TELEVISION HISTORY, THIS IS "MEET THE PRESS" WITH KRISTEN WELKER. >>> GOOD SUNDAY MORNING, WE ARE JUST 51 DAYS AWAY FROM ELECTION DAY AND AFTER THE FIRST DEBATE THIS PAST WEEK THE RACE IS STILL INCREDIBLY CLOSE. FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ALLIES WANT HIM TO SPEND THESE CRITICAL FINAL DAYS TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES ON VOTERS' MINDS, THE ECONOMY, HEALTH CARE, IMMIGRATION AND FOCUSING ON THE VICE PRESIDENT'S VULNERABILITY, INSTEAD, MR. TRUMP SPEND THE WEEK FALSELY CLAIMING THAT MIGRANTS ARE EATING PETS IN A SMALL TOWN IN OHIO AND DEFENDING HIS ASSOCIATION WITH A FAR-RIGHT AGITATOR WHO OTHER REPUBLICANS HAVE CONDEMNED. ON TUESDAY NIGHT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP AND VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS FACED OFF FOR WHAT MAY R BEEN THE MOST IMPORTANT 90 MINUTES OF THE CAMPAIGN. >> DONALD TRUMP WAS FIRED BY 81 MILLION PEOPLE. CLEARLY, HE IS HAVING A VERY DIFFICULT TIME PROCESSING THAT. >> I'VE NEVER SEEN A WORST PERIOD OF TIME. PEOPLE CAN'T GO OUT AND BUY CEREAL, BACON OR EGGS OR ANYTHING ELSE. >> DURING THE COURSE OF HIS RALLIES HE TALKS ABOUT FICTIONAL CHARACTERS LIKE HANNIBAL LECTOR, AND WIND MILLS CAUSE CANCER AND THE ONE THING YOU WILL NOT HEAR HIM TALK ABOUT IS YOU. >> WE HAVE THE BIG OF THE RALLIES AND THE MOST INCREDIBLE RALLIES IN THE HISTORY OF POLITICS. >> HE DOUBLED DOWN ON BASELESS CLAIMS THAT HE MADE ON THE STAGE THAT MEMBERS OF THE HAITIAN POPULATION IN SPRINGFIELD, OHIO ARE ABUSING PETS AND CITY OFFICIALS SAY THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF THAT. >> IN SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, THEY'RE EATING THE DOGS, THEY'RE EATING THE CATS AND THEY'RE EATING THE PETS OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE. THEY TAKE IN THE GEESE. YOU KNOW WHERE THE GEESE ARE IN THE PARK AND THEY'RE, LIKE, AND EVEN WALKING OFF WITH THEIR PETS. MY DOG'S BEEN TAKEN! >> THIS MORNING SPRENGFIELD IS ON EDGE AFTER DAYS OF BOMB THREATS THAT CLOSED PUBLIC SCHOOLS, GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS AND HOSPITALS. FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP ALSO DEFENDED HIS ASSOCIATION WITH FAR-RIGHT ACTIVIST LAURA LUMER WHO TRAVELED WITH HIM AS HE MADE MULTIPLE STOPS ON WEDNESDAY ON THE 23rd ANNIVERSARY OF THE SEPTEMBER 11th ATTACKS. SHE POSTED A VIDEO THAT CALLED THE 9/11 ATTACKS AN INSIDE JOB. THIS MORNING SHE POSTED A RACIST TWEET ABOUT VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS. SOME REPUBLICANS ARE CONDEMNING HER. NORTH CAROLINA WRITING, QUOTE, LAURA LUMER IS A CRAZY CONSPIRACY THEORIST WHO IS INTENDED ON DIVIDING REPUBLICANS. THERE ARE REAL CONCERNS ABOUT LUMER AND TRUMP'S RELATIONSHIP AND WORRIED LUMER CAN COST HIM VOTES. DURING A NEWS CONFERENCE ON FRIDAY MR. TRUMP DOWNPLAYED HIS CONNECTION TO LUMER, BUT DID NOT DISAVOW HER STATEMENT. >> WHAT ABOUT YOU DO YOU FEEL THAT LAURA LUMER BRINGS TO YOU AND HAS NOBODY TOLD YOU ABOUT THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES THAT SHE HAS PROMOTED? >> NO, I DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT IT. I KNOW SHE'S A BIG FAN OF THE CAMPAIGN, BUT I REALLY DON'T KNOW. >> WHAT DOES SHE BRING TO YOU? >> I WOULD SAY THAT -- SHE SPRINGS A SPIRIT TO US THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE. WE HAVE VERY SPIRITED PEOPLE. >> LATER, HE POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA, LAURA LUMER DOESN'T WORK FOR THE CAMPAIGN AND SHE'S A PRIVATE CITIZEN AND LONGTIME SUPPORTERS. I DISAGREE WITH THE STATEMENT SHE MADE AND LIKE THE MI