“If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks”, Trump said in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Tuesday.
Advertisement
Rather continued in his post: “Candidate Trump will undoubtedly issue an explanation; some of his surrogates are already engaged in trying to gloss it over, but once the words are out there they can not be taken back”.
The Washington Post describes a tactic of “outrage, headlines and then denial” in Mr Trump’s campaign speeches, which it says may not serve to attract undecided voters to his cause and also allows Mrs Clinton to avoid answering awkward questions.
Across the country, Democratic House of Representatives and Senate candidates piled in, working to tie Mr Trump’s comments to their Republican opponents.
Trump, however, defended his comments, insisting that he was asking his supporters to use the power of their vote to stop Clinton from appointing justices who could restrict their Second Amendment rights.
“There can be no other interpretation”, Trump said during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity.
“Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the second amendment”.
“It’s called the power of unification – 2nd Amendment people have wonderful spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power”.
“And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it won’t be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump”. A video of the rally shows a man seated behind Trump open his mouth in disbelief and turn to his companion with a puzzled look on his face after Trump made the remark.
It was not immediately clear exactly what Trump meant by his remarks, but they were quickly highlighted by United States media and social media users who expressed concern that Trump was advocating, in jest or not, that Clinton or the judges could be shot. Or merely musing about the powerful influence of the gun lobby?
The unusual step taken by one of Trump’s hometown newspapers comes a day after another hometown newspaper, the New York Times, printed a letter signed by 50 senior advisors to Republican presidents dating back to Richard Nixon declaring the GOP nominee as “reckless” and “dangerous”. Shoot her nominee? Who knows.
Trump has repeatedly bashed his opponent for seeking to abolish gun rights, while Clinton has said she favors tougher gun controls.
Critics quickly pounced on Trump, saying he was suggesting gun advocates could shoot Clinton to stop her from making court picks. “I’m not here to take away your guns”.
“You are not just responsible for what you say”.
Advertisement
At a local health clinic, she urged the US Congress to cut short its summer recess and immediately pass funding for a Zika response, blaming congressional Republicans for inaction.
