Trump deflects debate question about whether he condemns white supremacists

By Joseph Ax

 

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the first 2020 presidential campaign debate with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, held on the campus of the Cleveland Clinic at Case Western Reserve University in 

 

(Reuters) - President Donald Trump deflected an opportunity to condemn white supremacists during Tuesday's presidential debate, briefly telling one group to "stand back and stand by" before pivoting to attacking left-wing activists.

 

During a segment on race relations, moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump if he was willing to denounce "white supremacists and militia groups" and tell them to stand down, rather than add to the violence that has marred anti-racism protests in some U.S. cities.

 

Multiple senior federal officials, including at the FBI and Department of Homeland Security this month, have warned that white supremacist groups pose a rising threat of violence in the United States.

 

Trump on Tuesday initially replied by blaming "the left wing" for violence, before saying he was "willing to do anything."

 

"Then do it, sir," Wallace said, as Biden added: "Do it, say it."

 

"What do you want to call them? Give me a name," Trump said, prompting Biden to mention the Proud Boys, an organization that describes itself as a club of "Western chauvinists" but has been categorized as a hate group by the nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center.

 

"Proud Boys, stand back and stand by," Trump said, before immediately pivoting. "But I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about antifa."

 

Antifa, which stands for anti-fascist, is a largely unstructured, far-left movement whose followers broadly aim to confront those they view as authoritarian or racist.

 

During a fiery first presidential debate in Cleveland, Ohio Tuesday night, President Donald Trump refused to condemn white supremacist acts of violence, instead telling the right-wing Proud Boys group to "stand back and stand by."

 

At least one Proud Boy organizer, Joe Biggs, celebrated the group's mention on the social media platform Parler, saying: "President Trump told the proud boys to stand by because someone needs to deal with ANTIFA...well sir! we're ready!!" according to screenshots posted by a New York Times reporter on Twitter.

 

Biden's running mate, Senator Kamala Harris, said on MSNBC following the debate, "What we saw was a dog whistle through a bull horn."

 

Trump's response also drew criticism from some social justice leaders.

 

Jonathan Greenblatt, the chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, on Twitter called Trump's response "astonishing."

 

"Trying to determine if this was an answer or an admission. @POTUS owes America an apology or an explanation. Now," Greenblatt wrote, tagging Trump's official presidential Twitter handle.

 

Sister Simone Campbell, the executive director of the NETWORK Catholic Lobby for Social Justice, said in a statement, "I am appalled at President Trump's refusal to condemn white nationalists,"

 

Biden has often said he decided to run for president after white supremacists attacked counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, and Trump said there were "fine people on both sides."

 

While Trump has sought to distance himself from that comment, he has also been accused of downplaying the threat of white supremacists, even as his own administration has warned of the danger.

 

(Reporting by Joseph Ax in Princeton, New Jersey; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Scott Malone and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-09-30

 

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6 minutes ago, webfact said:

Proud Boys, stand back and stand by," Trump said, before immediately pivoting. "But I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about antifa."

 

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

At least one Proud Boy organizer, Joe Biggs, celebrated the group's mention on the social media platform Parler, saying: "President Trump told the proud boys to stand by because someone needs to deal with ANTIFA...well sir! we're ready!!" according to screenshots posted by a New York Times reporter on Twitter.

Just great...hate groups taking succour from the president...kick him out

Oh boy, Trump tells his Hitler Youth Brigade to "standby". 

I've just watched the debate, Trump was an absolute disgrace, Biden won, hands down!

1 minute ago, PatOngo said:

I've just watched the debate, Trump was an absolute disgrace, Biden won, hands down!

Even the token Republican on the CNN panel said Trump hurt himself with women voters.

Does anybody really need an actual answer for this?

29 minutes ago, pegman said:

Even the token Republican on the CNN panel said Trump hurt himself with women voters.

The moderator, from Fox, no less, was even critical of Trump!

