Second Presidential Debate: Clinton, Trump spar over lewd comments, emails

St. Louis (US): Republican Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton sparred over a number of issues including the billionaire’s lewd comments about women and the former State Department Secretary’s deleted emails, in the second presidential debate here on Sunday night. The two presidential nominees accused each other with Clinton saying Trump was “not fit to be the President”, while the billionaire taking on her over the whole birther claim against President Barack Obama, saying: “You owe Obama an apology.” Beginning the debate, CNN’s Anderson Cooper asked about the 2005 video in which Trump made lewd comments about women, saying: “You bragged that you sexually assaulted women — do you understand that?” Responding to Cooper, Trump said: “No that’s not what I said. This was locker room talk… I am not proud of it but this is locker room talk.” He then pivoted to terrorism and “bad things happening” in the world. Taking on Trump over the issue of lewd comments, Clinton said: “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking over the last 48 hours about what we heard and saw.” Clinton said though she had differences on policies and principles with the Republican candidates in the past but for Trump, she said: “…he was not fit to be president and commander in chief.” “I think it’s clear to anyone who heard it (video) that it represents exactly who he is. We’ve seen him rate women on their appearance, ranking them from one to 10… it’s not only women, it’s not only this video… This is who Donald Trump is,” she added. Trump then accused former President and the Democrat’s husband Bill Clinton of doing much worse than talking about sexual assault. Clinton quoted US first lady Michelle Obama saying: “When they go low, we go high.” Trump then targeted Clinton on the email issue and said: “If I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your (email) situation… you ought to be ashamed of yourself,” he said. Clinton responded: “Everything he just said is absolutely false and I am not surprised.” There was also a moment in the debate when Trump insisted Clinton to answer the question about healthcare first, after nearly jumping in to answer despite it not being his turn. “Go ahead, I’m a gentleman,” he quipped. Clinton called reining in the cost of the Affordable Care Act the highest priority of the next

president. She “agrees” that premiums have gotten too high. Clinton added she wants to save what works with Obamacare but warned repealing it wholesale would lose all those benefits that came with the new healthcare system.  “Obamacare will never work. It’s very bad health insurance,” Trump said, insisting that it is too expensive. Trump claimed Clinton “acid washed” 33,000 personal emails to delete them, something he said was an “expensive process”. When asked by a woman in crowd about Muslims in the US being targeted and facing hate crime, Trump said: “Muslims have to report it when they see hate going on. Muslims have to report the problems when they see them.” Trump also spoke about the parents of the dead and the Gold Star Iraq war soldier. “Captain Khan is an American hero… if I were president at the time he’d be alive today,” he said. “I would not have had our people in Iraq, Iraq was a disaster.” On his proposed Muslim ban, Trump said: “This is the greatest Trojan horse of our time. I don’t want to have hundreds of thousands of people coming in from Syria when we know nothing about their values, nothing about their love for our country. Source: ummid.com

Read More........ → October 14, 2016

Trump supporters, protesters clash in San Diego; 35 arrested

Anti-Donald Trump protesters clash with his supporters outside his election rally event in San Diego. AFP

