On Thursday in North Carolina, Hillary Clinton continued to make her closing argument for the presidency, outlining her record of championing the interests of people of color throughout her career–in contrast with Donald Trump’s history of racial discrimination and divisive rhetoric. Throughout her professional life and candidacy, Hillary has pledged to take on social injustice, including systemic racism and sexism. If elected president, Hillary has vowed to pass end-to-end criminal justice reform and implement common sense gun reform, priorities of great concern to communities of color.
Trump, on the other hand, has throughout his life and this campaign repeatedly instilled division and hate–from championing the racist birther movement and courting conspiracy theorists, to calling for a deportation force for immigrant families and banning Muslims.
Long before Trump ran for president, he was sued by the Department of Justice for racial discrimination at his family’s housing developments in Brooklyn and Queens–in addition to discrimination at properties in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Norfolk, Virginia. Federal investigators were told that Trump employees would mark applications of prospective renters with “C” for “colored” and refused to rent to African Americans. At her event in Winterville today, Mae Brown Wiggins, a registered nurse who was turned away from an apartment Trump managed because of her skin color, introduced Hillary, describing the impact Trump’s actions had on her life.
Years later, in the 1980’s, Trump took out full-page ads in four newspapers calling for the death penalty for a group of black and Latino teenagers who were wrongly convicted of a crime, some as young as 14 years old. Just recently, Trump doubled down on his view that the five men, who were exonerated based on DNA evidence, are still guilty and should go to jail. Trump’s refusal to accept the evidence and admit he was wrong about the Central Park 5 is deeply disturbing, and continues to exacerbate deep and painful wounds borne by the men and their families.
The choice is clear. Americans deserve a president who believes Americans are stronger together, not one whose dark and divisive vision is fundamentally at odds with who we are as Americans.
As the presidential election draws to a close, here’s a recap of Trump’s pattern of discrimination and divisiveness:
A History of Housing Discrimination
Trump was twice sued by the Department of Justice for discrimination in housing.
Despite Trump’s claim that many companies were sued for discrimination when he was, the truth is that Fred and Donald Trump’s violation of the law was so egregious that the case made against them was “one of the strongest”
At the first presidential debate, Trump admitted he was sued for housing discrimination saying, “we settled… it was very easy.”
Trump’s real estate company had a disturbing practice of marking applications from black families with the letter “‘C’, for ‘Colored.”
A Trump building manager had the rental application of a black woman and was instructed to “‘Take the application and put it in a drawer and leave it there,’ Mr. Leibowitz, now 88, recalled in an interview.”
The N-word was used Trump offices and Donald was reportedly was in the room when it happened.
Black families made up a tiny percentage of renters in Trump-owned buildings.
Trump vs. Central Park 5
Trump paid for a racially provocative ad calling on New York lawmakers to reinstate the death penalty for five teenage Latino and African American men who were wrongfully accused of raping a woman.
Trump refused to acknowledge the innocence of The Central Park 5 even after their 2014 exoneration.
Trump continued pushing his birtherism theory to delegitimize President Barack Obama every Trump’s conspiracy theory: President Obama is a Muslim and rendered ineligible for the presidency because he was born in Kenya.
When asked what he would say to people of color who were hurt by his remarks Trump repeatedly said, “I say nothing.”
Trump said African Americans have “nothing to lose” by voting for him because: “You’re living in poverty. Your schools are no good. You have no jobs.”
Trump continues to ignore history and disparage black Americans, saying the African American community is in the worst shape “ever, ever, ever” and African Americans in cities are “living in hell” and living in “war zones.”
Trump retweeted “racially loaded” and “wildly inaccurate” statistics claiming Blacks were responsible for 81 percent of White homicides.
Hateful Movements
Trump’s campaign shared an anti-Semitic image on his twitter that first appeared on white supremacist websites.
Trump has received an outpouring of support from hate movements like the alt-right.
White Supremacists used Trump’s candidacy as a recruiting tool.
White Supremacists and Klan members supported Trump, comparing his views to their views.
David Duke said Trump has “Made it OK to talk about these incredible concerns of European Americans today, because I think European Americans know they are the only group that can’t defend their own essential interests and their point of view.
“Virginia KKK Leader Endorses Trump: ‘What He Believes In, We Believe In.’”
Trump on being supported by White Supremacists: “A lot of people like me.”
More Discrimination in Trump Organization
Trump Plaza was fined $200,000 for shuffling Black and female dealers away from a high-rollers table to accommodate the preferences of patron and “reputed mob figure” Robert LiButti.
Trump Marina was fined for requesting non-Black driver.
When Trump came to his casino, Black people were allegedly ordered off the floor, according to a former employee in a report by The New Yorker.
Donald Trump has a long, well-documented history of peddling conspiracy theories. He has pushed debunked lies for decades, including most notably pushing birtherism into the mainstream, and has continued this behavior on the campaign trail, even praising and doing an interview with infamous conspiracy theorist Alex Jones of Infowars. And today, he has taken to Twitter to spout more conspiracy theories.
Hillary for America Deputy Communications Director Christina Reynolds issued the following statement in response to Trump’s latest antics:
“When you’re losing in most polls and the facts and voters aren’t on your side, it’s not surprising you might rely on fictional conspiracy theories. Sadly, this is not just a moment of desperation for Trump, it’s a disturbing habit. For years, he has pushed dangerous and debunked conspiracy theories, behavior that’s better suited for a fringe website than the White House.”
Over the past day, Trump spoke out at his rally and took to Twitter to share absurd theories.
Trump’s conspiracy theory: Polls show he is ahead, but the press isn’t reporting it.
@realDonaldTrump: “Major story that the Dems are making up phony polls in order to suppress the the Trump . We are going to WIN!”
@realDonaldTrump: “We are winning and the press is refusing to report it. Don’t let them fool you- get out and vote! #DrainTheSwamp on November 8th!”
Trump’s conspiracy theory: A new “secret tape” shows Hillary Clinton wants to bring in unlimited Syrian refugees.
@realDonaldTrump: “Wow, just came out on secret tape that Crooked Hillary wants to take in as many Syrians as possible. We cannot let this happen – ISIS!”
Trump’s conspiracy theory: The battle for Mosul, Iraq is a failure just days into the operation.
@realDonaldTrump: “The attack on Mosul is turning out to be a total disaster. We gave them months of notice. U.S. is looking so dumb. VOTE TRUMP and WIN AGAIN!”
Trump’s conspiracy theory: The battle for Mosul is underway because President Obama want to show off before November 8.
Washington Post: “Trump said that Mosul, Iraq, is under heavy attack because “Obama wanted to show what a tough guy he is before the election.” (Iraqi forces have been taking the lead in the fight to retake the city from the Islamic State.)”
His behavior should come as no surprise. After all, Trump was the first major party candidate ever to do an interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. It is a pattern demonstrated by the litany of conspiracy theories Trump has peddled on the campaign trail and in the decades prior.
The Washington Post: “[Trump] embraces conspiracy theories as readily as he creates them. He’s the first major-party candidate to conduct an interview with Alex Jones, one of the foremost conspiracy theorists in modern America.”
Austin American-Statesman: Austin’s Alex Jones: The voice in Donald Trump’s head: “It is surreal to talk about issues here on air and then word for word hear Trump say it two days later,” Jones said in August. “It is amazing.”
