Republicans to Trump: American Elections Are Not Rigged

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The following was released by Hillary for America:

At last night’s debate, and again today at his rally, Donald Trump declared his unwillingness to respect the electoral process that is the foundation of American democracy by refusing to accept the outcome of the election. American elections are not rigged. Peaceful transfers of power are a hallmark of our republic – and the envy of the world.

The backlash from fellow Republicans has been swift, leaving Trump increasingly isolated after members of his own party repudiated his position in forceful terms:

Reactions to Trump’s Comments at Debate and Post-Debate Rally:

Elected Officials

Senator Bob Corker (TN), 10/19/16: “It is imperative that Donald Trump clearly state that he will accept the results of the election when complete.”

Senator Jeff Flake (AZ), 10/19/16: “.@realDonaldTrump saying that he might not accept election results is beyond the pale”

Senator Lindsey Graham (SC), 10/19/16: “Like most Americans I have confidence in our democracy and election system… If he loses, it will not be because the system is ‘rigged’ but because he failed as a candidate.

Senator Ben Sasse (NE), 10/20/16: “Talking about rigged elections with zero evidence is dangerous because it erodes trust without justification and kindles cynicism that undermines self-government… Likewise, every America — Republican, Democrat, or Independent — should absolutely condemn voter intimidation or acts of violence.”

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, 10/20/16: “Gov. Scott Walker says Republican presidential nominee has to accept results of the election, even though Trump hasn’t said whether he will if Hillary Clinton wins. WLUK-TV reports Thursday that Walker said following an event in Green Bay that ‘The bottom line is whether he does or doesn’t, there’s going to be a new president.’”

Other Notable Republicans

Conservative Radio Host Laura Ingraham, 10/19/16: “He should have said he would accept the results of the election. There is no other option unless we’re in a recount again.”

Former McCain Strategist Steve Schmidt, 10/20/16: “It’s absolutely unprecedented for any presidential candidate in the history of the country.”

Former Counsel to Bush/Cheney Campaign Ben Ginsberg, 10/20/16: “I think you’ve seen many leaders of the [Republican] party say our elections are not rigged in the past few days. Of the 15 closest states right now, more or less, 11 of them have Republican secretaries of state so that the responsibility for counting the votes – while there’s a check and balance system in every state – really rests with republican elected officials.” [MSNBC All In, 10/20/16]

Reactions to Trump’s “Rigged Elections” Comments Prior to Final Debate:

Elected Officials (Current and Former)

Senator Jeff Flake (AZ) 10/16/16: “States, backed by tens of thousands of GOP and DEM volunteers, ensure integrity of electoral process. Elections are not rigged.”

Senator Lindsey Graham (SC), 10/6/16: “I don’t think it’s good for democracy to have a major candidate for president doubt the outcome,’ Graham told CNN’s Kate Bolduan and John Berman on ‘At This Hour.’ ‘But being rigged means it’s rigged against you and I think Mr. Trump’s fate is in his own hands.

Senator John Kasich (OH), 10/19/16: “No!” Kasich said emphatically when asked on “CBS This Morning” if the election is rigged. “Look, to say that elections are rigged and all these votes are stolen, that’s like saying we never landed on the moon, frankly. That’s how silly it is,” added Kasich, who noted that his first statewide election was “extremely close.”

Senator Rand Paul (KY), 10/17/16: “The Courier Journal reports, Paul spoke to a Republican student group at St. Xavier High School in Louisville Monday stating concerns of rebellion that some Trump supporters have called for are “overstated” and the elections are accurately recorded.”

Representative Doug Collins (GA-9), 10/17/16: “When Trump says it’s fixed or rigged, my hope is that it’s taken in the vein that the media is against me – not that the voting process is… We can argue the edges, but let’s not cut into the exoskeleton.”

Representative Peter King (NY-2), 10/17/16: “Is it legally rigged? No it’s not. Whoever wins, wins.”

Former Arizona Governor and Former Secretary of State Jan Brewer, 10/17/16: “Even former Gov. Jan Brewer (R, Arizona’s former secretary of state and a top Trump supporter, said: ‘I don’t think there’s a lot of fraud going on.’  Asked whether Arizona’s election results would be rigged, Brewer told The Arizona Republic: ‘Absolutely not in Arizona.’”

