Trump focuses final pre-midterm appearance on reflecting pool

President Donald Trump devoted his final public appearance before the November 3 midterm elections to the renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, spending more than 20 minutes describing repairs and displaying photographs before briefly addressing the vote. Trump spoke Monday at the newly reopened pool in Washington, discussing pipes, joints, caulking, granite resurfacing, algae and leaks. He showed images of work he said had replaced miles of joints and also mentioned other Washington projects, including White House landscaping, a Marine One helipad and a proposed triumphal arch. His election remarks were brief. Trump urged voters not to allow a party that “hates America” to rule, and said sitting presidents often struggle in midterm elections. He also defended his administration’s record and acknowledged that Republicans faced a difficult election, according to accounts of the event. The appearance came as voters prepared to decide control of Congress. Before the election, forecasts generally gave Democrats an advantage in the House, while the Senate contest was viewed as closer. Those assessments described the pre-election outlook, not the result of Tuesday’s...