Trump’s conspiracy theory: President Obama was Muslim and rendered ineligible for the presidency because he was born in Kenya.
President Obama may not have been born in the United States.
TRUMP: “If you are going to be president of the United States you have to be born in this country. And there is a doubt as to whether or not he was. … He doesn’t have a birth certificate.”
Trump’s sources tell him President Obama’s long-form birth certificate wasn’t valid, and “a lot of people” agree.
@realDonaldTrump: “An ‘Extremely Credible Source’ Has Called My Office And Told Me That @BarackObama’s Birth Certificate Is A Fraud.”
FITZPATRICK: “He is a citizen. He produced that long form birth certificate.” TRUMP: “A lot of people don’t agree with you. A lot of people feel it wasn’t a proper certificate.”
President Obama’s birth certificate would say he was Muslim.
CNN: “The effort helped fuel the so-called ‘birther’ conspiracy theory that held that Obama was born in Kenya — and Trump also floated the idea that Obama’s birth documents may label him a Muslim. ‘He doesn’t have a birth certificate. He may have one, but there’s something on that, maybe religion, maybe it says he is a Muslim,’ Trump told Fox News in 2011. ‘I don’t know. Maybe he doesn’t want that.’”
In 2016, we still don’t know whether President Obama was a natural-born citizen.
BLITZER: “His mother was a U.S. citizen-born in Kansas. Was he a natural-born citizen?” TRUMP: “Who knows? Who knows? Who cares right now? We’re talking about something else, OK. I mean, I have my own theory on Obama.”
Trump’s conspiracy theory: Hillary Clinton used some type of performance enhancing drug at the presidential debate.
TRUMP: “At the beginning of her last debate, she was all pumped at the beginning, but at the end she was all ‘take me down.’ … I think we should take a drug test.”
Trump’s conspiracy theory: Trump claimed President Obama and Hillary Clinton were the founders of ISIS.
PolitiFact: “Trump said Obama ‘founded ISIS. I would say the cofounder would be crooked Hillary Clinton.’ All this makes Trump’s statement a ridiculous characterization. He’s doubled, tripled and quadrupled down on it in various venues and has reinforced that he meant his words to be taken literally. We rate it Pants on Fire.”
Trump’s conspiracy theory: Undocumented immigrants are streaming across the border to vote against him.
org: “Donald Trump mangled the facts when he claimed that the Obama administration is ‘letting people pour into the country so they can go and vote.’ People who come into the country illegally are not permitted to vote, and the consequences for doing so are severe. Immigrants must reside in the U.S. legally for several years before they can apply for citizenship through the 10-step naturalization process, which can take several more months.”
Trump’s conspiracy theory: It is possible that Antonin Scalia was murdered.
New York Times: “It was a question that most major presidential candidates would have quickly dismissed as absurd, even offensive: What do you make of these theories that Justice Antonin Scalia was murdered? For Donald J. Trump, it appeared unavoidably juicy, and possibly the next big pop-culture fixation. ‘You know, I just landed, and I’m hearing it’s a big topic,’ Mr. Trump told the radio host Michael Savage from South Carolina, in an interview just a few days after the Supreme Court justice’s unexpected death.”
Trump’s conspiracy theory: One of the protesters at his rally was affiliated with ISIS.
TODD: “Well, no, that’s what I — we have checked it; that’s my point, sir. There’s no ties to ISIS for this man, no law enforcement official. And this video that you link to appears to be a hoax.” TRUMP: “OK. You just — look, well, was it a hoax that he’s dragging the flag? Was that him? It looked like the same man to me. He was dragging a flag along the ground. And he was playing a certain type of music. And supposedly there was chatter about ISIS. Now I don’t know. What do I know about it? All I know is what’s on the Internet.”
Trump conspiracy theory: Unemployment statistics are “phony” and jobs reports are “rigged.”
Washington Post: “The Trump theory: Trump has repeatedly argued that the ‘real’ unemployment rate is far higher than the 5-percent-or-so it’s been at since Trump announced his candidacy. He’s said that unemployment is actually over 40 percent, for example. His son, Donald Jr., has said that the numbers are ‘massaged to make the existing economy look good.’ It has echoes from the 2012 campaign, when businessman Jack Welch suggested that ‘Chicago guys’ were manipulating the numbers.”
TRUMP: “Here we are hovering at nothing. Our jobs are gone, we have bad jobs. They have a phony employment rate. Bad jobs numbers last week. Did you see those bad jobs numbers? That’s the last jobs report before the election. I was shocked. I was so surprised that they let that happen. Because it’s all rigged. It’s all rigged.” [Trump Campaign Rally, Wilkes-Barre PA, 10/10/16]
Trump’s conspiracy theory: Thousands of American Muslims cheered when the World Trade Center Collapsed.
Politifact: “Trump said he ‘watched in Jersey City, N.J., where thousands and thousands of people were cheering’ as the World Trade Center collapsed. This defies basic logic. If thousands and thousands of people were celebrating the 9/11 attacks on American soil, many people beyond Trump would remember it. And in the 21st century, there would be video or visual evidence.”
Trump’s conspiracy theory: Ted Cruz’s father was involved with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
Politico: “Donald Trump on Tuesday alleged that Ted Cruz’s father was with John F. Kennedy’s assassin shortly before he murdered the president, parroting a National Enquirer story claiming that Rafael Cruz was pictured with Lee Harvey Oswald handing out pro-Fidel Castro pamphlets in New Orleans in 1963.”
Trump’s conspiracy theory: The Chinese made up global warming to hurt America..
@realDonaldTrump: “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.
Trump’s conspiracy theory: Vaccines can be “very dangerous” and even cause autism.
TRUMP: “And I think the vaccines can be very dangerous. And, obviously, you know, a lot of people are talking about vaccines with children with respect to autism. And every report comes out, like, you know, that does not happen, but a lot of people feel that the vaccines are what causes autism in children.”
Trump’s conspiracy theory: Asbestos was a con created by the mob.
New York Magazine: “Eventually, this leads Trump to a mediation on who is destroying New York – the lobby that does environmental-impact and shadow studies. ‘One of the great cons is asbestos…There’s nothing wrong except the mob has a strong lobby in Albany because they have the dumps and control the truck.’”
First Lady Michelle Obama campaigned for Hillary Clinton today in North Carolina. First, Obama spoke at the Charlotte Convention Center where she spoke about the stark differences between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. She said that while it is easy to lose enthusiasm during the long, rigorous political process, it is important to keep things in perspective. “Remember, it’s not about voting for the perfect candidate – there is no such thing. Candidates happen to be human. And this election is about making a choice between two very different candidates.” Obama then went on to speak about a number of Clinton’s key platform proposals. A video from the Charlotte event is below.
Obama then traveled to Raleigh where she spoke to a crowd of supporters at North Carolina State’s Reynolds Coliseum. She urged supporters to register to vote and to vote on November 8 to ensure that their voice is heard. “When I hear people say they aren’t feeling inspired in this election, I really have to disagree. Right now we have the opportunity to elect one of the most qualified people who has ever been president.” Obama spoke about Clinton’s long public career and her broad platform. Without mentioning him by name, Obama criticized Trump for his temperament and his questing the citizenship of her husband, President Barack Obama. A video of Obama’s speech is below.
