Bon Jovi appeals to voters as presidential campaign approaches final week

Jon Bon Jovi has told Americans that casting a vote in Tuesday’s presidential election is “about the future of these United States that I so believe in”.

The rock star gave a small concert at a drive-in rally in Dallas, Pennsylvania, for the Democratic candidate on Saturday.

He took off his black face mask to perform acoustic version of Who Says You Can’t Go Home?, Livin’ On A Prayer, and Do What You Can.

The last song was recently released and dedicated to health workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Biden said Bon Jovi, who he described as a “friend” and “national treasure”, had “always gone wherever I’ve asked him”.

“You’ve always captured the heart and soul of America and, folks, that’s what’s at stake in this election: the soul of America.

“Ten days left to go. As my high school and college coaches used to say in football, It’s go time. It’s go time now.”

Republican candidate Donald Trump was in North Carolina, where he told an outdoor rally that their choice was between a “Trump super boom and a Biden lockdown”.

Mr Trump repeated his claim that the US was “rounding the turn” of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed almost 225,000 people in the country.

When Mr Biden spoke about the pandemic, he was less optimistic, saying: “It’s going to be a dark winter ahead unless we change our ways.”

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Meanwhile it has emerged that vice president Mike Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, has tested positive for
coronavirus on Saturday.

Mr Pence’s spokesman Devin O’Malley says the vice president and his wife, Karen Pence, both tested negative for the virus on Saturday and remain in good health.

Polls have Mr Biden in front nationally but the race is much closer in states such as Pennsylvania and North Carolina, which will decide the election.

Earlier on Saturday, Mr Trump cast his vote in West Palm Beach, Florida, near his private Mar-a-Lago club.

Mr Biden is likely to vote in person in Delaware on 3 November.