 

 

Can't call him out on a mixed message for this one.

 

At least Wallace didn't smooch his hindquarters.  Let's see who gets to moderate the next one, if there is one.  Can't be a woman, he'll have to insult her looks.

 

 

It would have been nice to actually hear Biden's comments but it was difficult for Biden to over come the mouth farts coming from out from the blow hole standing across from him.

 

Donald's only hope was to shout down his opponent which caused Donald to appear to be a petulant child yelling for attention in Walmart.

 

If Donald can't agree and abide by the rules of the debate, what is the point to hold any of them?

 

Biden was right to call Donald a clown. Biden laughing and shaking his head dismissively was the correct response to that clown.

I watch debate and its certain that nobody can't talk whit Trump! He love hes voice so much that he not let nobody else talk! It's obvious , he not breast feeded as a child! Later he understand he can get almost everything! Coz be born golden spoon in hes behind! And so many lie again out of hes mouth! I think he even believe him self what hes saying! That make him even more crazy!

So did Biden condem Antifa and BLM?

7 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

So did Biden condem Antifa and BLM?

We know what trump didnt do.

There were no winners in this debate, just varying degrees of losing.  It was terrible.

 

Future debates should be held with candidates in sound proof booths with their microphones turned off unless it is their agreed upon time to speak.  If both parties don't agree to that, cancel the debates.

 

Regarding Trump telling the Proud Boys to "stand back and stand by", it was by far the most outrageous moment in the debate, and possibly the most disturbing thing Trump has said since becoming President.

A total embarrassment from start to finish.

The man is just an ill mannered pig who just shouts down everyone.

The so called moderator was useless.

i always respect people opinion and who they vote for, but for the first time in my life i think Trump is toxic for America, he is stupid beyond help

1 minute ago, polpott said:

I watched the debate, he said, "Proud boys, stand back and stand by". He knew exactly what he was saying. Currying favour with his base.

Is the report in the OP wrong ?

 

"What do you want to call them? Give me a name," Trump said, prompting Biden to mention the Proud Boys, an organization that describes itself as a club of "Western chauvinists" but has been categorized as a hate group by the nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center."

 

"Proud Boys, stand back and stand by," Trump said, before immediately pivoting. "But I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about antifa."

 

 

no class, no education, acts like a member of street gang, keeps interrupting the opponent.... egocentric sic to the extreme

1 hour ago, Bluespunk said:

 

Just great...hate groups taking succour from the president...kick him out

could it be considered treason, sedition to incite/stir violence..... lock him up

I have seen it, what a mess, children dressed up as spoiled grannies.

 

Audio: Real life " South Park" 

Video: Real life " The Muppet show" fossiles who will give the ratings. 

Rating: 

 

The World can surely see that last time, the US voters, voted into office to be their President, the most flawed individual anyone could imagine.  He is basically a stupid man, full of his own self importance, clearly a racist, a person who, in his deluded state,  doesn't know truth from lies,  ego driven and most probably mentally unbalanced.  Almost anyone would have been better than him, even for all her many faults, Clinton. God help America, and indeed all of the Free World, if that damaged and deranged man gets voted back into office.   

41 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

So did Biden condem Antifa and BLM?

He said law violators should be brought to justice.

1 minute ago, Pilotman said:

The World can surely see that last time, the US voters, voted into office to be their President, the most flawed individual anyone could imagine.  He is basically a stupid man, full of his own self importance, clearly a racist, a person who, in his deluded state,  doesn't know truth from lies,  ego driven and most probably mentally unbalanced.  Almost anyone would have been better than him, even for all her many faults, Clinton. God help America, and indeed all of the Free World, if that damaged and deranged man gets voted back into office.   

Yes, but apart from those character flaws. What else do you think may sway his base?

5 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Yes, but apart from those character flaws. What else do you think may sway his base?

apart from that, he is of course the perfect politician and hardly unusual. 