Hillary for America has released a series of new campaign videos featuring Hillary Clinton and her plans for America. The first video tells the story of the relationship between Clinton and Aleatha, a young woman from the Bronx. The next video focuses on Clinton’s immigration plans and the importance of keeping families together. The final video focuses on Donald Trump and the birther conspiracy that he pushed during the election of President Barack Obama. The videos are below.
On Sunday, Senator Elizabeth Warren campaigned on behalf of Hillary Clinton in Cleveland, Ohio. Speaking at Cleveland State University, she was joined by former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and actor John Lithgow. Senator Warren spoke about Clinton’s major platform points, especially those related to higher education. She also went after Donald Trump saying, “Trump has led the charge on the “birther” movement and only when his handlers tied him down and made him did he finally admit that it wasn’t true. What kind of a man does that? A man with a dark and ugly soul. A man that will never be president.” A video from the event will be added when/if available.
A fundraiser was also held in Sydney, Australia today on behalf of Hillary for America. The event was only open to American Citizens and featured a conversation with Jeffrey L. Bleich, United States Ambassador to Australia.
On Thursday, Hillary Clinton addressed the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Public Policy Conference in Washington, DC. During her speech, Clinton spoke about the importance of passing comprehensive immigration reform and went after Donald Trump for his comments about the Hispanic community. She also spoke about Trump’s refusal to accept the fact that President Barack Obama was born in the United States. “He was asked one more time: where was President Obama born? And he still wouldn’t say Hawaii,” she said. President Obama also spoke at the event. A video of Clinton’s speech is below.
Today, Donald Trump held a press conference in which he admitted that he believes President Barack Obama was born in the United States. This directly contradicts everything he has said in the past. Hillary for America responded to this with three releases:
HFA Statement on Donald Trump’s Press Conference
After Donald Trump’s press conference today, Hillary for America Campaign Manager Robby Mook released the following statement:
“Trump’s actions today were disgraceful. After five years of pushing a racist conspiracy theory into the mainstream, it was appalling to watch Trump appoint himself the judge of whether the President of the United States is American. This sickening display shows more than ever why Donald Trump is totally unfit be president.”
FACT CHECK: Trump’s Lies About Hillary Clinton Starting Birther Movement
CNN: “There’s No Proof Clinton Had Anything To Do With The Claims That Obama Wasn’t Born In The United States And Thus Was Ineligible To Be President.” “As part of a partnership with FactCheck.org, CNN examines the lack of evidence to Donald Trump’s claim that Hillary Clinton started the ‘birther’ movement against Barack Obama in 2008. As FactCheck.org reported before, there’s no proof Clinton had anything to do with the claims that Obama wasn’t born in the United States and thus was ineligible to be president.” [CNN, 5/6/16]
Factcheck.Org: “There’s No Evidence That Clinton Or Her Campaign Had Anything To Do With Bogus Claims That Obama Wasn’t Born In The United States And Thus Was Ineligible To Be President.” “Donald Trump again has repeated the false claim that Hillary Clinton ‘started’ the so-called ‘birther’ movement against Barack Obama in 2008. As we wrote last year, there’s no evidence that Clinton or her campaign had anything to do with bogus claims that Obama wasn’t born in the United States and thus was ineligible to be president.” [Factcheck.org, 5/5/16]
Politifact Found “There Is No Record That Clinton Or Anyone Within Her Campaign Ever Advanced The Charge That Obama Was Not Born In The United States.” “There is no record that Clinton herself or anyone within her campaign ever advanced the charge that Obama was not born in the United States. A review by our fellow fact-checkers at Factcheck.org reported that no journalist who investigated this ever found a connection to anyone in the Clinton organization.” [Politifact,9/23/15]
Politifact Rated Trump’s Statement That Clinton Started The Birther Movement As False. “Trump said that Clinton started the birther movement and ‘was all in.’ It’s an interesting bit of history that the birther movement appears to have begun with Democrats supporting Clinton and opposing Obama. But Trump, and others who have made this claim, neglect to mention that there is no direct tie to Clinton or her 2008 campaign. The story appears to have started with supporters of Clinton, an important distinction. Trump goes on to completely distort the chain of events by claiming Clinton ‘was all in’ on the birther movement. Most of the talk started after Clinton suspended her presidential campaign. And the only thing she officially has ever done is deny any accusation of starting a whisper campaign. We rate this claim False.” [Politifact, 9/23/15]
HEADLINE: “Republicans Are Blaming Hillary Clinton For The ‘Birther’ Movement. That’s Wishful Thinking.”[Washington Post, 9/23/15]
David Weigel Said That The Rumor That Clinton Started The Birther Movement In 2008 Is “Not True.”CHRIS HAYES: “Okay. The Ted Cruz claim, the Trump claim, Hillary’s the original birther, she started it, that’s not true, is it? DAVID WEIGEL: “It’s not true, although it has taken up a lot of coinage on the right recently.” [All In, MSNBC, 9/23/15]
Washington Post: “The Allegation Clinton Or Even Her Campaign Started This Just Isn’t Founded.” “Trump isn’t only going to (maybe) renounce birtherism, you see; he’s going to open up a whole new can of worms around the issue by trying to tie it to Clinton. He’s going to breathe all kinds of life into the story by not truly taking responsibility for his lengthy effort to question the legitimacy of the president of the United States, and he’s going to do it with a specious charge. The allegation Clinton or even her campaign started this just isn’t founded.” [Washington Post, 9/16/16]
Washington Post: “There Is Nothing She Ever Said Along Those Lines.” “What’s more, Trump suggested Friday morning that he’s not just going to tie Clinton’s campaign to this, but Clinton herself, which is even more clearly counter to the facts. There’s no proof that either of them is true, mind you, but all of Clinton’s comments are recorded history, and there is nothing she ever said along those lines.” [Washington Post, 9/16/16]
Vox: “There’s No Evidence That Hillary Clinton Or Her 2008 Campaign Had Anything To Do With The Birther Theory — None.” “There’s no evidence that Hillary Clinton or her 2008 campaign had anything to do with the birther theory — none. Nonpartisan fact-checkers have repeatedly debunked this claim, as you can see at Politifact, Factcheck, CNN, and the Washington Post.” [Vox, 9/16/16]
NBC News: “It Isn’t True To Say Hillary Clinton Or Her ’08 Campaign Started The Birther Movement.” “It isn’t true to say Hillary Clinton or her ’08 campaign started the Birther movement: The other part of the Trump campaign statement from last night — in fact, it was its beginning — was pinning the Birther story on Hillary Clinton. “Hillary Clinton’s campaign first raised this issue to smear then-candidate Barack Obama in her very nasty, failed 2008 campaign for President. This type of vicious and conniving behavior is straight from the Clinton Playbook.” But that is untrue.” [NBC News, 9/16/16]
NBC News: “Clinton Or Her Campaign NEVER Said/Suggested/Insinuated That Obama Wasn’t Born In The United States.” “While SUPPORTERS of Clinton stirred this conspiracy on the Internet, Clinton or her campaign NEVER said/suggested/insinuated that Obama wasn’t born in the United States. As the Washington Post wrote last year, “Clinton’s campaign, one of the most thoroughly dissected in modern history, never raised questions about the future president’s citizenship.” [NBC News, 9/16/16]
Hillary Clinton On Birtherism: “We Know Who Donald Is… There Is No Erasing It In History”
Today during her remarks at The Black Women’s Agenda in Washington, D.C., Hillary Clinton addressed Donald Trump’s long history of birtherism:
“We’re coming together at a pivotal moment for our country. I do believe that every election is important. But this one feels different, doesn’t it? That’s because it is. The next 53 days will shape the next 50 years. The future of our children and grandchildren hangs in the balance.
