Both President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden were in Southwestern Pennsylvania this week.
On Wednesday, Biden visited Hazelwood Green in Pittsburgh, a former brownfield turned tech hub.
“When I think of the presidency, I don’t think about myself,” Biden said. “It isn’t about my brand, it’s about you, the American people. We can do better, and we have to do better. I promise you this, we will do better.”
President Trump made his appearance Thursday in Westmoreland County, at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe.
"Sixty-one days from now, we are going to win the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and we are going to win four more years in the White House," he told the crowd.
Their visits come as a new Monmouth University poll finds that Biden’s lead among registered Pennsylvania voters is shrinking.
In state politics, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman has been evangelizing for recreational cannabis since he began seeking that office. One of his first moves as lieutenant governor was to embark on a statewide listening tour on the topic wherein he says people overwhelmingly expressed support for legalizing the substance for adult use. Now, Gov. Tom Wolf is calling on the legislature to do just that.
At the local level, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and the Department of City Planning this week announced a new initiative called “ForgingPGH.” For too long, Peduto said, developers have been able to write the future of land use in Pittsburgh; he said this is a way to play offense.
Helping explain the headlines this week:
- Chris Potter, government and accountability editor
- Sam Dunklau, WITF capitol reporter
- Margaret J. Krauss, development and transportation reporter
Pittsburgh Explainer is hosted by Liz Reid and produced by Katie Blackley. New episodes come out every Friday. Subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify.