Ohio Secretary of State John Husted, 10/17/16: “First of all, I can assure Donald Trump I am in charge of elections in Ohio, and they’re not going to be rigged… Times have gotten tougher for a lot of people who’ve seen their incomes drop during a period where many people have gotten very wealthy. So they’re frustrated by those kinds of things. But our institutions like our election system is one of the bedrocks of American democracy. We should not question it. Or the legitimacy of it.” [Newsroom, CNN, 10/17/16]

  • Husted on Trump’s comments: “Well, it’s irresponsible. He should focus on issues that matter to people… Give them some hope. Don’t create hopelessness in our country. Don’t make people feel despair.”

Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, 10/17/16: “Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson said Monday she has ‘full confidence’ in the state’s decentralized election system, despite broad claims by Republican Donald Trump that the presidential election will be ‘rigged.’

Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, 10/17/16: “Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp on Monday joined the tide of Republicans and elections officials who pushed back on Donald Trump’s unsubstantiated claims that a ‘rigged election’ would help Hillary Clinton win in November. Kemp said Georgia’s ‘battle-tested voting equipment and the election officials who manage the system have earned voters’ confidence’ with more than 45 million votes cast and tabulated. ‘As Georgia’s chief elections official,’ he added, ‘I have worked tirelessly to ensure Georgians have safe, accessible, and fair elections in our state.’”

Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson, 9/8/16: “I hate the fact that people are questioning whether the outcome of an election could be rigged.”

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, 10/17/16: “‘Iowa has got one of the cleanest, best election systems in the country and I guarantee every eligible Iowa voter will be able to cast their ballot for the Nov. 8 election,’ added Pate, who said he wanted to clear away any ‘smoke’ over rigged elections by noting the many checks and balances Iowa has to maintain integrity and ferret out fraud.”

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargrett, 10/18/16: “I believe Secretary Clinton and Gov. Pence both talked about, we’re going to accept the results of the election. And in this country, we have a transfer of power that, in my mind, works better than any other country in the world.”

Office of the Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams, 10/17/16: “‘Donald Trump has been tweeting about elections being rigged, but he offers no evidence of such,’ Secretary of State Communications Director Lynn Bartels said in a statement to Denver7. ‘I can say on Twitter I’m a super model, but that doesn’t make it so.’”

Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman, 10/17/16: “[It’s] irresponsible for a candidate to be casting doubt on the election process and just making these sweeping statements that the election is rigged already and that the outcome is predetermined.”

Philadelphia GOP City Commissioner Al Schmidt, 10/17/16: “The real threat to the integrity of elections in Philadelphia isn’t voter fraud… The real threat to the integrity of elections is irresponsible accusations that undermine confidence in the electoral process.”

Other Notable Republicans

Former Romney Policy Adviser Lanhee Chen, 10/11/16: “Credible Republicans have to be a note of sobriety, and we do have to respect the outcome of the election.”

Former George W. Bush White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, 10/16/16: “[If] Donald Trump loses and fights the outcome, it will make many of his followers, which means millions of people, question the legitimacy of our American government. That’s destructive and corrosive.”

Former George W. Bush Aide Tony Fratto, 10/16/16: “You hate to have to fight something like this, but it is very corrosive, so you do have to fight it. You don’t want it to even pick up with a small segment of the population. Reince and Ryan and McConnell will have to concede for him, for the party. They just have to take things out of his hands.”

Former McCain Strategist Steve Schmidt, 10/16/16: “What this would be is an assault on the foundations of the long-established traditions of the country, an assault on democracy, vandalizing it.”

Robert Kelner, an attorney that has represented the RNC, NRCC and NRSC: “Donald Trump’s effort to stir up trouble at polling places and to question, without any factual foundation, the fairness of the general election is a dangerous and unprecedented attack on our democratic institutions.”

Bill Kristol, 10/17/16: “The only ‘large scale voter fraud’ going on this year is the Donald J. Trump presidential campaign.”

Update (10/21): Republicans Continue to Denounce Trump’s Refusal to Accept Election Outcome

Donald Trump continues to shock the world with his unwillingness to accept the legitimacy of the U.S. presidential election. Trump is only increasing his isolation from the Republican Party – and from reality – as leaders in his own party continue to denounce their nominee.

Today, additional Republicans join the growing list of GOP leaders repudiating Trump’s position:

NEW Reactions to Trump’s Comments at Debate and Post-Debate Rally:

Elected Officials

Senator Lamar Alexander (TN), 10/20/16: “‘The most conspicuous and enduring symbol of the American democracy is the freedom to vote for our leaders and the restraint to respect the results,’ U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said in a statement. ‘When you run for public office, you accept the verdict of the voters.’”

Senator Mike Lee (UT), 10/20/16: “It’s frightening beyond my ability to describe,” Lee, R-Utah, told The Daily Universe, the student newspaper at Brigham Young University. “It’s almost an anticipated repudiation of the outcome of the election. … It delegitimizes the entire process in a way that is really dangerous.”

