GOP Wanted a Powerful Closing Argument. Trump Talked About the Reflecting Pool.

Republicans were hoping President Trump would deliver a closing argument with less than 24 hours remaining before the midterm elections. Democrats, meanwhile, have been pressing the GOP on issues tied to affordability. In his remarks, Trump opened with an extended description of what he called the “high-quality material” used to renovate the Reflecting Pool, setting a different tone than the policy debate Democrats have emphasized. Although the article provides only a brief excerpt, it frames the contrast between the parties’ campaign focus—cost-of-living concerns versus Trump’s closing message centered on the Reflecting Pool renovation—right before Election Day.