On one hand we have Donald Trump. And in recent weeks, he’s tried to restrain himself and clean-up his image. But as Maya Angelou once said, “when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.
And we know who Donald is. For 5 years, he has led the birther movement to de-legitimize our first black president. His campaign was founded on this outrageous lie. There is no erasing it in history.
Just yesterday, Trump, again refused to say with his own words that the president was born in the United States. Now Donald’s advisors had the temerity to say he’s doing the country a “service” by pushing these lies. No, he isn’t. He is feeding into the worst impulses, the bigotry and bias that lurks in our country. Barack Obama was born in America, plain and simple. And Donald Trump owes him and the American people an apology.
So, my friends: There is no “new” Donald Trump. There never will be.
Donald Trump looks at Barack Obama after eight years and still doesn’t see him as an American.
Think about how dangerous this is. Imagine a person in the Oval Office who traffics in conspiracy theories and refuses to let them go – no matter what the facts are. Imagine someone who distorts the truth to fit a very narrow view of the world. Imagine a president who sees someone who doesn’t look like him, and doesn’t agree with him, and thinks that person must not be a “real” American.
Donald Trump is unfit to be President of the United States. We cannot become insensitive to what he says and what he stirs up. We just can’t accept this. We’ve got to stand up to it. If we don’t, it won’t stop.”
Here is a sampling of the times, following the release of the birth certificate, when Donald Trump still called President Obama’s nationality into question.
April 27, 2011: President Obama Releases His Long-form Birth Certificate
April 27, 2011: Trump Calls Legitimacy Into Question
QUESTION: “What are your qualifications to assess this? You say, you have to look at it and you have to decide. What gives you the authority the–”
TRUMP: “Well, I’m going to look at it and many other people are going to look at it. You are going to have many people looking at it. And, obviously, they are going to have to make a decision, because it is rather amazing that, all of the sudden, it materializes.” [Press Conference, Portsmouth NH, 4/27/11]
October 27, 2011: Trump: “No, I Don’t Necessarily” Think President Obama’s Birth Certificate Is Valid.
PIERS MORGAN: “Do you accept that what he produced is valid?”
TRUMP: “No, I don’t necessarily.”
MORGAN: “But you believe he probably was born in America?”
TRUMP: “Well, I say he might have been”
MORGAN: But what does your gut tell you? Because you are a smart guy.”
TRUMP: “My gut tells me a couple of things. Number one, you know, it took a long time to produce the certificate and when it came out as you know, you check out the Internet, many people say it is not real. OK? That it’s a forgery. That’s what they say. I don’t know if it was.”
MORGAN: “That’s why the internet is a lot of nonsense, isn’t it?”
TRUMP: “You know what? OK, fine. But you know, they go over it and lots of different things and lots of different reasons. And the other thing is nobody has been able to see, you know, the day of his birth, they had twins born. They had — the other one born. Nobody has been able to find any records that he was born in that hospital.” [Piers Morgan Tonight, CNN, 10/27/11]
August 6, 2012:Trump Tweets Birth Certificate Is A Fraud
“An ‘Extremely Credible Source’ Has Called My Office And Told Me That @BarackObama’s Birth Certificate Is A Fraud.” [@realDonaldTrump, Twitter, 8/6/12]
October 26, 2012: Trump Continued To Say That He Had “No Idea” Where President Obama Was Born.
O’REILLY: “Where do you think he was born?”
TRUMP: “I have no idea. I really have no idea. I really have no idea.” [The O’Reilly Factor, Fox News, 10/26/12]
August 11, 2013: Trump Again Continued To Say He Had “No Idea” Whether President Obama Was Born In The U.S.
KARL: “But you don’t still question he was born in the United States, do you?”
TRUMP: “I have no idea… Well, I don’t know, was there a birth certificate? You tell me. You know some people say that was not his birth certificate. I’m saying, I don’t know. Nobody does.” [This Week, ABC, 8/11/13]
May 20, 2014: Trump: “A Lot Of People Don’t Agree With You. A Lot Of People Feel It Wasn’t A Proper Certificate.”
FITZPATRICK: “You questioned his citizenship during his campaign. You’ve said afterwards if he produced that long form birth cert, you’d produce your tax returns, but you didn’t do it, did you?”
TRUMP: “I don’t know. Did he do it? If I decide to run for office, I’ll produce my tax returns. Absolutely. I would love to do that. I did produce actually a financial statement even though I wasn’t even running, I did produce a financial statement and it was shocking to some because it was so much higher than people thought even possible. It was a great statement and it was my honor to do it. No, the president should come clean. He should have come clean over the years. If you remember the very famous story where I offered him $5 million if he showed some basic records and he never took me up on it and that would be for charity. Charities would have benefited and it would have been a great think.”
FITZPATRICK: “He is a citizen. He produced that long form birth certificate…”
TRUMP: “A lot of people don’t agree with you. A lot of people feel it wasn’t a proper certificate.” [TV3 News, TV3 Ireland, 5/20/14]
July 9, 2015: Trump Said He Still Did Not Know If President Obama Was Born In America.
The Hill: “Donald Trump says he’s still not convinced President Obama was born in America, but that he’s not interested in rehashing the issue. ‘I don’t know. I really don’t know,’ the 2016 Republican presidential candidate told CNN when asked on Thursday. ‘I don’t know why he wouldn’t release his records.’” [The Hill, 7/9/15]
January 6, 2016: Trump On Whether President Obama Was A Natural-Born Citizen: “Who Knows? Who Knows?… I Have My Own Theory On Obama. Someday I’ll Write Another Book.”
BLITZER: “Because you know your critics are saying you’re doing to Ted Cruz what you tried to do to President Obama, where he was born, his birth certificate.”
TRUMP: “Who knows about Obama?”
BLITZER: “His mother was a U.S. citizen-born in Kansas. Was he a natural-born citizen?”
TRUMP: “Who knows? Who knows? Who cares right now? We’re talking about something else, OK. I mean, I have my own theory on Obama. Someday I’ll write a book. I’ll do another book, and it will do very successfully.” [Situation Room, CNN, 1/6/16]
In response to Donald Trumps new campaign ad focusing on Hillary Clinton’s comments about Trump’s supporters, Hillary for America Deputy Communications Director Christina Reynolds released the following statement and response:
“As we’ve come to expect, Donald Trump gets quite a bit wrong in his new TV ad, ignoring Hillary Clinton’s comments that she did not mean half of his supporters were deplorable and her reference to the economic concerns of many of his supporters. That said, if he’d like to argue against Hillary’s claim that people who are racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic or Islamophobic are deplorable, we are happy to have that debate. Trump has spent the entire campaign offering divisive views that have given rise to far too much hatred and bigotry—Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine will continue to call that out.”
