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Trump said that Georgia has not yet met the requirements to enter “Phase 1” of the White House plan to reopen the country.

“I want him to do what he thinks is right, but I disagree with him on what he’s doing,” Trump said.

Kemp is allowing nonessential business such as spas, tattoo shops, hair salons, movie theaters and bowling alleys to reopen this week so long as they follow physical distancing orders.

“I love those people who use all of those things,” Trump said. “I love them, but they can wait just a little bit longer. Because safety has to predominate.”

White House’s guidelines recommends 14 days of declining new infections before moving to the reopening phase Kemp called for. 

“Maybe you wait a little bit longer until you get to a phase 2. So do I agree with him? No, but I respect him and I will let him make his decision,” Trump said. “Would I do that? No … But I’m going to let him make his decision, but I told him, I totally disagree.”

Trump also said that he is planning to continue his tradition of holding a July 4 celebration in Washington, DC’s national mall, like last year.

“As you know, we’re gonna be doing it. Last year was a tremendous success and I would imagine we’ll do it,” he said. “Hopefully, I can use the term ‘forever.’ That was a great success, as you remember.”

Trump said that Robert Redfield, the CDC director, was “totally misquoted” saying that there would be a second wave of coronavirus in the autumn, calling The Washington Post’s headline “totally inaccurate”.

Redfield and Dr. Deborah Birx both noted that there is a potential for a second wave of coronavirus in the fall. Redfield said  that it’s important to prepare for two viruses circulating in the fall, a combination of coronavirus and flu.

But Trump predicted otherwise. 

“If it comes back, though, it won’t be coming back in the form that it was,” he said. “It will be coming back in smaller doses that we can contain.”

Trump also signed an executive order today to ban immigration for 60 days to the United States as the nation’s economy continues to tremble under the coronavirus pandemic. 

He said the ban aims to ensure that U.S. jobs created after the country re-opens go first to American workers. 

The coronavirus outbreak has infected more than 825,300 people in the U.S. and has killed at least 45,075, the highest death toll of any country.

As the epicenter of the crisis, New York State saw a decline of the confirmed cases, but Governor Andrew Cuomo still emphasizes the importance of testing and urges people to stay alarmed.

Cuomo announced today that the state is launching a coronavirus testing and tracing program to build a “tracing army” who will collect data on the spread of coronavirus in the tri-state area.

Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg is donating millions of dollars to help finance the program. He will also design and develop the program. 

Cuomo said the state has already started tracing with about 500 tracers. 

“This entire operation has never been done before. It’s an intimidating exercise,” Cuomo said. “But I say so what? It’s what we have to do now.”

Cuomo also said he would not allow political pressure to decide when the state reopens. He said he would not risk New Yorkers’ lives by reopening too quickly.

“This is a marathon, not a sprint,” he said.

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This is one of three stops for the day, and one of 17 stops in a three-day bus tour two weeks before election day. Kemp addressed the crowd about the importance of this election.

“We’re in a fight for the future of our state in this election,” Kemp said. “The whole country is watching this race because there’s this so-called ‘blue wave’ out there they think is going to change our Georgia values.”

Kemp and his supporters want to stop “the blue wave” that Democrats hope will sweep the Peach State.

Georgia’s governor’s race has been polarizing, a liberal African American woman, Stacey Abrams vs.a traditional conservative candidate.

Ryan Mohoney, 35, the communications director for the Kemp campaign said he supports Kemp because they focus on the same values: faith, family, honesty, staying true to their roots and being someone that can counted on. But he does not find those values in Kemp’s opponent.  

Abrams is the first African-American to be elected by a major party to run for governor. If elected, she will be the first female, African-American governor in the United States. Abrams’ platform includes expanding Medicaid, supporting women’s rights and healthcare, and creating affordable housing across diverse communities. She has also proposed to expand the Hope Scholarship (a state funded merit-based college scholarship) to create a greater opportunity for more people to get a higher education.

Many of Kemp’s supporters believe her values would be detrimental to traditional America.

“It is the lowering of standards for America across the board,” said Dan Zenda, 49. “For the most part, the focus has been against traditional America and our values from coast to coast.”

Casey Martin, 31, said that she values low taxes and she does not like the expansion of government or Medicaid.

“Stacey Abrams scare me,” Martin said. “And it scares me that someone like that, who believes the way she does, could be in charge of our state.”

In his rally speech, Kemp said that voting for him would send a message to those that support the blue wave.

“Let’s send a message to those folks from California and New York and this so-called blue wave,” said Kemp. “Let’s build a red wall around the great state of Georgia.”

Mark Williams, 48, said he liked Kemp because he is pro-life, pro Second Amendment, pro small government, and an advocate for lower taxes. Although this aligns with the national Republican platform, Williams does not compare Kemp and Trump.

“I like things Trump are doing,” said Williams. “But what Kemp stands for speaks to me more than what Trump does, as far as being conservative and specifically pro-life.”

Other supporters are more interested in one or two specific issues. Kathy Hendricks, 58, has religious reasons to back the pro-life platform.

“I am a southern Baptist,” Hendricks said. “I believe it’s right not to kill babies. I am very worried for the state of Georgia. I know that if it doesn’t stay red, we’re in trouble.”

Lisa Spurlock, 51, is running for mayor of Nahunta. She wants to see the economy grow specifically in rural south Georgia.

“Instead of our economy crumbling, make it build,” Spurlock said. “If we don’t build, we’re not gonna stand. And that’s what I heard from [Kemp] today, to build up everything, not to make them crumble. Everywhere you go, everyone needs something different. We’ve got to start where we can and build up to where we can get to.”

Jimmy Spurlock, 51, agreed with his wife on economic issues and likes where Georgia is already as a red state.  

“We’re on the right, so we’re doing the right thing,” said Spurlock. “I want to see more jobs and I want to see more money in my pocket.”

As Kemp continued in his rally speech, he mentioned healthcare, the Hope Scholarship, school safety, and business expansion. But he came back several times to the theme of  fighting for conservative values against “socialist billionaires” in other states.

In an interview, Kemp said that he recognized how his campaign is part of a bigger narrative about the country’s approval or disapproval of President Trump.

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