Senator John Thune (SD), 10/20/16: “The American electoral process is the cornerstone of our democracy. Suggesting otherwise undermines an electoral system that is a model for nations around the world.”

Representative Jason Chaffetz (UT-3), 10/20/16: “And Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said he has faith in the elections. ‘Vigilance is wise, but to suggest it is rigged, I see no evidence of that. I have confidence in the integrity of the vote,’ he said. ‘Our nation has a rich history of integrity in elections, and I would expect that to be the same here again.’”

 Representative Diane Black (UT-6), 10/20/16: “But regardless of the outcome, both candidates should honor the results once they are certified and accept the legitimacy of the process.”

Representative Mike Kelly (PA-3), 10/20/16: “The office of U.S. Rep Mike Kelly, R-Butler, said he would ‘accept the legitimately determined results of the election… America’s faith in the democratic process is more durable than any candidate’s campaign rhetoric,’ it added.”

Maine Governor Paul LePage, 10/20/16: “LePage advised Trump to ‘take your licks and let’s move on four years.’ ‘Not accepting the results, I think, is a stupid comment. I mean, c’mon. Get over yourself,’ LePage said.”

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, 10/20/16: “‘This election is not rigged, and it’s irresponsible to say that it is,’ Gov. Nikki Haley said in a statement provided to The Post and Courier. ‘Faith in the democratic process is one of America’s greatest strengths, and it’s more important than the outcome of any election.’”

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, 10/20/16: “Gov. Bill Haslam, who has said he does not support Trump’s candidacy, told reporters on Thursday that the United States is ‘predicated on a peaceful transfer of power and I think one of the basics of that is the acceptance of election results.’ He pointed to the outcome of the 2000 presidential election between Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush that went weeks past Election Day because of a close contest in Florida. ‘Now it’s one thing if an election is — we had the election in 2000 that was obviously too close to call and had to be played out but we had a process for playing that out,’ Haslam said. ‘But again the whole system is based on a peaceful transfer of power and part of that includes you know accepting election results.’”

Other Notable Republicans

Former Oklahoma Secretary of State Tom Cole, 10/18/16: “I just don’t believe there is any risk of massive voter fraud in the elections . . . It does concern me, because you’ve got a national platform running for president, and you delegitimize the process by which presidents are chosen when you raise doubts.”

NCGOP Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse, 10/20/16: “We at the North Carolina Republican Party are not aware of election results being optional.”

Update (10/21): Battleground Editorials Rebuke Trump’s Attempt to Undermine the Election

Voting is easy and we’re seeing record turnout this election cycle.  That’s one of the reasons battleground state editorial boards are rejecting Trump’s attempts to undermine our democratic process by refusing to commit to accepting the election results if he loses.

Here’s what voters are reading in their hometown papers:

REGIONAL AND LOCAL EDITORIAL BOARDS

 Akron Beacon Journal: “What Trump Doesn’t Know About Elections And Other Presidential Things.” On Sunday, Donald Trump tweeted: “The election is absolutely being rigged by the dishonest and distorted media pushing Crooked Hillary — but also at many polling places — SAD.” The Republican presidential candidate has persisted with this theme though he offers no supporting evidence. Sad isn’t the word that comes first to mind in weighing his claim. Try pathetic, outrageous or ridiculous.”

Boston Globe: Trump’s Attempt To Delegitimize The Election. “Trump’s claims that the election is “rigged” against him have no basis in fact. Election fraud in the United States is so rare as to be nearly nonexistent. All 50 states and countless local boards control their own elections, and rigging the vote on a nationwide basis would be nearly impossible. The actual counting of votes is closely watched by observers from both parties. Early voting is underway across the nation, and no credible allegations of fraud have emerged.”

Buffalo News: “GOP Must Disavow Trump’s Attempt To Undermine Confidence In The Election.” In a campaign overflowing with accusations from the Republican presidential nominee, perhaps the worst yet is just now infecting the country. Donald Trump is working, purposefully and relentlessly, to convince people that the election, itself, is rigged against him. He is doing this without a shred of evidence beyond his own collapse in the public’s estimation.”

Charlotte Gazette-Mail: Trump’s Claim “Ridiculous” And “Laughable” “On some level, Trump’s answer wasn’t a surprise. It’s become apparent that he’s likely to lose this election, and he’s spent the past several weeks whipping his supporters into a frenzy by claiming the Nov. 8 vote will be rigged against him. It is a ridiculous claim. It should be laughable. A conspiracy to rig votes across the country would, by definition, involve thousands of people of all political leanings, starting with local poll workers and observers. But Trump, never one to concern himself with facts, has continued to fan the flames. It was still shocking to hear him refuse, when asked point-blank, to accept the upcoming election results.”