TRANSCRIPT
RECORD
VOICEOVER: Speaking to wealthy donors, Hillary Clinton called tens of millions of Americans “deplorable”
CLINTON CLARIFIED REMARKS
Clinton Said She Regretted Being “Grossly Generalistic” In Her Comments. “Last night I was ‘grossly generalistic,’ and that’s never a good idea. I regret saying ‘half’ — that was wrong. But let’s be clear, what’s really ‘deplorable’ is that Donald Trump hired a major advocate for the so-called ‘alt-right’ movement to run his campaign and that David Duke and other white supremacists see him as a champion of their values. It’s deplorable that Trump has built his campaign largely on prejudice and paranoia and given a national platform to hateful views and voices, including by retweeting fringe bigots with a few dozen followers and spreading their message to 11 million people. It’s deplorable that he’s attacked a federal judge for his ‘Mexican heritage,’ bullied a Gold Star family because of their Muslim faith, and promoted the lie that our first black president is not a true American. So I won’t stop calling out bigotry and racist rhetoric in this campaign.” [Hillary for America, Statement, 9/10/16]
IN THE FULL CONTEXT OF HER REMARKS, CLINTON SAID THANKFULLY, THE HATEFUL TRUMP SUPPORTERS “ARE NOT AMERICA”
Clinton Said We Have To “Understand And Empathize With” Trump Supporters Who Feel “The Government Has Let Them Down” And Who Are “Desperate For Change.” “…thankfully they are not America. But the other basket, the other basket, and I know because I see friends from all over America here. I see friends from Florida and Georgia and South Carolina and Texas, as well as you know New York and California. But that other basket of people who are people who feel that government has let them down, nobody cares about them, nobody worries about what happens to their lives and their futures, and they are just desperate for change. It doesn’t really even matter where it comes from. They don’t buy everything he says but he seems to hold out some hope that their lives will be different. They won’t wake up and see their jobs disappear, lose a kid to heroine, feel like they’re in a dead-end. Those are people we have to understand and empathize with as well.’” [Transcript via NPR, 9/10/16]
CLINTON HAS REPEATEDLY SAID THE VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICANS REJECT TRUMP’S BIGOTRY
Clinton: “As I Said, Many Of Trump’s Supporters Are Hard-Working Americans Who Just Don’t Feel Like The Economy Or Our Political System Are Working For Them.” “I also meant what I said last night about empathy, and the very real challenges we face as a country where so many people have been left out and left behind. As I said, many of Trump’s supporters are hard-working Americans who just don’t feel like the economy or our political system are working for them. I’m determined to bring our country together and make our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top. Because we really are ‘stronger together.’” [Hillary for America, Statement, 9/10/16]
Clinton: “So There May Be Some Folks Who Buy Into His Dark, Negative Vision, And Think He Maybe Could Be Their Voice, But I Don’t Think That Represents The Vast Majority Of Americans.” “And you know, the other thing that struck me about his speech was when he said, ‘I am your voice.’ Now, look, I will admit, maybe he does speak for some people, but I think it’s kind of hard to imagine him speaking for immigrants, for people with disabilities, for African Americans, for Latinos, for women, or even for working people who he has a history of stiffing, not supporting. So there may be some folks who buy into his dark, negative vision, and think he maybe could be their voice, but I don’t think that represents the vast majority of Americans.” [Voter Registration Event in Charlotte, NC, 7/25/16]
Asked If Americans Are Becoming Desensitized To Trump’s Rhetoric, Clinton Said “The Vast Majority Of Americans Are People Who Are Decent And Caring And Looking For Ways That We Can Come Together, Not To Be Divided By Fear And Hatred.” “QUESTION: Do you worry that Americans are becoming desensitized to this kind of rhetoric? HILLARY CLINTON: I think the uproar from Americans across our country in response to a number of the comments that Trump has made, but in particular to his derogatory comments about the Khans shows to the contrary, that the vast majority of Americans are people who are decent and caring and looking for ways that we can come together, not to be divided by fear and hatred.” [Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine at Press Avail in Ashland, OH, 7/31/16]
Clinton On Trump Supporters: “I Think That The Core Of His Support Really Centers On The Disappointment In The Economy That So Many Americans Feel.” “YAMICHE ALCINDOR: My question is you’ve accused Donald Trump of using racist and sexist language, what does it say about the electorate that so many Americans are supporting him? HILLARY CLINTON: Well, I really believe that the core of his support — I’m not going to speak for everyone who supports him because I think there have been some quite distressing statements coming out of his rallies and his supporters and who has aligned themselves with him. But I think that the core of his support really centers on the disappointment in the economy that so many Americans feel. And what I have been saying is, you know, I want to bring this country together. I think we have three overarching goals: we need more economic opportunity; we need to protect our national security; and we have got to work toward American unity.” [Q&A at NABJ & NAHJ Convention in Washington, D.C., 8/5/16]
CLINTON GAVE AN ENTIRE SPEECH ABOUT HOW THE ALT-RIGHT USES TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE THEIR HATE MOVEMENT
Clinton: “Trump Is Reinforcing Harmful Stereotypes And Offering A Dog Whistle To His Most Hateful Supporters.” “Now, Trump’s lack of knowledge or experience or solutions would be bad enough. But what he’s doing here is more sinister. Trump is reinforcing harmful stereotypes and offering a dog whistle to his most hateful supporters. It’s a disturbing preview of what kind of President he’d be.” [Remarks on Trump’s Prejudice and Paranoia in Reno, NV, 8/25/16]
Clinton: “This Is A Moment Of Reckoning For Every Republican Dismayed That The Party Of Lincoln Has Become The Party Of Trump. It’s A Moment Of Reckoning For All Of Us Who Love Our Country.” “We wouldn’t tolerate this kind of behavior before and we wouldn’t tolerate it in our own homes. And we shouldn’t stand for it in a presidential candidate. My friends, this is a moment of reckoning for every Republican dismayed that the Party of Lincoln has become the Party of Trump. It’s a moment of reckoning for all of us who love our country and believe that America is better than this.” [Remarks on Trump’s Prejudice and Paranoia in Reno, NV, 8/25/16]
Clinton On Trump: “Every Day, More Americans Are Standing Up And Saying ‘Enough Is Enough’ – Including A Lot Of Republicans. And I Am Honored To Have Their Support In This Campaign.” “We can have our disagreements, and believe me, I understand that. I think that’s healthy. We need good debates, but we need to do it in a respectful way, not finger pointing and blaming, and stirring up this bigotry and prejudice. Every day, more Americans are standing up and saying ‘enough is enough’ – including a lot of Republicans. And I am honored to have their support in this campaign.” [Remarks on Trump’s Prejudice and Paranoia in Reno, NV, 8/25/16]
HILLARY CLINTON: You could put half of Trump’s supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. The racists, sexists, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic, you name it.
TRUMP’S CANDIDACY HAS GIVEN THE ALT-RIGHT “LEGITIMACY THEY HAVE CRAVED FOR YEARS.”
