Obama: Trump ‘woefully unfit’ to be President

[webfact]

Obama: Trump ‘woefully unfit’ to be President

 

 

WASHINGTON: -- President Barack Obama has once again spoken out against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, saying that he is “woefully unprepared” to serve as leader.

 

Speaking in Singapore when he was meeting with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Obama said that he believed Trump’s attacks on the family of a Muslim US Army captain killed in Iraq, as well as his perceived lack of understanding with regards to key issues makes him “unfit” to be president.

 

“The notion that he would attack a gold star family that made such extraordinary sacrifices on behalf of our country. The fact that he doesn’t appear to have basic knowledge around critical issues in Europe, the Middle East, in Asia means that he’s woefully unprepared to do this job,” Obama said.

 

He made a point to note that many leading Republicans have denounced Trump’s statements, although he asked why they continue to endorse him.

 

‘Khantroversy’

Donald Trump’s comments about the family of a high ranking Muslim US soldier have attracted much criticism.

 

Khizr and Ghazala Khan denounced Donald Trump at the Democratic National Convention, where Hillary Clinton was made an official presidential candidate.

 

After Mr Khan spoke out against Trump, the Republican candidate said that the father of US Army Captain Humayun Khan hadn’t allowed his wife to speak.

 

Lack of military service

At a rally in Virginia, Trump was given a purple heart war medal – given to American soldiers wounded in action – by a supporter, although it emerged on Monday that the Republican candidate had managed to avoid being drafted into the US Army during the Vietnam War.

 

In an article published by the New York Times it was revealed that Trump managed to circumvent the Vietnam War draft lottery – the system by which citizens were called to serve in the armed forces – five times.

 

While the Republican nominee has said that he was incredibly lucky to avoid the draft, the article says that “his Selective Service records suggest otherwise”.

 

He received four student deferments while studying real estate business at Pennsylvania University’s, Wharton School – an Ivy League institution – and after graduating received a doctor’s letter exempting him from service due to a bone spur in his heel.

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2016-08-03

[webfact]

Trump is 'unfit,' Obama says, challenging GOP to end support

By JULIE PACE

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a searing denouncement, President Barack Obama castigated Donald Trump as "unfit" and "woefully unprepared" to serve in the White House. He challenged Republicans to withdraw their support for their party's nominee, declaring "There has to come a point at which you say 'enough.'"

 

While Obama has long been critical of Trump, his blistering condemnation Tuesday was a notable escalation of his involvement in the presidential race. Obama questioned whether Trump would "observe basic decency" as president, argued he lacks elementary knowledge about domestic and international affairs and condemned his disparagement of an American Muslim couple whose son was killed while serving the U.S. Army in Iraq.

 

A chorus of Republicans has disavowed Trump's criticism of Khizr and Ghazala Khan and the Republican nominee's calls to temporarily ban Muslims from coming to the U.S. But Obama argued that isn't enough.

 

"If you are repeatedly having to say, in very strong terms, that what he has said is unacceptable, why are you still endorsing him?" Obama asked during a White House news conference. "What does this say about your party that this is your standard-bearer?" No prominent Republican lawmaker responded to Obama's challenge.

 

Instead, it was Trump stunningly withholding his support from top GOP lawmakers, including House Speaker Paul Ryan. In an affront to his party's top elected official, Trump told The Washington Post he wasn't "quite there yet" on an endorsement for Ryan in his primary next week.

 

Trump's refusal to back Ryan exposed anew the deep divisions within the GOP and underscored that the businessman rarely plays by the traditional political playbook. Ryan has been among those urging Republicans to rally around Trump, despite concerns about his candidacy.

 

Ryan's campaign said, "Neither Speaker Ryan nor anyone on his team has ever asked for Donald Trump's endorsement. And we are confident in a victory next week regardless."