Chicago Sun-Times: Shameful Trump Declines To Accept Elections Results. “Trump took every opportunity to undermine the confidence of the American people in the integrity of our national elections. It’s an outrageously irresponsible game. Without the public’s confidence — a confidence that is fully warranted, we should add — our democratic system cannot work.”

Chicago Tribune: Trump, You Think Illinois Elections Are Rigged? Here’s What You Don’t Know. “Did you giggle when you heard the Republican nominee for president say that America’s election process is “rigged”? And when he warned about insiders stealing the election process, did you convulse with laughter? Of course, you did. You’re from Illinois. You know that what’s corrupt often is perfectly legal. That’s the real outrage. Many of Trump’s allegations are fantastic, impossible. He’s wrong — although Trump never minds being wrong.”

Cincinnat!: Trump Is Over The Top And Out Of Bounds. “Donald Trump’s claims of a rigged presidential election aren’t only unprecedented and irresponsible. They are dangerous….”

Concord Monitor: This is Trump – now lets vote “The bottom fell out of Republican Donald Trump’s sagging campaign at Wednesday night’s presidential debate when he refused to say – twice – whether he would accept the results of the Nov. 8 election. It is wrong for any candidate for president to toy with our nation’s confidence in fundamental tenets of our democracy – free and fair elections and the peaceful transfer of power. We believe Trump has cemented what should be obvious by now – that he is totally unfit to be president of the United States. He is not even fit to lose the presidential race.”

Daily Record: “To Trump, Any Loss Will Be ‘Rigged.” So Donald Trump finally went too far. Or maybe not. Either way, the third and – mercifully – last presidential debate of the season largely boiled down to one singular and unprecedented moment, when Trump refused to say he will accept the results of the election. “I will look at it at the time,” Trump said in responding to a direct question on the issue from debate moderator Chris Wallace.

Daily Progress: Trump should take cue from Adams, Jefferson race “Donald Trump at the third presidential debate, on the other hand, wouldn’t commit to honoring the results on Election Day and told America he would “keep you in suspense … We have never seen in a modern election — even the narrowest, nastiest of campaigns — a candidate so openly question the integrity of the democratic process that he might not even accept defeat.”

Las Vegas Sun Editorial: Refusing to concede would be disrespectful Trump’s final insult “Voters should reject Trump. And then he can sulk all he wants — as he did when his TV show didn’t win an Emmy — and retreat to his gilded lifestyle. But if he refuses to respect the peaceful electoral ritual that distinguishes our nation, shame on him, and he will have revealed himself as fools gold, a phony who came to the end of his run.”

Miami Herald: At Final Debate, Trump Shocks By Saying He May Not Accept Election Results. “His unwillingness to say whether he would accept the decision by voters served once again to remind Americans tuning in for the third and final debate of this topsy-turvy electoral season that Mr. Trump does not respect American political traditions — and actually seems to hold them in contempt. He compounded his failure by again raising the issue of rigged elections without providing anything in the way of evidence.”

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Donald Trump’s Reckless End Game “Will Trump ever concede if he loses? Or will he encourage his ardent supporters to reject the legitimacy of the election — attacking the very cornerstone of our democratic republic? Trump must realize he is losing. He is trailing in every credible national poll and in most battleground states.But after pinning the “loser” label on everyone from his Republican primary opponents to past prisoners of war to troops who suffer from battle fatigue, this pampered prince of privilege cannot imagine a graceful exit. And so he claims without evidence to be the victim of a massive conspiracy that no reasonable observer believes is real ”

Roanoke Times: Republicans must disavow Trump on not accepting election results “Before we say anything about the third and final presidential debate, we must say this: Republicans must condemn Donald Trump’s declaration that he might not accept the election results.We usually like to be able to see things in many shades of gray but there is only one way to see this: Trump just made a brazen assault on one of the basic tenets of American democracy — that we abide by election results and peacefully transfer power. What, exactly, is Trump proposing when he says he will keep the nation “in suspense” until he announces whether he will accept the results”

Sacramento Bee: Talk Of ‘Rigged’ Election Is Slippery Slope To Violence. “Imagine voting on Nov. 8 under the watchful gaze of, say, a posse of poll watchers, assault-style rifles slung over their shoulders, “Make America Great Again” hats perched on their heads. Sounds farfetched? Voter fraud is exceedingly rare, as researchers have found over and over.”

