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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gave an address on national security, today, in San Diego, Calif.
SAN DIEGO » In a full-throated general election attack, Hillary Clinton lambasted Donald Trump’s foreign policy vision today as one of war, international turmoil and economic crisis. She contrasted that with what she portrayed as her optimistic, inclusive and diplomatic view of the world, born from her long experience in public life.
There was nothing diplomatic in her remarks, a clear indication of how she’ll take Trump on. Electing him, she said, would be “a historic mistake.”
During a speech in San Diego, the former secretary of state unloaded on her likely presidential election opponent, counting down reasons he is not qualified — from his aggressive Twitter attacks to his emotional outbursts.
“He is not just unprepared; he is temperamentally unfit,” she told several hundred people gathered in a ballroom. “We cannot let him roll the dice with America.”
She predicted dire consequences if he is elected, saying a Trump presidency could lead the U.S. into war abroad, spark nuclear conflicts and ignite economic catastrophe at home.
“There’s no risk of people losing their lives if you blow up a golf course deal, but it doesn’t work like that in world affairs,” Clinton said. “The stakes in global statecraft are infinitely higher and more complex than in the world of luxury hotels.
She mocked Trump’s Twitter blasts and predicted he was preparing more as she spoke. As if on cue, he tweeted immediately after she finished: “Bad performance by Crooked Hillary Clinton! Reading poorly from the telepromter! She doesn’t even look presidential!”
Clinton’s robust assault on Trump also was widely carried on television, a change for the leading Democratic candidate who’s frequently struggled to break through coverage of Trump.
It came as she is ramping up her criticism of the presumptive Republican nominee and trying to quell concerns within her own party that she doesn’t have a plan of attack for the general election. Clinton’s campaign wants to show she is ready to take the fight to Trump. Supporters have spent the past week assailing him on housing and veterans’ issues.
In today’s speech, she sought to prove that she is ready to rumble with the famously combative Trump. She offered a number of aggressive new attack lines, at times baiting Trump to respond by calling him “thin skinned.”
She hit Trump for his reality television past, for his snarky Twitter feed, for his hotelier experience.
She ran down a list of people he has insulted, including the pope.
And she assailed Trump over many past statements, criticizing him for seeking to ban Muslims from entering the country, for talking about leaving NATO and for suggesting Japan could one day acquire nuclear weapons.
“He has the gall to say prisoners of war like John McCain aren’t heroes,” Clinton said. “He says he has foreign policy experience because he ran the Miss Universe pageant.”
Emphasizing her experience as first lady, senator and secretary of state, Clinton said she would provide the steady diplomacy the country needs. She said that unlike Trump, she knew how to negotiate complex deals, understood world affairs and recognized what it means to deploy American troops.
Clinton and Trump offer starkly different visions of U.S. foreign policy. Clinton’s detail-oriented proposals reflect the traditional approach of both major parties. Despite differences on some issues, such as the Iraq war and Iran, Democratic and Republican presidents have been generally consistent on policies affecting China, Russia, North Korea, nuclear proliferation, trade, alliances and many other issues.
Trump says U.S. foreign policy has failed. His strong-man “America first” approach is short on details but appeals to the emotions of angry voters who believe that successive leaders have weakened the country, made it vulnerable to terrorism and have been duped into bad trade deals that have cost American jobs.
Trump accused Clinton of lying about his foreign policy plans at a rally at an airport hangar in Sacramento, California, Wednesday night.
“She lies. She made a speech and she’s making another one tomorrow. And they sent me a copy of the speech and it was such lies about my foreign policy,” Trump said.
“They said I want Japan … to get nuclear weapons. Give me a break,” he objected. “I want Japan and Germany and Saudi Arabia and South Korea and many of the NATO nations — they owe us tremendous. We’re taking care of all these people. And what I want them to do is pay up.”
Trump has suggested in the past that he might be OK with Japan one day obtaining nuclear weapons.
Clinton’s campaign hopes her foreign policy experience will help her win over independent and moderate Republican voters who may be wary of Trump’s bombastic style and lack of international experience.
In recent days, Clinton has criticized Trump over his past business practices, his sometimes-slow-to-be-fulfilled promises to raise money for veterans and his now defunct education company, Trump University. On Wednesday she called Trump a “fraud” and said the real estate mogul had taken advantage of vulnerable Americans.
Trump has pushed back. On the education company, he has maintained that customers were overwhelmingly satisfied with the offerings.
While Clinton is stressing her concerns about Trump, she is still dealing with her primary race. She needs just 70 more delegates from states voting Tuesday to win the Democratic primary, but is dealing with a tough fight with rival Bernie Sanders in California.
She endangered America as Secretary of State.
No disagreement there. Now we wait to see what the liberals can come up with when asked the question…”What are hiLIARy’s ACCOMPLISHMENTS…(job titles not included)?”
Trump would endanger the illegal invaders from Southamerica and the unfair trade deals with China etc. and make USA Nr.1 again.
What invaders from South America? Aren’t they all here already and becoming U.S. citizens fast.
What makes Hillary think she is qualified.
Her delusional mind?
Hillary would sell us out in a heartbeat. Look at Iran and the “deal” we got! Let her give a speech for $200,000+ and she is your friend for life. Not someone who has the best interest of the American worker at heart. Trump may be defective, but what you see is what you get. Bottom line, you can’t trust Hillary.
I agree with you except for the part you state…”and she is your friend for life.” If you get in her way you are toast.
She looks very matronly.
Yes indeed with her dress/pantsuit all-in-one combo outfit.
voters will be subjected to the worst choice of presidential candidates ever
Good article, if a little slanted toward Trump.
And Hillary lies will kill America. She is already responsible for 3 American deaths in Benghazi. She’s in no position to criticize Trump. Both are dangerous to America.
footnote: The Donald have NO American Blood on his hands…hiLIARy have and she LIED to the victim’s families in front of the victim’s caskets.
Cast your vote, and trust in GOD! Judgment day is slowing approaching the gates of Amerika!
Which god? I think I will go with Odin. He’s pretty cool.
The Clintons are the most DISGUSTING people on the planet. They’ve shown time & time again that they can lie at the drop of a hat, and never apologize, or even acknowledge they’re done so. They have almost done as much to harm this country, as Odummy & his cast of Cross-Dressing, Terrorist Loving Clowns. Trump doesn’t have a filter, and he’s brash, but I like that. He’ll get things done, and he will NOT be bowing down to terrorist countries or their leaders. He also will NEVER spend just under $100 MILLION TAXPAYER DOLLARS to play golf in Hawaii at Xmas, with a staff of 300+ people. The tail has been wagging the dog for a loooooooooong time. That’s about to change.
Hopefully with intelligent informed voters this time around we can lift this dark ominous cloud that has hovered over America for the last +7 years and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!