13 minutes ago, heybruce said:

There were no winners in this debate, just varying degrees of losing.  It was terrible.

 

Future debates should be held with candidates in sound proof booths with their microphones turned off unless it is their agreed upon time to speak.  If both parties don't agree to that, cancel the debates.

 

<------>

Just my idea.

I hope the next moderators show the needed limits, especially to Trump. His unselfish, childish, uncontrolled and ugly behavior would challenge everybody discussing with him. Therefore it's impossible for Biden to be quiet.

 

It was already a farce to select a FOX-moderator. When discussing about corruption in China you wouldn't chose a member of the communist newspaper as moderator.

.

20 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

Is the report in the OP wrong ?

 

"What do you want to call them? Give me a name," Trump said, prompting Biden to mention the Proud Boys, an organization that describes itself as a club of "Western chauvinists" but has been categorized as a hate group by the nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center."

 

"Proud Boys, stand back and stand by," Trump said, before immediately pivoting. "But I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about antifa."

 

 

I find it quite shameful that you would even try to defend such a disgusting, divisive and racist statement from your glorious leader.

 

I do take heart in the fact that, post debate, he has zero chance of being in the White house in January.

49 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

So did Biden condem Antifa and BLM?

 

Why would he need to do so? They aren't a militia. Some people are involved in violence, most aren't. They aren't about suppression, but freedom.

 

For what do the Proud Boys stand?

I've never been more embarrassed for the US than during this debate, when the bloated, serial lying, racist, misogynist, bone spurs coward grifter lowered the reputation of a once great country deeper into the sewer. The 'clown' actually encouraged his miscreant base to engage in violence. Facebook is already full of his 'people' (sic) excited that he gave them the green light.

 

The drift toward autocracy by one as sociopathic as 45 is, but who fortunately is too incompetent to achieve his goal, is sadly supported by people ignorant of the Constitution as well as democracy. This election is not about policy differences, it is literally good vs evil, with 45 and his ilk the epitome of Hannah Arendt's 'the banality of evil'.

 

Those whining about antifa---which is not an organization---might want to look at reports produced by both the Dept of Homeland Security and the FBI which state that over 75% of all domestic terrorism since 9-11 was perpetrated by white supremacist groups like proud incels boys, boogaloo boys and far-right militias who can't go to Dunkin Donuts without feeling the need to take an AR-15.

 

Those of us 45 calls 'suckers and losers' have experience dealing with threats like these bloated proud little boys, who are nothing compared to the jihadis .  Best those boys stick to Call of Duty and fantasy.

6 hours ago, Thomas J said:

Was Biden asked about denouncing those supporting a Black Agenda.  With Trump there are few recent instances of White Supremacy Violence.  Not True with BLM.  Where was Biden's denouncement of the billions of dollars of destruction and lives lost. 
 

You reap what you sow.  American society and its leaders has brought this upon itself, with decades, indeed a couple of Centuries, of discrimination against minorities. What does the Constitution say, "we hold it as self evident, that all men are born equal"? or words to that effect.  Well not in the US.  Good luck dealing with this latest in a long line of racial cluster fxxxs of their own making. 

1 minute ago, Eindhoven said:

 

Why would he need to do so? They aren't a militia. Some people are involved in violence, most aren't. They aren't about suppression, but freedom.

 

For what do the Proud Boys stand?

I have seen regular violence on the streets from antifa/BLM and in various Countries , many cities in the USA/UK have faced violence and looting from the antifa/BLM mob .

  I do not recall one instance of the Proud boys acting likewise 

Just now, CorpusChristie said:

I have seen regular violence on the streets from antifa/BLM and in various Countries , many cities in the USA/UK have faced violence and looting from the antifa/BLM mob .

  I do not recall one instance of the Proud boys acting likewise 

 

 

Are the Proud Boys oppressed in any way? Equality feels like discrimination to a racist.