HEADLINE: “Donald Trump’s Alt-Right Brain” [Editorial, New York Times, 9/5/16]
New York Times Editorial Board: Trump’s Candidacy Granted The Alternative-Right “The Legitimacy They Have Craved For Years.” “Mr. Trump says he isn’t signaling the alt-right when he says of immigrants, as he did again on Wednesday: ‘We have no idea who these people are, where they come from. I always say Trojan Horse. Watch what’s going to happen, folks. It’s not going to be pretty.’ Or when he said — in a line widely quoted on alt-right websites — ‘There is only one core issue in the immigration debate and it is this: the well-being of the American people.’ Mr. Trump’s white supremacist followers don’t take his disavowals too seriously. After all, he has enthusiastically retweeted bogus crime statistics and incendiary imagery from these websites and hired one of their biggest lights, Stephen Bannon of Breitbart News, to manage his campaign. There aren’t enough of these people to put Mr. Trump in the White House. But his candidacy has granted them the legitimacy they have craved for years. For the first time, a candidate is using a major-party megaphone to shout the ideas they once could only mutter among themselves in the shadowy fringes of national debate.” [Editorial, New York Times, 9/5/16]
THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN FORTIFIED THE WHITE SUPREMACIST MOVEMENT
Donald Trump Was A Boon For White Supremacists, Who Used His Candidacy As A Tool To Expand Their Movement. “The Ku Klux Klan is using Donald Trump as a talking point in its outreach efforts. Stormfront, the most prominent American white supremacist website, is upgrading its servers in part to cope with a Trump traffic spike. And former Louisiana Rep. David Duke reports that the businessman has given more Americans cover to speak out loud about white nationalism than at any time since his own political campaigns in the 1990s. As hate group monitors at the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League warn that Trump’s rhetoric is conducive to anti-Muslim violence, white nationalist leaders are capitalizing on his candidacy to invigorate and expand their movement.” [Politico, 12/10/15]
Politico: “The Ku Klux Klan Is Using Donald Trump As A Talking Point In Its Outreach Efforts.” [Politico, 12/10/15]
Politico: “Stormfront, The Most Prominent American White Supremacist Website, Is Upgrading Its Servers In Part To Cope With A Trump Traffic Spike.” [Politico, 12/10/15]
Stormfront Founder Don Black: “Demoralization Has Been The Biggest Enemy And Trump Is Changing All That.” “As hate group monitors at the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League warn that Trump’s rhetoric is conducive to anti-Muslim violence, white nationalist leaders are capitalizing on his candidacy to invigorate and expand their movement. ‘Demoralization has been the biggest enemy and Trump is changing all that,’ said Stormfront founder Don Black, who reports additional listeners and call volume to his phone-in radio show, in addition to the site’s traffic bump.” [Politico, 12/10/15]
VOICEOVER: People like you, you, and you
TRUMP DESCRIBED THE AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES AS IMPOVERISHED AND CRIME-RIDDEN
Trump On The African-American Community: “You Have So Many In Poverty And The Crime Is Horrible And The Education Is Terrible And They Live Terribly.” TRUMP: “But you have tremendous numbers of African-Americans that have really had a hard time. I mean, beyond belief. And, you know, I read the numbers where you have so many in poverty and the crime is horrible and the education is terrible and they live terribly. And I say, what do you have to lose? I say to them, what do you have to lose? Give it to me. I’m going to fix them. And a lot of people are agreeing with me. What do you have to lose. The Democrats and the Hillary Clintons of the world have done a terrible job. She has been there for 35 years. She has done a terrible job. But the Hillary Clintons of the world have done a terrible job, Eric, and I say, what do you have to lose? I will fix it and you know what? A lot of people are agreeing.” [O’Reilly Factor, Fox News, 9/1/16]
TRUMP HAS DESCRIBED AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN INSULTING AND IGNORANT TERMS
HEADLINE: “Donald Trump’s Description Of Black America Is Offending Those Living In It” [New York Times, 8/24/16]
New York Times: “The Unrelievedly Dire Picture He Has Painted Of Black America Has Left Many Black Voters Angry, Dumbfounded Or Both. Interviews With Roughly A Dozen Blacks Here Turned Up No One Who Found Any Appeal In Mr. Trump’s Remarks.” “But the unrelievedly dire picture he has painted of black America has left many black voters angry, dumbfounded or both. Interviews with roughly a dozen blacks here turned up no one who found any appeal in Mr. Trump’s remarks. More common was the suggestion that Mr. Trump was trying to appeal to whites who might support him.” [New York Times, 8/24/16]
TRUMP CRITICIZED A FEDERAL JUDGE’S ABILITY TO DO HIS JOB BECAUSE OF HIS HERITAGE
Trump Claimed Federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel Could Not Preside Over His Case Without A Conflict Of Interest Because He Was “Of Mexican Heritage.” “Trump said U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel had ‘an absolute conflict’ in presiding over the litigation given that he was ‘of Mexican heritage’ and a member of a Latino lawyers’ association. Mr. Trump said the background of the judge, who was born in Indiana to Mexican immigrants, was relevant because of his campaign stance against illegal immigration and his pledge to seal the southern U.S. border.” [Wall Street Journal, 6/2/16]
TRUMP CALLED TO BAN AN ENTIRE GROUP OF PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR RELIGION
12/7/15: Trump Called For A “Total And Complete Shutdown Of Muslims Entering The United States,” Citing “Great Hatred Towards Americans By Large Segments Of The Muslim Populations.” “Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on. According to Pew Research, among others, there is great hatred towards Americans by large segments of the Muslim populations.” [Press Release, Donald Trump for President, 12/7/15]
Trump Said He Was Not Rolling Back His Ban On Muslims: “In Fact, You Could Say It’s An Expansion.” “Donald Trump made clear this weekend that he has not rolled back his proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States, despite top allies insisting that he had… ‘I don’t think so. I actually don’t think it’s a rollback. In fact, you could say it’s an expansion,’ Trump said. ‘I’m looking now at territory. People were so upset when I used the word ‘Muslim’: ‘Oh, you can’t use the word ‘Muslim.’ Remember this. And I’m okay with that, because I’m talking territory instead of Muslim.’” [Washington Post, 7/24/16; Meet the Press, 7/24/16]
TRUMP CALLED IMMIGRANTS CRIMINALS AND RAPISTS
Trump: “When Mexico Sends Its People, They’re Not Sending Their Best… They’re Bringing Drugs. They’re Bringing Crime. They’re Rapists.” TRUMP: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” [Trump Presidential Campaign Announcement, New York NY, 6/16/15]
TRUMP REPEATEDLY MADE SEXIST ATTACKS