San Diego Union-Tribune: “Donald Trump Makes Joe McCarthy Look Good With ‘Rigged Election’ Talk. “Republican nominee Donald Trump’s unhinged behavior in the last week will go down in American history as among the most wide-ranging assaults on fundamentals of democracy and civility this nation has seen from a leading politician.”

Seattle Times: Donald Trump Has Invented A Conspiracy That Could Do Serious Damage. “DONALD Trump is preparing a crash-landing pad for the likelihood of his resounding defeat in the Nov. 8 election. His claims about “large-scale voter fraud” and a “rigged election” are self-serving and, worse, damaging to the American electoral process. Like so many other claims from Trump’s demagogic campaign, his claims take a gossamer thread of fact and weave them into conspiracy.”

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Trump’s Worst Offense: The Vile Attempt To Discredit The Election.  “Of all the reckless assertions uttered by Donald Trump over the past two years, the most dangerous and despicable are those charging that the Nov. 8 election will be rigged. Unity and democracy do not concern Trump. Since the primary season, he has been casting doubt — with no evidence whatsoever — on the legitimacy of the democratic process.”

Star Tribune: Disgraceful defiance from Donald Trump “Unwilling to accept his backslide in the polls, Trump has been malevolently cultivating the notion that the American system of elections, whose heart is a peaceful, orderly transition of power every four years that is the envy of many nations, is so manipulated, so corrupt, that it cannot be trusted, nor its results necessarily accepted. Not only does Trump bring no evidence for such astounding assertions, he has made his claims in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.”

Philadelphia Inquirer: Trump’s rigged election claim is a danger “His belligerent comments at Wednesday’s final presidential debate strike at the very structure of American democracy, where elections are used to transfer power peacefully from one administration to the next. Trump’s remarks are rooted in an alternate reality. He believes dead citizens and undocumented immigrants will vote in the Nov. 8 election. He claims the upcoming election is rigged against him, without offering a speck of proof.”

Philly Daily News: DN editorial: Trump’s claims of a rigged election are racist in nature “YOU DON’T HAVE to dig too deeply to hit the roots of the allegations over voter fraud in Philadelphia. It’s racism. Donald Trump may have used dog-whistle phrases in speeches in Altoona and Wilkes-Barre while claiming the election could be stolen because of widespread voter fraud in Philadelphia.”

Post And Courier: No, The Election’s Not Rigged. “As for Mr. Trump’s reckless contention that polling places will be rigged against him, that goes far beyond an early alibi for what many analysts now foresee as his defeat three weeks from today.That baseless accusation feeds the dangerous myth that Mrs. Clinton will win the presidential election outcome via a fraudulent process.And that sets the stage for even more widespread distrust by the electorate in our self-governing system.”

Tampa Bay Times: Republicans Should Defend Elections, Not Trump. “That follows his constant warnings that the election could be rigged, and it threatens the underpinnings of our peaceful democracy. There is no basis for Trump’s fearmongering, and Republicans such as Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi should stand up for the electoral process now before their presidential candidate fuels more public distrust. Trump’s harping about rigged elections is a fact-free, pre-emptive strike to blunt the sting of his failing campaign.”

Union Leader: Loser’s Lament: Trump Conspiracies Are Nonsense. “ It’s fairly clear Donald Trump now believes he will not win the presidential election. Trump says the media is “rigging” the election by focusing on his myriad flaws … Trump can whine about the press all he wants, though he wouldn’t be the Republican nominee without the wall-to-wall coverage he received over the past year. He goes too far in suggesting the election could be stolen at polling places.”

Virginian-Pilot: Trump’s Dangerous Indictment Of Democracy “His attack on the foundations of democracy is unhinged, especially since the apparatus of American elections is controlled by the states, most of which are run by Republican executives. Such is the state of the 2016 campaign that Republican luminaries across the nation, and even Trump’s own advisers, immediately began trying to undo the damage that his reckless rhetoric unleashed. That’s likely to be a futile effort. Wednesday was another example in a long campaign of Trump being Trump.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on TwitterFacebookYouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Hillary Clinton Campaigns in Ohio

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Hillary Clinton hit the campaign trail today in Ohio holding two events in the state. Her first event was in Toledo where she focused on her plans to help the middle class. She covered a number of her major policy proposals including her plans to boost American manufacturing, invest in and improve the country’s infrastructure, and create good paying jobs. During the event, Clinton also attacked Donald Trump for the recent revelation that he may not have paid income taxes for nearly two decades. She said, “Trump’s campaign is bragging that not paying taxes makes him a genius. What kind of genius loses $1 billion in a single year?” She pointed out that Trump’s plan would cut taxes for himself even more at the expense of working families. Watch a video of Clinton speech below.

