Trump gives questionable explanation for absentee ballots and mocks New Green Deal

RealClearPolitics average puts Joe Biden up about seven points with 75 days until Election Day

Donald Trump criticised Congresswoman Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez, without naming her, saying her Green New Deal environmental and economic reform plan "was written by a ... foolish child."

During his latest official event – this one in Mankato, Minnesota – that turned into a campaign rally, the president also said absentee ballots are superior to the by-mail ballots many states are planning to distribute due to the coronavirus because "you have to work for it a little bit."

The president vowed to win the state in 75 days, one he lost narrowly in 2016. Repeatedly during the airport mini-rally, Mr Trump attacked his general election foe as his Democratic National convention kicks off in just hours, former Vice President Joe Biden.

"Nobody treated Joe Biden worse than Kamala Harris," Mr Trump said of the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and his running mate, the junior senator from California and their party's sometimes-contentious nominating process.

RealClearPolitics' average of several polls puts the former VP seven percentage points ahead of Mr Trump. The outlets also show Mr Biden leading in several key swing states by statistically significant margins, and competitive in a small handful of formerly safe states for Republican presidential hopefuls.

The president and his team have targeted mass mail-in ballots, saying they automatically breed fraud. No credible study has ever found widespread fraud from ballots that were sent by mail to election officials.

Mr Trump used his one-hour stop in Mankato to warn of "rigged ballots."

"I got to talk about it. Absentee ballots are good. You send for it. ... You have to work for it a little bit," he said. "They want to send them out. And they want to have millions of ballots."

The Trump team contends the United States Post Office cannot handle millions and millions of ballots being sent out in case voters are unsure about in-person voting and catching Covid-19.

Democrats are accusing him of leading a plot to hinder the post office and block Democrats' proposal for new USPS monies to help handle the increased load.