| | | | Clinton, Trump campaign in shadow of police shootings | | Donald Trump did something in Ohio today that he hasn't done before: Suggest police are at fault. He said after watching video of the incident that an officer "choked" in shooting an unarmed man on the side of an Oklahoma highway. "That man went to the car -- hands up -- put his hand on the car. To me, it looked like he did everything you're supposed to do," Trump said. Of the officer, he said: "Did she get scared? Was she choking? What happened? But people that choke, maybe they can't be doing what they're doing."
Here's what Hillary Clinton said today in Orlando, per CNN's MJ Lee: "There is still much we don't know yet about what happened in both incidents. But we do know that we have two more names to add to a list of African-Americans killed by police officers in these encounters. It's unbearable. And it needs to become intolerable."
Timing matters here. Clinton and Trump have talked about police shootings before, but the deaths of Terence Crutcher in Oklahoma and Keith Lamont Scott in North Carolina (a key swing state) are topping the news 48 days before the election and five days before their first debate.
Clinton says "systemic racism" is part of the problem -- and today New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called Clinton "a disgrace" for saying so. "She knows nothing but the mouth never stops," he said -- without mentioning that Trump is often quick to define attacks, shootings and explosions before facts are known.
Trump: Bring back stop-and-frisk: Trump wants to take the controversial policy of stop-and-frisk nationwide. He said in a town hall with Fox News conservative host and Trump supporter Sean Hannity that the policy of allowing police officers to stop and pat down individuals they deem suspicious of carrying weapons or contraband is how he'd stop violence in black communities. "I think you have to. We did it in New York, it worked incredibly well and you have to be proactive and, you know, you really help people sort of change their mind automatically," Trump said.
Here's the response to Trump's stop-and-frisk talk from Color of Change PAC's Rashad Robinson: "Perhaps Mr. Trump would understand what's at stake for racial profiling victims if police officers were empowered to lurk outside the penthouses of white billionaires and demand to see their tax returns and foundation records." | | "He is always very candid with us." -- President Barack Obama, ahead of a final effort to patch up a strained relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations General Assembly. | | | | Don King -- the boxing promoter who 50 years ago was convicted of second-degree murder in Ohio but was later pardoned -- dropped the N-word while introducing Donald Trump in Cleveland Heights this morning. Trump's facing some criticism for laughing about it. | | How the internet brought Trump and Cruz together | | Donald Trump's campaign is weighing in at the 11th-hour of negotiations on Capitol Hill over government funding -- and one key sticking point: whether to allow an international consortium to take over the assigning of website domain names, per CNN's Manu Raju and Deirdre Walsh.
What's weird about this: Not only is Trump wading into a specific policy fight for the first time -- he is siding with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who is leading the push to prevent it from taking effect October 1. Congressional sources tell CNN that Trump's late effort to engage on this issue could throw the last-minute negotiations into flux.
Why it fits Trump's narrative: He's running on the theme of "America first." Consider what he said last night in North Carolina: "I'm not running to be president of the world, I'm running to be president of the United States. Hillary Clinton is the vessel for all of the global, special interests seeking to run our government and our lives."
What Team Trump is saying: "The US should not turn control of the Internet over to the United Nations and the international community," Trump's national policy director, Stephen Miller, said in a statement. "President Obama intends to do so on his own authority -- just 10 days from now, on Oct. 1, unless Congress acts quickly to stop him. The Republicans in Congress are admirably leading a fight to save the Internet this week, and need all the help the American people can give them to be successful."
Cruz still hasn't endorsed Trump -- but here's what he tweeted today: | | | About those anti-Trump holdouts, like Cruz, John Kasich and Jeb Bush: Several Hill Republicans sounded off today, expressing frustration at party members who aren't yet backing their presidential nominee. "Any person in this party that does not support Trump at this point is increasing the chances of Hillary Clinton becoming president and destroying the Constitution," Arizona Rep. Trent Franks told CNN Wednesday. "Therefore they are betraying this party. They are betraying the Constitution." | | | Some politically-themed shopping options today -- starting with a headband from Donald Trump, who says he doesn't actually exercise: | | | And if you're looking for Halloween costumes, here are some options: | | | Honestly, we recommend saving your money. | | Clinton fights to get policy some oxygen in Orlando | | Hillary Clinton's aides wanted their candidate to start talking more about policy and less about Donald Trump. On Wednesday, Clinton did just that, CNN's Dan Merica reports. She argued in favor of giving people with disabilities an equal chance at success during an event here, said defending the disabled would be "a vital aspect of my presidency" -- and drew implicit contrasts with Trump.
What Clinton is proposing: She would do away with the sub-minimum wage, urge Congress to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and launch a program to help with autism in the workplace. Clinton said people with disabilities are "invisible, overlooked and undervalued" and that the United States is "falling short" in protecting their rights. "We've got to face that and do better -- for everyone's sake," Clinton said. "Because this really does go to the heart of who we are as Americans."
Bill Clinton exits the CGI stage: Bill Clinton used his final speech at the Clinton Global Initiative to tout the charity work it does around the globe, implicitly countering Republicans' accusation that the organization provided a way for wealthy donors to buy access to Hillary Clinton.
Concerned scientists: Stephen Hawking and 375 other scientists are criticizing Trump's call to back out of the Paris climate accord. | | | The cast of "The West Wing" is back -- campaigning this weekend not for Bartlet for America, but Hillary Clinton, in several Ohio stops. ... Running mate Tim Kaine has picked up the fundraising slack as Clinton has prepared for Monday night's first presidential debate. ... Janet Yellen and the Federal Reserve helped Clinton dodge a bullet by keeping its key interest rate steady and avoiding economic disruption. | | | Get the Nightcap, a comprehensive summary of the most important political news, delivered to your inbox daily. | | | | | |
Post a Comment