According to CNN, Trump claimed that Clinton “wants to abolish, essentially abolish the Second Amendment”.
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Blitzer pointed out that only a sitting president can nominate Supreme Court justices, and pressed Hunter how he interpreted Trump’s candidate as call to voters to stop Clinton from winning the election, rather than a call for violence. “If she gets to pick her judges ― nothing you can do, folks”, Trump told supporters with a shrug. Trump also informed the crowd that the makeup of the Supreme Court would be impacted by a Clinton presidency and that there would be nothing anyone could do unless “the Second Amendment people” acted out. Had the judicial issue been “Citizens United” (which it easily could have been) I doubt very seriously that Trump ever would have thought to say, “you know, those 1st Amendment people can really be counted on to impact events very quickly and dramatically”, so maybe they could do something about this if I lose.
The erratic businessman was immediately condemned for his statement, which many said supported violence and was unacceptable.
“This is simple – what Trump is saying is risky”, he said in a statement. “A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way”, said Robby Mook, Hillary for America Campaign Manager.
Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, said, “I think it was just revealing. and I don’t find the attempt to roll it back persuasive at all”.
Trump’s senior adviser Jason Miller said in an emailed statement to POLITICO: “It’s called the power of unification – 2nd Amendment people have fantastic spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power”. Blitzer noted that Trump was talking about a future when Clinton was already in office, but Hunter responded that Trump sometimes “says things that the way they come out are not the way he means”.
Contrary to Trump’s remarks, Clinton has made her support for gun rights a key piece of her stump speech in a bid to pre-empt attacks from Trump and groups like the NRA. If @HillaryClinton gets to pick her anti-#2A #SCOTUS judges, there’s nothing we can do. You have the power, you have the power to campaign against her.
But Democrats called Trump’s remarks another sign of a candidate unfit for the White House.
He was just saying go vote. Elizabeth Warren referred to Trump as a “pathetic coward” who was making “death threats” because he was “losing to a girl”. “You know why, because you’re Americans”, Giuliani said.
Clinton’s supporters are hoping the latest Trump trip-up will lead yet more of his fellow Republicans to defect.
The Secret Service is tasked with protecting US presidential candidates, as well as the president-elect and the sitting president. “I’m not here to take away your guns. I just don’t want you to be shot by someone who shouldn’t have a gun in the first place”.
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“The parents, who have both spoken out against Ms Clinton, argue her “‘extreme carelessness in handling confidential and classified information” on her private server may have revealed the location of State Department employees in Libya.
