SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Donald Trump is back on the trail this week, as is Hillary Clinton. She has been campaigning alongside her running mate, Tim Kaine. We'll hear more about them in a moment. But first, Donald Trump rounded out a swing through several key states with two stops in Colorado yesterday. NPR's Sarah McCammon has been traveling with the Trump campaign.
SARAH MCCAMMON, BYLINE: Surrounded by a collection of military planes at an Air and Space Museum in Denver last night, Donald Trump recalled the previous evening, when Hillary Clinton gave her big acceptance speech to the Democratic National Convention.
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DONALD TRUMP: The truth is it was a little bit on the boring side, wouldn't you say, as a speech. It's like taking Sominex.
MCCAMMON: Trump touted the ratings for his acceptance speech, a couple million viewers higher than Clinton's.
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TRUMP: Whose speech was better, mine or hers?
MCCAMMON: Trump spent the day in a swing state where polls suggest Democrats have a slight edge. He said he has to beat Hillary Clinton in the fall or the whole thing will be a waste of time and told supporters they're part of a movement.
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TRUMP: But the same thing is happening no matter where we go. It's we, we, I'm the messenger. No matter where - and you know I'm the messenger of being smart, of common sense, of not being ripped off by every country in the world with a messenger.
MCCAMMON: Earlier in the day, Trump campaigned in Colorado Springs, a heavily Republican area dominated by military families and evangelicals. Before an overflow crowd, Trump signaled he's ready to go after his rival even more intensely.
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TRUMP: Just remember this. Trump is going to be no more Mr. Nice Guy.
MCCAMMON: As the crowd chanted what's becoming a common refrain, lock her up, Trump said I'm starting to agree with you, telling the audience, I'm taking the gloves off. Sarah McCammon, NPR News, Denver. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