Trump On Megyn Kelly: “You Could See There Was Blood Coming Out Of Her Eyes, Blood Coming Out Of Her Wherever.”“Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Friday night that Fox News Channel anchor Megyn Kelly ‘had blood coming out of her eyes’ when she aggressively questioned him during Thursday’s presidential debate. ‘She gets out and she starts asking me all sorts of ridiculous questions,’ Trump said in a CNN interview. ‘You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever. In my opinion, she was off base.’” [Washington Post, 8/8/15]
Trump On Fiorina: “Look At That Face! Would Anyone Vote For That? Can You Imagine That, The Face Of Our Next President?”“When the anchor throws to Carly Fiorina for her reaction to Trump’s momentum, Trump’s expression sours in schoolboy disgust as the camera bores in on Fiorina. ‘Look at that face!’ he cries. ‘Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?!’ The laughter grows halting and faint behind him. ‘I mean, she’s a woman, and I’m not s’posedta say bad things, but really, folks, come on. Are we serious?’ And there, in a nutshell, is Trump’s blessing and his curse: He can’t seem to quit while he’s ahead.” [Rolling Stone, 9/9/15]
Trump On Hillary Clinton: “Do You Think She Looks Presidential? I Don’t Think So.” “GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump went after Hillary Clinton Tuesday for the way she looks, saying she just doesn’t seem presidential. ‘Do you think she looks presidential? I don’t think so,’ Trump said to his crowd at a rally in Ashburn, Virginia.” [Huffington Post, 8/2/16; Trump Campaign Rally, Ashburn VA, 8/2/16]
TRUMP DEFENDED HIS SUGGESTION THAT SEXUAL ASSAULTS SHOULD BE EXPECTED IF WOMEN ARE ALLOWED TO SERVE IN THE MILITARY WITH MEN
Trump Defended His 2013 Tweet Suggesting Sexual Assault Was Inevitable “When They Put Men And Women Together” In The Military: “It Is A Correct Tweet. There Are Many People Think That’s Absolutely Correct.” LAUER: “In 2013, on this subject, you tweeted this. Quote, 26,000 unreported sexual assaults in the military. Only 238 convictions. What did these geniuses expect when they put men and women together? End quote.” TRUMP: “Well, it is a correct tweet. There are many people think that’s absolutely correct. We need to have a –“ [Commander In Chief Forum, MSNBC, 9/7/16]
VOICEOVER: Deplorable
TRUMP SAID HE WAS PROUD TO BE A BIRTHER
USA Today: Trump “Was Perhaps The Most Prominent Voice Of The ‘Birther’ Movement.” “Trump has been an outspoken critic of President Obama and was perhaps the most prominent voice of the ‘birther’ movement, which asserted, erroneously, that Obama was not a natural-born U.S. citizen. On Monday, he took a shot at the newest entrant to the 2016 Republican field, Jeb Bush, tweeting: ‘Do we really need another Bush in the White House — we have had enough of them.’ If there’s one thing Trump brings to the 2016 campaign, it’s confidence. ‘I’m the most successful person ever to run for the presidency, by far,’ he told The Des Moines Register in a recent interview.” [USA Today, 6/16/15]
March 2011: Trump: “I’m Proud To Be” A Birther. “Well I thought he was very nice to me, though. I mean, I understand that. And he doesn’t want to be labeled as a birther, probably. I’m proud to be. I mean, I’m very proud of it. I don’t like the term. I think it’s a demeaning term to the people that believe that he should have a birth certificate. .” [Laura Ingraham Show, AUDIO 06:30-07:00, 3/30/11]
VOICEOVER: You know what’s deplorable?
TRUMP ATTACKED A GOLD STAR FAMILY WHO LOST THEIR SON IN IRAQ
HEADLINE: “Donald Trump Criticizes Muslim Family Of Slain U.S. Soldier, Drawing Ire” [New York Times, 7/30/16]
HEADLINE: “Donald Trump’s Slander Of Captain Humayun Khan’s Family Is Horrifying, Even For Trump” [Vox, 7/30/16]
Trump Claimed The Mother Of A Fallen Muslim Soldier Did Not Speak At The Democratic Nation Convention Because “Maybe She Wasn’t Allowed To Have Anything To Say, You Tell Me.” “Donald J. Trump belittled the parents of a slain Muslim soldier who had strongly denounced Mr. Trump during the Democratic National Convention, saying that the soldier’s father had delivered the entire speech because his mother was not ‘allowed’ to speak…But, he added, ‘If you look at his wife, she was standing there, she had nothing to say, she probably — maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say, you tell me.’” [New York Times, 7/30/16; This Week, ABC, 7/31/16]
Trump Suggested His Business Career Was A Sacrifice Comparable To The Loss Of Khizr Khan’s Son: “I Think I Have Made A Lot Of Sacrifices.” STEPHANOPOULOS: “How would you answer that father [Khan]? What sacrifice have you made for your country?” TRUMP: “I think I have made a lot of sacrifices. I’ve work very, very hard. I’ve created thousands and thousands of jobs, tens of thousands of jobs, built great structures. I’ve done — I’ve had tremendous success.” STEPHANOPOULOS: “Those are sacrifices?” TRUMP: “Oh, sure. I think they’re sacrifices.” [This Week, ABC, 7/31/16]
VOICEOVER: Hillary Clinton viciously demonizing hard working people like you.
TRUMP QUESTIONED HOW STUPID THE PEOPLE OF IOWA AND THE COUNTRY WERE
Donald Trump: “How Stupid Are The People Of Iowa? How Stupid Are The People Of The Country To Believe This Crap?” “With his voice growing louder and louder, Trump questioned what sort of person would attack his mother. He questioned how a belt buckle could stop a blade, stepping away from the podium to demonstration how such an attack might happen and how his own belt buckle wouldn’t stay in place long enough to stop a knife. ‘Anybody have a knife?’ Trump asked the audience, which was screened by Secret Service agents who began protecting him this week. ‘You want to try it on me?’ Trump was flabbergast: ‘How stupid are the people of Iowa? How stupid are the people of the country to believe this crap?’” [Washington Post, 11/13/15; Donald Trump Campaign Rally, Fort Dodge Iowa, 11/12/15]
TRUMP SAID HE LOVES THE “POORLY EDUCATED,” BRAGGING HE WON THAT GROUP OF VOTERS
Trump: “We Won With Poorly Educated — I Love The Poorly Educated.” TRUMP: “We won the evangelicals. We won with young. We won with old. We won with highly educated. We won with poorly educated — I love the poorly educated. We’re the smartest people, we’re the most loyal people.’” [Trump Campaign Rally, Las Vegas NV, 2/23/16]
TRUMP MOCKED A DISABLED REPORTER
HEADLINE: “Trump Mocks New York Times Reporter With Disability” [Chicago Tribune, 11/25/15]
Chicago Tribune: “Trump Appeared To Mock Kovaleski’s Physical Condition; The Reporter Has Arthrogryposis, Which Visibly Limits Flexibility In His Arms. ‘Now, The Poor Guy — You’ve Got To See This Guy, “Ah, I Don’t Know What I Said! I Don’t Remember!”’ Trump Said As He Jerked His Arms In Front Of His Body.” “On stage Tuesday, Trump berated Times investigative reporter Serge Kovaleski for his recent recollection of an article he had written a few days after the attacks. Trump appeared to mock Kovaleski’s physical condition; the reporter has arthrogryposis, which visibly limits flexibility in his arms. ‘Now, the poor guy — you’ve got to see this guy, “Ah, I don’t know what I said! I don’t remember!”’ Trump said as he jerked his arms in front of his body. The gesture was all the more personal because Kovaleski covered Trump while reporting for the New York Daily News between 1987 and 1993, a tumultuous period for Trump in which he struggled through several financial setbacks.” [Chicago Tribune, 11/25/15]
DONALD J. TRUMP: I’m Donald Trump, and I approve this message.
