President Barack Obama slammed presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump on Tuesday, linking his anti-Muslim rhetoric to a “shameful” chapter in American history.
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Obama directly addressed that argument, specifically taking on the Trump charge that his policies have been hampered by his refusal to use the phrase “radical Islam” when describing the forces urging attacks like the one in Orlando. “What exactly would using this language accomplish?” he asked. Obama replied. “Someone seriously thinks we don’t know who we’re fighting?”. “It makes a big difference because unless you’re willing to discuss and talk about the real nature of the problem and name the problem – radical Islamic terrorism – you’re never going to solve the problem”. “It’s a political talking point”.
In response, the USA president said: “We hear language that singles out immigrants and suggests entire religious communities are complicit in violence”.
Trump also repeatedly promised to protect gun rights, and warned – erroneously – that Democrat Hillary Clinton wanted to abolish the 2nd Amendment, even as he expressed a willingness Wednesday to back some curbs on gun access, tweeting his support for barring those on the terrorist watch list or no-fly list to buy guns. She said the Republicans’ ideas are “dangerous” and would make Americans less safe by damaging USA partnerships within the Muslim community.
Trump’s hard-line proposals on immigration have contributed to his popularity among some conservative voters.
Herman Schwartz, a law professor at American University in Washington, said if Trump stuck to his proposal for a temporary prohibition on Muslim immigrants, that raises significant constitutional questions and “shows his shaky command of the legal facts”.
“We have to screen applicants to know whether they are affiliated with or supporting radical groups and beliefs”, Trump said in the speech delivered at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H.
The poll found 51 percent of Americans said they disapprove of the way Trump has proposed handling the massacre, while only 25 percent said they approved. Had Obama employed the term, Trump could hardly allege that the administration does not recognize the Islamist terror threat for what it is, nor could he let on with a “nudge, nudge, wink, wink” that the president is really in league with the killers.
“That’s the key, they tell us. Because that’s not the America we want”. Obama hit back, barely concealing his annoyance: “Calling a threat by a different name does not make it go away”. “If there is anyone out there who thinks we are confused about who our enemies are – that would come as a surprise to the thousands of terrorists who we have taken off the battlefield”.
Pompeo urged the president to take a stand against Islam’s radical ideas that seek an end to Western civilization and use “the full might of America” to eradicate them.
Clinton vigorously reiterated her call for banning assault weapons and said, if elected, she would prioritize stopping “lone wolf” attackers and ramp up the USA air campaign against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters he would not be commenting Tuesday about Trump.
“No, I don’t plan to”, Hogan said.
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“Obviously this has been a hard week for America because all of us are still grieving for those who were lost in Orlando”, he told the several hundred people in attendance.