 

Trump also said he was not supporting Sen. John McCain in his primary in Arizona, and he dismissed Sen. Kelly Ayotte as a weak and disloyal leader in New Hampshire Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton sees those GOP concerns about Trump as an opportunity to reach out to party moderates — particularly women — who may be so upset by the nominee that they're willing to look past policy differences and questions about Clinton's character.

 

The president — who is enjoying heightened popularity in his eighth and final year in office — plans to campaign robustly for Clinton through Election Day. He and first lady Michelle Obama spoke at last week's Democratic convention in Philadelphia.

 

The Khans also appeared at the convention, with Khizr Khan telling the story of his son, U.S. Army Capt. Humayun Khan, who was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart after his death in 2004. Khan criticized Trump's position on Muslims and asked whether the real estate mogul had read the Constitution.

 

For most politicians, tangling with a bereaved military family would be out of bounds. But Trump dove in, questioning why Ghazala Khan did not speak, implying her religion prevented her from doing so, and saying he was "viciously attacked" by Khizr Khan.

 

Trump's criticism was part of a familiar pattern: He can't let go of a perceived slight, no matter the potential damage to his presidential campaign or political reputation.

 

Those who have worked with him say that in private meetings he can often appear amenable to putting a controversy aside. But the businessman can quickly be drawn back in by an interview, especially if he believes he's already answered a question, or if he grows irritated by commentary on cable television.

 

Trump's unwillingness to let the matter subside sparked outrage Monday from several Republicans.

 

Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, a former prisoner of war, said Trump did not have "unfettered license to defame those who are the best among us." Rep. Mike Coffman, a vulnerable Republican in a competitive Colorado district, said he was "deeply offended when Donald Trump fails to honor the sacrifices of all of our brave soldiers who were lost in that war." Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt said the Khans "deserve to be heard and respected."

 

Obama argued those denunciations "ring hollow" as long as Republicans continue to back Trump in the White House race.

 

Trump's response? On Twitter, he said, "President Obama will go down as perhaps one of the worst president in the history of the United States!"

 

Sen. Mark Kirk, who is facing a tough re-election fight in Illinois, rescinded his endorsement of Trump in June after the GOP nominee criticized an American-born judge's Mexican heritage. Others, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Ryan, have broken with the nominee on individual issues but continue to back his candidacy.

___

What political news is the world searching for on Google and talking about on Twitter? Find out via AP's Election Buzz interactive. http://elections.ap.org/buzz

___

Associated Press writers Erica Werner in Washington and Jonathan Lemire in Ashburn, Virginia contributed to this report.

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-08-03

[Boon Mee]

Heh...says the man who was a community organizer. Never had a real job in his life.

Yeah. Sure...

[Ulysses G.]

I do not support Trump, but I would take him over Obama anytime. I would choose him over Hillary too, but only because she has escaped justice for criminal behavior.

[colinneil]

Trump unfit to be President.

So says the man who has  lied about most things important during his spell of President.

[Boon Mee]

16 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

I do not support Trump, but I would take him over Obama anytime. I would choose him over Hillary too, but only because she has escaped justice for criminal behavior.

If supporting Trump can be defined as choosing him over Crooked Hillary, so be it.

He's the best thing that's come along to rid politics of PC. 

[ezzra]

Yes, He might be very well so, but you sir, have wasted 8 years of the US's progress that will never come back again,

you were very presidential and eloquent like president with impeccable presentation and master orator, 

but no substance, all talks, no action, and the only actions you ever took, soon will be rescinded or forgotten....

[ClutchClark]

2 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Yes, He might be very well so, but you sir, have wasted 8 years of the US's progress that will never come back again,

you were very presidential and eloquent like president with impeccable presentation and master orator, 

but no substance, all talks, no action, and the only actions you ever took, soon will be rescinded or forgotten....

 

If only your last sentence could be carried out so easily.

 

 

[maoro2013]

I think Obama was woefully unfit, in my humble opinion, but anyway Obama's statement reminds me of Hillary's and Trumps accusations of each other.