Clinton then traveled to Akron where she continued to focus on the economy and her plans to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to prosper in America. She largely focused on the same big points she hit on in Toledo, but she also spoke about her plans to raise the minimum wage, ensure equal pay for women, and cap the maximum out of pocket expenses for childcare. Clinton continued her assault on Trump’s tax records saying that he has certainly benefited from the tax code, but he has not contributed to the United States. Clinton is likely to continue to criticize Trump’s tax returns as the two prepare for their next debate next week. A video from the Akron event is below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Time, The Toledo Blade, Patch

Hillary Clinton Endorsed by LeBron James

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On Sunday, Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of NBA star LeBron James. His op-ed was published by Business Insider and can be read below.

LeBron James: Why I’m endorsing Hillary Clinton
Business Insider
By LeBron James
October 2, 2016

Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James is endorsing Hillary Clinton for president. Below is the op-ed he has written about his decision, which he has exclusively provided to Business Insider. The op-ed will also be published in the print edition of the Akron Business Journal on Monday.

Two years ago, I told you I was coming home to Northeast Ohio — where I was born and raised. When I came back, I had two missions.

In June, thanks to my teammates and all your support, I accomplished my on-the-court mission. We came back from being down 3-1 in the NBA Finals to finally grab what we’ve waited 52 long years for: a championship in Northeast Ohio.

Holding that trophy was beyond words. It still hasn’t hit me. But for me, coming home was never just about basketball.

As a kid, I didn’t have much money. It was just my mom and me, and things were rough at times. But I had basketball. That gave me a family, a community, and an education. That’s more than a lot of children in Akron can say. There are a lot of people who want to tell kids who grew up like me and looked like me that they just don’t have anything to look forward to.

That’s dead wrong. And that’s why I came back to Cleveland to continue my second mission. I am determined to make sure my kids in Akron have what they need to become their best selves. Opportunities, a support system, and a safety net for kids in poverty or kids in single-parent households shouldn’t be limited to those lucky enough to be blessed with athletic talent.

When I entered the league, I founded the LeBron James Family Foundation. I didn’t know it at the time, but my mission has become clear. We give kids in Akron the resources and opportunities they need to stay in school and reach their dreams through education.

I don’t want to see any of them fall through the cracks. That easily could have happened to me.

But I was fortunate enough to have support and mentors around me who kept me on the right path. That’s what we’re giving these kids through my foundation. And when someone believes in you, that changes everything.

I’m so proud of the more than 1,100 students in my Wheels for Education and Akron I PROMISE Network programs. We’re working on year six now, and my kids have big plans for their futures.

A lot of them didn’t think college was for them, but now I hear they want to become things like doctors and business owners. We even have a future astrophysicist. I can’t wait to see how far these kids can go.

I also tell all my kids how important it is that they give back to the community. Because if basketball has taught me anything, it’s that no one achieves greatness alone. And it takes everyone working together to create real change.

When I look at this year’s presidential race, it’s clear which candidate believes the same thing. Only one person running truly understands the struggles of an Akron child born into poverty. And when I think about the kinds of policies and ideas the kids in my foundation need from our government, the choice is clear.

That candidate is Hillary Clinton.

I support Hillary because she will build on the legacy of my good friend, President Barack Obama. I believe in what President Obama has done for our country and support her commitment to continuing that legacy.

Like my foundation, Hillary has always been a champion for children and their futures. For over 40 years, she’s been working to improve public schools, expand access to health care, support children’s hospitals, and so much more.

She wants to make sure kids have access to a good education, no matter what zip code they live in. She’ll rebuild schools that are falling apart and put more money into computer science. She’ll make sure teachers are paid what they deserve so they can give everything to their students.

She also has plans to make college a reality for more people in America, especially for those who can’t afford it. My kids in Akron are proof of the hope and motivation that come from knowing college can be in their future, no matter what obstacles they might be facing.

Finally, we must address the violence, of every kind, the African-American community is experiencing in our streets and seeing on our TVs. I believe rebuilding our communities by focusing on at-risk children is a significant part of the solution. However, I am not a politician, I don’t know everything it will take finally to end the violence. But I do know we need a president who brings us together and keeps us unified. Policies and ideas that divide us more are not the solution. We must all stand together — no matter where we are from or the color of our skin. And Hillary is running on the message of hope and unity that we need.

