GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) 鈥 Donald Trump's energy level emerged as a flashpoint on Friday as the Republican nominee and Democrat Kamala Harris scrambled across battleground Michigan with Election Day looming.
Harris told reporters that Trump was 鈥渦nfit," 鈥渦nstable鈥 and 鈥渁 danger to our democracy鈥 ahead of an afternoon rally. But she appeared to touch a nerve with her Republican rival when she mentioned a report that Trump was 鈥渆xhausted."
鈥淏eing president of the United States is probably one of the hardest jobs in the world and we really do need to ask, if he鈥檚 exhausted on the campaign trail, is he fit to do the job?鈥 jabbed Harris, who has been on the road campaigning since Monday and won鈥檛 return to Washington until sometime next week.
Harris' attack comes as she seeks to raise doubts about Trump's health over the final days of the campaign. Trump, at 78, would be the oldest person in U.S. to become the president if he wins. But he's or other health details, breaking decades of tradition in presidential politics.
Trump, who has been campaigning at a breakneck pace as well, fired back later in the day when asked by reporters about Harris' comment.
鈥淪he鈥檚 a loser. She doesn鈥檛 go to any events,鈥 Trump charged hours before a rally in Detroit as he ticked down his to-do list for the day. He said he was on 鈥淔ox & Friends鈥 at 7 a.m., had two other appearances and then made 鈥渁bout 15 phone calls.鈥
鈥淚鈥檝e gone 48 days now without a rest. And I鈥檝e got that loser, who doesn鈥檛 have the energy of a rabbit,鈥 Trump said. 鈥淭ell me when you鈥檝e seen me take even a little bit of a rest. Not only am I not 鈥 I鈥檓 not even tired. I鈥檓 really exhilarated.鈥
Questions about Trump's energy level come as he has backed out of some interviews with mainstream media outlets, including 鈥60 Minutes鈥 and CNBC.
Still, he appears regularly on friendly cable shows and conservative podcasts -- often sitting for hours of interviews each day.
On Friday, he spent 40 minutes on set with the hosts of 鈥淔ox & Friends鈥 before he joined 鈥淭he Dan Bongino Show,鈥 a video podcast, and taped an interview with Mark Calaway, the wrestler famously known as 鈥淭he Undertaker,鈥 for his 鈥淪ix Feet Under鈥 podcast. He also attended an editorial meeting with Fox News and the New York Post before he departed for a multi-stop trip to Michigan.
Still, leading Democrats, including top Harris campaign adviser David Plouffe, continue to raise questions about Trump's energy levels.
鈥淭his is important,鈥 Plouffe said on CNN. 鈥淚鈥檝e worked in the White House. It鈥檚 the hardest job in the world, and I think it raises real questions. If somebody can鈥檛 handle the campaign trail because they鈥檙e so exhausted, whether they鈥檙e fit to be president. 鈥 You just have to watch him every day."
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Peoples reported from New York. AP writer Jill Colvin in New York contributed.
