No regrets, Trump vows; Clinton pursues his supporters
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump spoke during a campaign rally today in Johnstown, Pa.
CLEVELAND >> Hillary Clinton ramped up her pressure on Donald Trump in the election’s most competitive states Friday with an emotional TV ad targeting his criticism of a Muslim-American family. Trump vowed to go all-out in the final three weeks so he’ll have no regrets — even if he loses.
The nominees retrenched behind familiar arguments a day after appearing together at a charity event that veered into cutting personal attacks, an unexpected metaphor for this year’s take-no-prisoners presidential campaign. Clinton’s new ad features Khizr Khan, whom Trump assailed after Khan spoke at the Democratic National Convention.
In the minute-long ad, which Clinton’s campaign said was airing in seven battleground states, Khan retells how his son, Captain Humayun Khan, died in Iraq seeking to protect his U.S. military unit from a suicide bomber.
“Mr. Trump, would my son have a place in your America?” the father asks, tearing up as the ad fades to black.
Trump focused some of his criticism on Michelle Obama, who has emerged as one of the most effective voices for Clinton. One of the country’s most popular Democrats, the first lady for years has been loath to devote significant time to campaigning, but has done so in recent days with searing indictments of Trump’s treatment of women.
“All she wants to do is campaign,” Trump said as he rallied supporters in North Carolina. He cited comments Mrs. Obama made during her husband’s 2008 campaign in which she said someone who can’t run their own house can’t run the White House. “She’s the one that started that,” Trump said.
The typically self-assured Trump was unusually candid about the possibility of losing the election, a prospect that’s grown in likelihood as Clinton solidifies her lead in battleground states that will decide the election. Trump said he is packing his schedule with campaign events through Election Day so he will know he spared no effort even if ultimately unsuccessful.
“I will be happy with myself,” he said.
Trump and Clinton were still sharply at odds over his unprecedented assertion in the final debate on Wednesday that he may not concede if he loses.
She said Friday at a Cleveland campaign stop, “Make no mistake, by doing that, he is threatening our democracy.” She said that America knows “the difference between leadership and dictatorship.”
Trump, meanwhile, has said he’s merely reserving the right to contest the results if the outcome is unclear or questionable. Underpinning his threat is his contention — presented with no evidence — that the election is “rigged” against him and may be soiled by widespread voter fraud. He’s urged supporters to “monitor” polling places for potential shenanigans.
Fanning those flames, Russia’s government has asked Oklahoma and two other states to allow Russian officials to be present at polling stations on Election Day, to study the “US experience in organization of voting process.” Allegations by the U.S. government that Russia is trying to influence the election by hacking Democratic groups has fed a Clinton camp claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin is siding with Trump.
The Oklahoma secretary of state’s office said Friday it had denied the Russian request, in line with state law. At the White House, press secretary Josh Earnest said it was unclear what Moscow was trying to do.
“It’s appropriate that people might be suspicious of their motives,” Earnest said.
Early voting is underway in more than 30 states. Clinton, reaching for voters who may be reconsidering their support for Trump, said in Ohio that she knows they still have questions about her. “I want to answer them,” she said. “I want to earn your vote.”
With the final debate behind them, the two candidates appeared together Thursday night for likely the last time in the campaign, at a Catholic fundraiser that turned unusually hostile.
At the dinner, a tradition intended as a display of national unity, Trump drew boos when he referred to Clinton being “so corrupt” and said without apparent humor that she was appearing at the event “pretending not to hate Catholics.”
But Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the New York archbishop seated between them at the dinner, described a less antagonistic moment backstage after he invited them to pray.
“After the little prayer, Mr. Trump tuned to Secretary Clinton and said, ‘You know, you are one tough and talented woman,’ and he said this has been a good experience,” Dolan told NBC’s “Today” on Friday. “And she said, ‘Donald, whatever happens, we need to work together afterwards.’”
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Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Jonathan Lemire contributed to this report.
17 responses to “No regrets, Trump vows; Clinton pursues his supporters”
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here’s away of looking at it, whoever becomes president the loser becomes the vice president, that way there is no one sided party in charge of this country, good idea.
so when trump wins Hillary is vice president if Hillary wins than trump becomes vice president.
If you had studied the Constitution of the United States, you would have noticed that originally, the top vote-getter became President and the second highest became Vice-President.
(That is, votes in the Electoral College) This caused problems almost immediately, particularly the election of 1800. The procedure was changed by the XII Amendment to the Constitution.
How about whoever comes in second gets sent to Manila to deal with Duterte Harry. Trump has so much in common with the Philippine president that Duterte would probably “put him away.” Both big egos, both big mouths, both don’t want another alpha male around.
Can’t wait for this to be over.
It seems the prayer mellowed them out a bit.
Mr. Trump is finally, at long last, recognizing that he is going to lose. His supporters here won’t believe that of course, but the facts are starting to even pierce the fog of Mr. Trump’s ego. He is going to lose, and it’s going to be a spectacular, historic landslide that will mercifully sweep away a lot of down-ballot Republicans. The Democrats will have both the White House and the Senate.
It’s over, folks. Trump is every bit the loser he ridicules.
Make America Great Again! Way better than Barry Hussein’s weak “Hope and Change” promise.
You have no respect for the presidency. You’ve made that very clear.
America is great now. That’s one of the dozens of critical mistakes that Mr. Trump made in his pathetic and unsuccessful campaign. He’s done nothing but ridicule the country everywhere he goes, but none of his supporters have the capacity to understand that. He’s a proven coward and failure who would be absolutely nothing if had not been born into wealth. He’s a loser.
The whole thing is just so sad. Mr. Trump has always been a failure – so nothing new there. The new information is the number of people who supported such an incredibly unfit candidate.
I respect the office of the president, I just don’t respect the president. There is a difference. Even Bill Clinton held Barry Hussein in low regard. Here’s a quote from Bill speaking to Ted Kennedy: “A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee”
You can spin things any way you want. Your writings are clear to anyone who can read.
Mr. Obama is the President. You continually (meaning over and over and over again) call him “Barry Hussein” which I’m sure is very clever to you. Very! But it’s disrespectful of the constitutional office of the President. You’re a Trump supporter of course which means you also don’t understand or respect the Constitution, so I suppose that helps explain your behavior.
You need to come up with a very clever (very!) name for Mrs. Clinton after she wins the election. Makes sure it’s a good one, because you’ll be using it for eight years.
And I suppose Obama respects the Constitution as evidenced my his numerous executive orders that made or changed laws, which, according to the Constitution, can be done by Congress only.
I use the president’s middle name with the utmost respect and admiration. And I’m offended that you would think otherwise.
Do you mean, “Make America Pre-Civil Rights Again?”
The country is finally coming around and recovering nicely. We live in a much safer world because we can call many new nations our friends. The world is a much better place with my party in blue in the White House. It’s the end of the GOP and a new beginning for our glorious nation. Hillary 2016!!!!
Your sarcasm is duly noted..