There’s still a lot of work to be done in Akron, Northeast Ohio, and all across our great country. We need a president who understands our community and will build on the legacy of President Obama. So let’s register to vote, show up to the polls, and vote for Hillary Clinton.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Sports Illustrated, Business Insider

Hillary Clinton Endorsed by Newspapers Across the Country

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Hillary for America released the following summary of major newspaper that have announced their endorsement of Hillary Clinton for president.

Editorial boards from across the country are backing Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump because they find her to be qualified for the office and fit to serve, and they find him lacking both. There is an unprecedented depth and breadth of endorsements, many of which highlight Clinton’s strength while lamenting the danger Trump would pose as President. In fact, the Dallas Morning News had not backed a Democrat for more than 75 years and the Cincinnati Inquirer had not backed a Democrat since 1916.

See for yourself.

Akron Beacon Journal [9.25.16]

“An election is a choice, and at home, Clinton also far exceeds her opponent in vision, knowledge and policy. Here, she is about change, if not the sweeping — and unrealistic — variety. […] The focus belongs on the breadth of her record and what Hillary Clinton would bring to the presidency, her appreciation of what it takes to govern and her grasp of how to do so. She is resilient, tested and calm. She knows her way around the partisan battles. The country doesn’t need a revolution. It isn’t a wreck. It requires the right brand of change.”

Portland Press Herald [9.25.16]

“…Clinton is one of the most qualified people ever to run for the office, and she easily earns our endorsement. She has both executive branch and legislative experience as well as an expert’s depth of knowledge in both domestic and foreign policy.”

New York Times [9.25.16]

“Over 40 years in public life, Hillary Clinton has studied these forces and weighed responses to these problems. Our endorsement is rooted in respect for her intellect, experience, toughness and courage over a career of almost continuous public service, often as the first or only woman in the arena. […]a determined leader intent on creating opportunity for struggling Americans at a time of economic upheaval and on ensuring that the United States remains a force for good in an often brutal world.”

Cincinnati Enquirer [9.24.16]

“Trump is a clear and present danger to our country. He has no history of governance that should engender any confidence from voters. Trump has no foreign policy experience, and the fact that he doesn’t recognize it – instead insisting that, “I know more about ISIS than the generals do” – is even more troubling. His wild threats to blow Iranian ships out of the water if they make rude gestures at U.S. ships is just the type of reckless, cowboy diplomacy Americans should fear from a Trump presidency. Clinton has been criticized as being hawkish but has shown a measured approach to the world’s problems. Do we really want someone in charge of our military and nuclear codes who has an impulse control problem? The fact that so many top military and national security officials are not supporting Trump speaks volumes. […] In these uncertain times, America needs a brave leader, not bravado. Real solutions, not paper-thin promises. A clear eye toward the future, not a cynical appeal to the good old days. Hillary Clinton has her faults, certainly, but she has spent a lifetime working to improve the lives of Americans both inside and outside of Washington. It’s time to elect the first female U.S. president – not because she’s a woman, but because she’s hands-down the most qualified choice.”

Los Angeles Times [9.24.16]

“We can elect an experienced, thoughtful and deeply knowledgeable public servant or a thin-skinned demagogue who is unqualified and unsuited to be president. […] Perhaps her greatest strength is her pragmatism — her ability to build consensus and solve problems. As president, she would be flexible enough and experienced enough to cut across party lines and work productively with her political opponents. As first lady, she worked with Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) to create the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides healthcare coverage to more than 8 million children. As a senator, she was instrumental in persuading a Republican president to deliver billions of dollars in aid to New York after September 11. As secretary of State, she led the charge to persuade nations around the world to impose the tough sanctions on Iran that led to the landmark nuclear agreement, and she negotiated a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.”

Dallas Morning News [9.7.16]

” Trump’s values are hostile to conservatism. He plays on fear — exploiting base instincts of xenophobia, racism and misogyny — to bring out the worst in all of us, rather than the best. His serial shifts on fundamental issues reveal an astounding absence of preparedness. And his improvisational insults andmidnight tweets exhibit a dangerous lack of judgment and impulse control. After nearly four decades in the public spotlight, 25 of them on the national stage, Clinton is a known quantity. For all her warts, she is the candidate more likely to keep our nation safe, to protect American ideals and to work across the aisle to uphold the vital domestic institutions that rely on a competent, experienced president. Hillary Clinton has spent years in the trenches doing the hard work needed to prepare herself to lead our nation. In this race, at this time, she deserves your vote..”

WIRED Magazine [8.18.16]

“She comes to every policy conversation steeped in its history and implications, and with opinions from a diverse set of viewpoints. She is a technician, and we like technicians. […] she is the only candidate who can assess the data, consult with the people who need to be heard, and make decisions that she can logically defend. Sure, she’s calculating. She’s tactical. There are worse things you can ask of a person with nuclear codes.”