Following comments from Donald Trump suggesting that Hillary Clinton does not look presidential, Hillary for America Deputy Communications Director Christina Reynolds has released the following:
“This isn’t the first time Donald Trump has had a problem looking at someone different from himself and actually seeing them. He questioned whether a distinguished judge could do his job because of his Mexican heritage. He looked at a mourning Gold Star mother and he made assumptions about her silence in grief. He looked at an accomplished anchor and suggested she was a “bimbo.” And he looked at a sitting president and said he wasn’t American. So it’s not surprising that Donald Trump doesn’t think Hillary Clinton looks presidential. This cycle, voters know all too well what’s not presidential: Donald Trump and his narrow views and divisive rhetoric.”
TRUMP LAUNCHED A SERIES OF RACIALLY TINGED ATTACKS ON A FEDERAL JUDGE, SAYING HE COULD NOT DO HIS JOB BECAUSE HE WAS OF MEXICAN HERITAGE
Trump: “He’s A Mexican. We’re Building A Wall Between Here And Mexico… He Is Giving Us Very Unfair Rulings, Rulings That People Can’t Even Believe.” TRUMP: Do you know that these people went to every attorney general practically in the country that they could and did you know this case was turned down by almost every attorney general from Texas to Florida, to many other states?
TAPPER: Is it not — when Hillary Clinton says this is a racist attack, and you reject that — if you’re saying he can’t do his job because of his race, is that not the definition of racism?
TRUMP: No. I don’t think so at all.
TAPPER: No?
TRUMP: No. He’s proud of his heritage. I respect him for that.
TAPPER: But you’re saying you can’t do his job because of that.
TRUMP: Look, he’s proud of his heritage, OK? I’m building a wall. Now, I think I’m going to do very well with Hispanics
TAPPER: He’s a legal citizen – TRUMP: Do you know why I’m going to do well with Hispanics? Because I’m going to bring back jobs and they are going to get jobs right now. They are going to get jobs. I think I’m going to do very well with Hispanics. But we are building a wall. He’s a Mexican. We’re building a wall between here and Mexico. The answer is, he is giving us very unfair rulings, rulings that people can’t even believe. This case should have ended years ago in summary judgment. The best lawyers I have spoken to so many lawyers, they said, this is not a case. This is a case that should have ended. [CNN, The Lead, 6/3/16]
TRUMP SUGGESTED GHAZALA KHAN DID NOT SPEAK AT THE CONVENTION BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO
Trump Claimed The Mother Of A Fallen Muslim Soldier Did Not Speak At The Democratic Nation Convention Because “Maybe She Wasn’t Allowed To Have Anything To Say, You Tell Me.” “Donald J. Trump belittled the parents of a slain Muslim soldier who had strongly denounced Mr. Trump during the Democratic National Convention, saying that the soldier’s father had delivered the entire speech because his mother was not ‘allowed’ to speak…But, he added, ‘If you look at his wife, she was standing there, she had nothing to say, she probably — maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say, you tell me.’” [New York Times, 7/30/16; This Week, ABC, 7/31/16]
TRUMP SUGGESTED MEGYN KELLY WAS A BIMBO AND RETWEETED A USER WHO CALLED MEGYN KELLY A “BIMBO”
Donald Trump: “I Refuse To Call Megyn Kelly A ‘Bimbo,’ Because That Would Not Be Politically Correct. Instead I Will Only Call Her A Lightweight Reporter!” [@realDonaldTrump, Twitter, 1/27/16]
Donald Trump Retweeted Several People Calling Kelly a “Bimbo:”here, here and here.
TRUMP LED THE BIRTHER CONSPIRACY, AND MAINTAINED HE DIDN’T KNOW WHETHER PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS BORN IN THE US
2015: Trump Said He Didn’t Know Whether President Obama Was Actually Born In The US. “Donald Trump says he’s still not convinced President Obama was born in America, but that he’s not interested in rehashing the issue. ‘I don’t know. I really don’t know,’ the 2016 Republican presidential candidate told CNN when askedon Thursday. ‘I don’t know why he wouldn’t release his records.’” [The Hill, 7/9/15]
USA Today: Trump “Was Perhaps The Most Prominent Voice Of The ‘Birther’ Movement.” “Trump has been an outspoken critic of President Obama and was perhaps the most prominent voice of the ‘birther’ movement, which asserted, erroneously, that Obama was not a natural-born U.S. citizen. On Monday, he took a shot at the newest entrant to the 2016 Republican field, Jeb Bush, tweeting: ‘Do we really need another Bush in the White House — we have had enough of them.’ If there’s one thing Trump brings to the 2016 campaign, it’s confidence. ‘I’m the most successful person ever to run for the presidency, by far,’ he told The Des Moines Register in a recent interview.” [USA Today, 6/16/15]
TRUMP SAID CLINTON DIDN’T “LOOK PRESIDENTIAL”
In an ABC interview, Trump Said Clinton Didn’t Have a Presidential Look. “I just don’t think she has a presidential look. And you need a presidential look. You have to get the job done,” Trump said. [ABC, 9/5/16]
Donald Trump Reportedly Said “Does She [Clinton] Look Presidential, Fellas? Give Me A Break.” “CLEVELAND — TRUMP on Clinton: “Does she look presidential, fellas? Give me a break.”” [Kevin Cirilli, Twitter, 9/5/16]
Trump: “In Effect, She’s Pledging To Abolish The Law Making Powers Of Congress And Assume The Powers Of An Imperial Leader. She’s Not An Imperial Leader, Is She? I Don’t Think So. She Doesn’t Even Look Presidential To Me.” TRUMP: “Beyond that, she’s pledged to add another executive amnesty in violation of both congressional law and the United States constitution. These actions from Hillary Clinton will trigger a crises greater than almost anything we’ve seen. This will be a constitutional crisis like we haven’t seen in our country. In effect, she’s pledging to abolish the law making powers of congress and assume the powers of an imperial leader. She’s not an imperial leader, is she? I don’t think so. She doesn’t even look Presidential to me. She certainly doesn’t.” [Roast N’ Ride, Des Moines IA, 8/27/16]
Trump: “You See Her Walk Onto The State, She Looks Presidential.’ I Don’t Think So. I Think I Look Presidential To Be Honest With You. Honestly, Who Do You Think China Would Be More Concerned In A Negotiation With? Trump Or Hillary?” TRUMP: “These [people] are not like, ‘Oh gee, I think Hillary is so great. She looks so presidential. You see her walk onto the state, she looks presidential.’ I don’t think so. I think I look presidential to be honest with you. Honestly, who do you think China would be more concerned in a negotiation with? Trump or Hillary?” [Trump Campaign Rally, Fort Lauderdale FL, 8/10/16]
Trump Said Hillary Clinton Did Not Look Presidential, But He Did.TRUMP: “Now you tell me she looks presidential, folks. I look presidential. You tell me, you tell me she looks Presidential. They are just watching and they’re looking and boy they’re salivating, they’re salivating, they’re saying that’s what we want, oh, that’s what we want. You know what she did and the lies that she told, over and over again, and her single greatest achievement, because everything she’s touched has turned bad.” [Trump Campaign Rally, Windham NH, 8/6/16]
Trump: “Bad Performance By Crooked Hillary Clinton! Reading Poorly From The Telepromter! She Doesn’t Even Look Presidential!” [@realDonaldTrump, Twitter, 6/2/16]
Hillary Clinton Speeches 