Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton poses with audience members at a Women for Hillary campaign finance event in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.
Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters
Donald Trump holds up polling data. Photograph: Mary Schwalm/AFP/Getty Images
So much for every Republican running away from Trump. House speaker Paul Ryan will campaign with the presidential nominee in his home district in Wisconsin on Saturday, according to a statement from his office. Rather hilariously – no, let’s go with quite hilariously – given Ryan’s chronic bobbling of the Trump question, the statement advises that “all questions related to Mr. Trump should be directed to the Trump campaign.”
At the end of the first presidential debate last week, Donald Trump patted himself on the back for not bringing up some unnamed thing relating to the Clinton family, which pretty clearly was Bill Clinton’s infidelities. After the debate, Trump continued to pat himself on the back for not bringing up Clinton’s infidelities, which most political analysts agreed was not a fight that would end well for him. Now Trump has definitively declared – on Page Six of the New York Post – that he will NOT bring up “Bill Clinton’s past”:
“I want to win this election on my policies for the future, not on Bill Clinton’s past,” Trump told Page Six via email. “Jobs, trade, ending illegal immigration, veteran care, and strengthening our military is what I really want to be talking about.”
Trump running mate Mike Pence this morning told CNN that Trump no longer supports a ban on Muslims entering the US but wants a ban on immigrants “from countries compromised by terrorism.”
“We’re going to suspend immigration from countries compromised by terrorism,” Pence said. CNN’s Chris Cuomo does a good job of pushing him: “But governor that is a finessed position,” Cuomo said, pointing out that Pence strongly condemned Trump’s call for a Muslim ban back when he was supporting Ted Cruz. “You condemned those comments. Why do you not condemn them now?” Pence laughed, as if no questions could be sillier. “Well because it’s not Donald Trump’s position now.”
Donald Trump’s core supporters may back his views on curbing immigration – but they disagree with him over global trade and US involvement in Nato, an opinion poll has found.
Trump has made opposition to the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal between the US and Asia a central theme of his populist campaign, but more of his base favour it (49%) than oppose it (46%), according to the 2016 Chicago Council on Global Affairs survey.
In another surprising finding, despite Senator Bernie Sanders’ vocal criticism of the TPP during the Democratic primary, some 56% of his supporters back the agreement, as do 74% of Hillary Clinton’s.
The annual survey suggests a gap between the views of those who shout loudest during the presidential election and the more nuanced positions of many Democratic and Republican voters on the ground, most of whom want America to remain engaged with the world.
As expected, immigration does seem to be a vote winner for Trump, who has been accused of inciting hatred and violence. “Trump’s rhetoric on immigrants and refugees has most clearly struck a chord with his base,” notes the report, published on Thursday. “On each and every question concerning immigration, Trump’s core supporters are the least favorable.”
The final question at Donald Trump’s town hall: “What is one of the earliest memories you had as a child?” The question is followed by a “Go, Donald!” from its asker.
He answers this question by discussing the vacancy on the supreme court.
Apparently, despite being spoon-fed handpicked softballs by a sycophantic moderator in a venue packed exclusively with supporters chosen by his campaign, Trump wasn’t that interested in treating tonight like actual preparation for Sunday night’s debate.
Pete from Nashua wants to know about social security! Specifically, how Hillary Clinton will bankrupt the programs by extending citizenship to undocumented immigrants.
“When they want to do their jobs, and, it’s much more difficult, and who’s gonna come out and endorse Trump?” Trump begins, before meandering into a discussion about the war on drugs. “If I win, and if I become president - first get the nomination, that happened - then become president, I’m gonna promise the people of New Hampshire that we’re gonna stop this crap coming into your state.”
Next question, this time from Bob Swanson: Can you assure the American people that you are going to clean house at the FBI, Justice Department, State Department and the FDA?
“One of my favorite questions,” the “moderator” declares.
“What’s happened to the FBI and to the Justice Department at the highest level, honestly I think it’s one of the saddest things that’s happened to this country,” Trump says.
Next question: How do you define the income range for “middle class”?
“The middle class has been forgotten in this country,” Trump says, before drifting into talking about China for a spell. “I will tell you, it’s such a great question, because our middle class has been treated so badly by our politicians - it’s been forgotten.”
Next question in New Hampshire: What message do you have for Latinos deceived by the biased media to vote for Hillary Clinton?
(Yes, this is seriously a question in Donald Trump’s debate prep.)
“People that are here legally, they don’t want people coming across the border illegally taking their jobs, taking their homes, taking whatever they want to take,” Trump says. “We’re gonna do fantastic with the Hispanics - I believe that.”
Donald Trump’s “moderator” in the town hall that his campaign insists is not debate prep allows the first question - after noting that there is a two-minute clock he can use or not use, at Trump’s discretion - which asks of Trump whether he will amp up his criticism of Hillary Clinton, after “holding back” in the first debate.
“I think for good reason, I think for good reason,” Trump said. “Let’s see what happens, I mean, let’s see what happens. I think we’re all better off if we can do that.”
Donald Trump speaks at 'town hall' in Sandown, New Hampshire
With a friendly moderator and a hand-picked crowd, Donald Trump hopes to prepare for Sunday night’s town-hall debate with Hillary Clinton tonight in New Hampshire. Watch it live here:
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