Storm Lake Times [8.3.16]

“As first lady and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton stood up to the world powers and demanded human rights for women and children around the globe. In her public life, she has given voice to the voiceless. […] Is Hillary Clinton a good person? Yes. Is she presidential material? You bet. Would she stand up for poor immigrants in Storm Lake, Iowa? We believe it in our very soul.”

Houston Chronicle [7.29.16]

“On the issues, there’s no comparison in terms of thoughtfulness, thoroughness and practicality. […] On foreign affairs, the former secretary of state is knowledgeable, dependable and trusted worldwide, unlike her blusterous opponent whose outrageous remarks last week about Russia were merely the most recent bizarre outburst to unsettle our allies.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Senators Sanders and Warren Campaign for Clinton

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On Saturday, Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren were both on the campaign trail in Ohio on behalf of Hillary Clinton. Senator Sanders spoke at events on college campuses in Akron and Kent. In an effort to appeal to young voters, Sanders spoke in full support of Clinton speaking about a number of her platform plans including rebuilding the national infrastructure, creating new jobs, and lowering the cost of higher education. Videos from the Akron and Kent events are below.

Senator Warren campaigned on behalf of Clinton in Columbus, Ohio. She spoke about the importance of the election and reviewed several of the proposals made by Clinton. Warren then went after Donald Trump and his connections to hate groups. A video from the event is below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Fox 8, WKYC

Clinton Campaign Statement on Trump Doubling Down on Insulting African Americans

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Hillary for America Director of State Campaigns and Political Engagement Marlon Marshall released the following statement in response to comments made by Donald Trump at a rally in Akron, Ohio.

Today during a rally in Ohio, Donald Trump doubled down on his insults to the African American community, which he leveled during a Friday speech in Michigan. There, he posed the question to African Americans, “What do you have to lose? You’re living in poverty. Your schools are no good. You have no jobs.” Today, in Akron, Trump continued: “You can go to war zones in countries that we’re fighting and it’s safer than living in some of our inner cities… I ask you this. Crime. All of the problems. To the African Americans who I employ so many — so many people… What the hell do you have to lose? … You’ll be able to walk down the street without getting shot. Right now, you walk down the street. You get shot.”

Hillary for America Director of State Campaigns and Political Engagement Marlon Marshall released the following statement in response:

“It could not be clearer how much African Americans have to lose under Donald Trump. He is doubling down on insults, fear and stereotypes that set our community back and further divide our country. But again this is not surprising, this is a man who questions the citizenship of the first African American president, has a disturbing pattern of courting white supremacists, and has been sued for housing discrimination against communities of color.

As demonstrated by his bigotry and actions, Donald Trump is unfit and unqualified to be President. We cannot afford this out of touch and divisive thinking in the White House, which is why we must take nothing for granted and work as hard as we can to make sure Hillary Clinton is our next president.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: The Columbus Dispatch

Bill Clinton Campaigns for Hillary in Ohio

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On Saturday, Bill Clinton campaigned on behalf on Hillary Clinton at three events across Ohio. Rallying crowds before this Tuesday’s primary, Clinton flew in to Portsmouth where he stopped for coffee and visited with local residents and kids from the Autism Project of Southern Ohio. He then went to his first rally in Cincinnati where he focused on Hillary’s plans to help those in Ohio and across the country. He said that she is the best presidential candidate to raise wages and break down racial, social, and economic barriers. He also took a shot at the Republican race for president saying it was like watching a “sixth-grade playground fight.”

This afternoon, Bill attended a rally in Akron where he cautioned the crowd in regards to the recent violence at a number rallies held by Republican front-runner, Donald Trump. Clinton referenced a conversation he once had with Nelson Mandela to make his point that anger and violence is not the answer to our problems. Mandela famously forgave those who imprisoned him in South Africa, but even he admitted there was a time when he hated them. Clinton said that Mandela told him, “I realized they could take everything from me except my mind and my heart. Those things I would have to give away. And I decided not to give them away. And then he looked at me and said ‘neither should you’.”

Clinton’s final event of the day was a Get Out the Vote rally in Toledo.  During the event the at University of Toledo, Clinton was joined by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly. The focus of the conversation was gun violence and the need for strict background checks for all purchasers of firearms. Clinton said Hillary would stand up to the NRA and protect innocent victims of gun violence by ensuring that guns to do wind up in the wrong hands. Videos from today’s events will be posted when/if available.

For all the latest, follow our revamped Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: ABC, The Blade, Portsmouth Daily Times, Cincinnati.com