Washington, May 28Donald Trump brought his message of walls and deportations to the doorstep of America's busiest border crossing on Friday as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee greeted supporters in San Diego, amid one of the largest counter-protests organised against him. The scene inside the San Diego Convention Center during Trump's speech was relatively placid, while outside demonstrators opposed to his controversy-ridden White House bid marched and chanted, carrying signs criticising his rhetoric against illegal immigration. Waving US and Mexican flags, more than 1,000 people turned out for anti-trump rallies in San Diego, a city on the US-Mexico border whose San Ysidro port of entry sees nearly 300,000 people a day cross legally between the countries. San Diego is considered a binational city by many who live and work on opposite sides of the border, and about a third of the city's population is Latino. During Trump’s speech on Friday, some protesters outside the convention centre scaled a barrier and lobbed water bottles at police. One man was pulled off the wall and arrested as others were surrounded by fellow protesters and backed away from the confrontation. After the convention center emptied, clusters of Trump supporters and anti-Trump demonstrators began to mix in the streets, many exchanging shouted epithets and some throwing water bottles at one another. Police in riot gear declared the gathering an
unlawful assembly and ordered the crowd to disperse, herding the crowd out of the city's hotel and restaurant-filled Gaslamp Quarter. San Diego police said on Twitter that 35 arrests were made during the protest. No property damage or injuries were reported, the police said. "Fantastic job on handling the thugs who tried to disrupt our very peaceful and well attended rally," Trump tweeted to police afterwards. Trump has weathered months of blowback from all ends of the political spectrum for his immigration policy, which calls for the building of a wall along the US-Mexico border and deporting the nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants who reside in the United States. While Trump is running unopposed in the June 7 California Republican primary, his stance on border control and deportation seems unlikely to resonate with the electorate at large in a state where political fallout from a Republican-backed crackdown on illegal immigrants 20 years ago cost the party dearly. — Reuters No debate with Sanders: Shortly before taking the stage in San Diego, Donald Trump issued a statement ruling out a one-on-one debate with second-place Democratic hopeful Bernie Sanders killing off a potentially high-ratings television spectacle The suggested debate, an idea first raised during a talk show appearance by the New York billionaire, would have sidelined Hillary Clinton but given Sanders a huge platform ahead of California primary, A day after saying he would welcome a Sanders debate, Trump called the idea 'inappropriate', declaring that he should only face the Democrats’ final choice 200 jail beds reserved for Republican convention: The US city that would host the crucial Republican National Convention in July has reserved 200 beds at the jail anticipating protests during the mega meet that would officially nominate Donald Trump as the party's presidential candidate According to a local media outlet - Cleveland.com - the city which would host the GOP convention in July, Cuyahoga County, will keep 200 beds open at the County Jail for those who may be arrested during the Republican National Convention. The county will be paid up to $250,000 by the city of Cleveland to house those arrested from July 16 through July 23, according to a proposal submitted to the county's Board of Control, which meets on May 31 Raises $6 m in first fund raising event: Donald Trump has raised $6 million and received pledges for another $4 million in his first fundraising event after emerging as presumptive Republican presidential nominee Trump, who self-funded his primary election campaign by putting more than $40 million from his own pocket, has said he intends to raise $1 billion Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com

Read More........ → May 29, 2016

Djokovic beats Federer for 2nd US Open title, 10th major

Novak Djokovic of Serbia (R) and Roger Federer of Switzerland pose with their trophies after their men's singles final match. — AFP

New York, September 14: Novak Djokovic clinched his third Grand Slam title of 2015 and 10th career major with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 triumph over sentimental favourite Roger Federer in the US Open final today. Shrugging off a three-hour rain delay and the overwhelming hostility of the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, the 28-year-old world number one captured his second title in New York to add to his 2011 triumph. The defeat shattered 34-year-old Federer's bid to become the oldest US Open champion in 45 years and left him marooned on 17 Grand Slam titles, the last of which came at Wimbledon in 2012. Djokovic added the US Open title to his Australian Open and Wimbledon victories this year. Had it not been for a heartbreaking loss to Stan Wawrinka in the French Open final in June, the rock-solid Serb would have been celebrating a rare calendar Grand Slam. Djokovic's 10 majors takes him level with American Bill Tilden and just one shy of Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver on the all-time list. Federer was ultimately undone by 54 unforced errors and is ability to convert just four of 23 break points. "I have tremendous respect for Roger and the challenge he presents," said Djokovic, who is now 21-21 in career meetings with Federer. "He's the best player ever. I knew I needed to play my best in order to win. It's an incredible evening." He added: "I love this sport and all these achievements are incentive for me to keep on going." Federer insisted he would be back to try again in 2016. "I love tennis. I'll see you back here next year," said the veteran. "I'm pleased with where my game is, but playing a great champion like Novak is always difficult." With the likes of Robert Redford, Sean Connery and David Beckham watching, and with Eva Asderaki-Moore making history as the first woman to umpire the men's singles final, Djokovic was dialled in from the start despite heavy rain forcing a three-hour delay and an evening start. He forced five-time champion Federer, playing in his first US Open final in six years, to save three break points in a six-minute opening game. The top seed held to love and then broke for 2-1 --- it was just the third time in 84 service games at the tournament that the Swiss veteran had been broken. However, with the playing surface still damp from the hours of rain, the Serb suffered a worrying fall in the next game, turning over on his right ankle and bloodying his elbow. Federer pounced to retrieve the break but the Serb was soon back in the ascendancy and Federer was broken again in the seventh game. Federer saved a set point in the ninth, but conceded the first set with a netted backhand in the 10th game. —AFP. Source: Article

Read More........ → September 14, 2015