党人唐纳德·特朗普。
“唐纳德·特朗普实际上一直在带头指责无礼。斯奈德在《今日美国》的一篇专栏文章中宣布了这一决定后对美联社表示:“我们国家的分裂状况在我们有生之年从未如此严重。”他说，拜登是“一个好的、正派的人。”...你可以看出他是个关心别人的人。我们需要拯救我们的国家。”
在论坛版中，以保持乐观著称的斯奈德异常严厉地批评了特朗普。他称他为“恶霸”，说这是“看着我们的世界遭受一场悲剧。”他说特朗普缺乏道德指南针，忽视真相，不重视公共政策问题。
施耐德从2011年到2018年一直在密歇根州战场服役，他的这一宣布是与拜登的共和党人和无党派人士联合发起的。拜登是一个由近100名前任和现任官员、政府官员和政治活动人士组成的联盟。该组织隶属于反特朗普的林肯项目，并由该项目资助。
在特朗普因处理冠状病毒和种族关系而受到批评之际，该联盟是支持拜登的最新一批共和党人。一些人在2016年支持希拉里·克林顿。当特朗普成为28年来第一个以大约0.2个百分点的优势赢得密歇根州的共和党人时，斯奈德并没有在那场竞选中支持任何候选人。
前新泽西州州长克里斯汀·托德·惠特曼(Christine Todd Whitman)在最近的民主党全国代表大会上与前俄亥俄州州长约翰·卡西奇一起支持拜登，她现在是该组织指导委员会的主席，该委员会包括斯奈德、前马萨诸塞州州长比尔·韦尔德和至少20名前国会议员。
惠特曼说:“超过180，000名美国人死于一场流行病，如果有一贯的领导，这场流行病本来是可以得到控制的。”“相反，它已经被一位无视它、拒绝领导并危及美国人生命的总统置于失控状态。”
在一条推文中，密歇根州共和党主席劳拉·考克斯驳回了斯奈德的决定，称他为“无关紧要的先生”，并表示没有选民在乎他支持谁。“谢天谢地，正如特朗普在2016年所做的那样，没有里克·斯奈德的帮助，他将赢得密歇根州。”
共和党全国委员会和特朗普竞选团队的联合实地行动“特朗普胜利”的密歇根州发言人克里斯·古斯塔夫森(Chris Gustafson)表示，总统“继续得到共和党人前所未有的支持。”
在一次采访中，斯奈德说他试图对特朗普保持开放的心态，但当他出席自己的就职典礼时，总统谈到“他将如何照顾投他票的人。”这不是代表所有美国人。”他表示，他与特朗普政府中的一些人关系良好，但总体而言，在为密歇根州做事情方面面临“挑战”，但也有一些例外。
斯奈德说，病毒爆发需要国家领导人“让我们摆脱困境”。他说，他仍然是共和党人，并将支持其他共和党候选人。“特朗普对这种流行病的反应并不好——从口罩到测试，再到个人防护装备的供应。情况不太好。”
Ex-Michigan Gov. Snyder is latest Republican to back Biden
LANSING, Mich. -- Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder backed Joe Biden for president on Thursday, becoming the latest high-profile Republican to support the Democratic nominee over President Donald Trump.
“Donald Trump has actually been leading the charge on incivility. The divisiveness in our nation has not been worse in our lifetimes,” Snyder told The Associated Press after he announced his decision in a USA Today op-ed. Biden, he said, is “a good, decent man. ... You can tell he's a person of character that cares. We need to heal our country."
In the op-ed, Snyder — who is known for staying positive — was uncharacteristically critical of Trump. He called him a “bully,” saying it is “tragedy watching our world suffer from one.” He said Trump lacks a moral compass, ignores the truth and does not appreciate public policy matters.
The announcement from Snyder, who served in battleground Michigan from 2011 through 2018, came in conjunction with the launch of Republicans and Independents for Biden, a coalition of nearly 100 former and current officeholders, government officials and political operatives. The group is affiliated and funded by the anti-Trump Lincoln Project PAC.
The coalition is the latest group of Republicans supporting Biden to come out publicly as Trump comes under criticism for his handling of the coronavirus and race relations. Some backed Hillary Clinton in 2016. Snyder did not endorse a candidate in that race, when Trump became the first Republican to win Michigan in 28 years, by roughly two-tenths of a percentage point.
Former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, who endorsed Biden at the recent Democratic National Convention along with former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, is chairing the group's steering committee, which includes Snyder, former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld and at least 20 former members of Congress.
“More than 180,000 Americans are dead from a pandemic that, with consistent leadership, could have been contained,” Whitman said. "Instead, it has been left to spin out of control by a president who ignored it, refused to lead and endangered American lives.”
In a tweet, Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Laura Cox dismissed Snyder's decision, calling him “Mr. Irrelevant” and saying no voter cares whom he supports. “Thankfully, just as he did in 2016, President Trump will win Michigan without Rick Snyder's help.”
Chris Gustafson, Michigan spokesman for Trump Victory, the joint field operation of the Republican National Committee and Trump's campaign, said the president “continues to enjoy unprecedented support from Republicans.”
In an interview, Snyder said he tried to have an open mind about Trump but when he attended his inauguration, the president talked about “how he was going to take care of the people that voted for him. It wasn’t about representing all Americans.” He said he had good relationships with some people in Trump’s administration but it was “challenged” overall in getting things done for Michigan, with some exceptions.
The virus outbreak requires national leadership to “get us out of this,” said Snyder, who said he remains a Republican and will back other GOP candidates. “The Trump response to the pandemic has not been good — everything from masks to testing to having PPE supplies. That’s not gone well.”
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