CNN reports:

Dialing in for his first interview since being hospitalized, President Donald Trump went on an hour-long ramble that devolved into vicious and sexist attacks on the Democrats running against him, desperate claims against old enemies and dangerous boasts about his own apparent recovery from coronavirus.

Trump’s appearance did little to reverse impressions of a candidate in denial about the country’s health situation or lost in a web of old grievance and comes just weeks before a presidential election that polls currently show him badly trailing. He called into Fox Business from the White House residence, where he continues taking a steroid as part of his Covid treatment.

Trump, whose voice sounded husky over the phone, had no events on his schedule Thursday; it was the third day in a row since he returned from hospital that his public agenda appeared empty. In White House videos posted Wednesday and Thursday, he appeared upbeat but at moments seemed breathless and wore heavy makeup.

The President said he was eager to return to the campaign trail and insisted he was no longer shedding the virus, even though he was only diagnosed a week ago. But he said he would refuse to participate in a virtual debate with Joe Biden, saying it would be easier for the moderator to cut him off.

He suggested he could have contracted the virus from a reception he held for Gold Star families at the White House last Sunday instead of the mask-less ceremony announcing his Supreme Court nominee, which has produced several cases.

“They want to hug me and they want to kiss me,” he said. “And they do. And frankly, I’m not telling them to back up.”

He aired disappointment with three of his senior-most administration officials — including two of his most loyal Cabinet members — though seemed unwilling to do anything about it, saying he didn’t want to talk about it further.

And he lobbed accusations against Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, that edged into the realm of Joseph McCarthy.

“She’s a communist. She’s not a socialist, she’s well beyond a socialist,” he said, going on to make false, fear-mongering claims that Harris wants to “open up the borders to allow killers and murderers and rapists to pour into our country.”
He twice called Harris, the first woman of color on a major party ticket, a “monster.” [Continue reading…]