 

This is politics after all.

[mogo51]

Guess what Mr. Obama, the American people don't care if he is politically correct and inept = they are suck of the rubbish you and your predecessors dished up over the last many years.  The same as the result in Australian election - Independent vote up to 25%, look out for next time there.

[Silurian]

Got to love the deep infighting within the GOP. This is all due to the scarred and negative policies of the GOP over the last 7-8 years. The GOP policy of "NO" has come back to bite them. Their spread of hatred and fear has buried them their own filth. Instead of trying to rise up and challenge the Dems on policy decisions that would have moved the country forward they cling to their stubbornness. Where is the party of Lincoln? Heck, where is the party of Reagan? Even Newt knew how to work with Bill. The GOP's deep hatred of Obama started day one and continues to this day. What a pathetic bunch of cry babies. They never got past losing to Obama and now they hate Hillary with the same vitriol. The GOP policy of non-compromise has got to stop. Yes, there will always be disagreements in politics but there has to be compromise. The GOP mentality of "I am going to take the ball and go home so no one can play" will not help America in the least bit.

[shirtless]

Obama where is the hope and change you promised, big on words , short on action

[tomwct]

Listen to Obama! GDP 1%, the lowest since 1944! Obama started a non-mechanized car wash in Chicago (his only business experience) and it went out of business after severe losses. He unionized his 5 workers. Trump has built many high rises in

New York and an Ice Skating Rink that the Democrats tried to build in NYC. After 20 years of failure and 30 million dollars,

Trump took over the ice rink project and finished at cost of $1.5 million and in 12 months, under budget ahead of schedule,

Now Trump can do that for America with the 21 Trillion Debt Obama has left us!

[linksman00]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

Yes, He might be very well so, but you sir, have wasted 8 years of the US's progress that will never come back again,

you were very presidential and eloquent like president with impeccable presentation and master orator, 

but no substance, all talks, no action, and the only actions you ever took, soon will be rescinded or forgotten....

Not only will we never get back those 8 years, but the national Debt will have risen by 125% by the time Obama leaves office. Due to the lack of fiscal responsibility by both the Bush and Obama administrations, the U.S. finds itself at a very precarious tipping point and a Hillary Clinton Presidency would push the U.S. over the edge.

[Franky Bear]

2 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

If supporting Trump can be defined as choosing him over Crooked Hillary, so be it.

He's the best thing that's come along to rid politics of PC. 

Getting rid of PC is a great thing, it's a pain the ass. But, the reality is PC is only a slight pain in the ass. What about the real issues he would face as POTUS? You know...., plans for unbelievable gun control and the problems it causes ever waking minute in America, foreign policy, homeland security, the middle east, North Korea etc etc etc?

I hate the Clintons, i met them at Fleet Week in Manhattan while i was on HMS Glasgow in 96 and they were as cold as ice to me and three other guys, and i would have thought they would have done their most to put us at ease. She looked like she would rather be at home sticking needles in kittens. The Email thing and her not being charged criminally is one of the lowest points in American history for me esp the way the head of the FBI answered the questions about it. I was dumbstruck.

My own view is that Trump ran for office "knowing" he wouldn't get near it but it would raise the Trump profile tenfold. That was his plan, a PR exercise for the Trump brand. But, it has snowballed into such a strange, weird thing that he has actually no idea what he is doing. he plays to the crowd telling the right exactly what they want to hear and they suck it up without thought. It seems to be him building a wall that energises his supporters, and lets be honest, if he gets in that wall wouldn't be built, even if it is, the reality is it's a waste of time as bad guys find ways to get in no matter what you do.

His crap about knowing how to deal with ISIS (but won't tell anyone incase they copy him....he said that!!) is cringe worthy. How can a guy that bankrupts companies, rips off the poor know the first thing about the war on Global terror that NO ONE ELSE KNOWS???Even military guys from around the world with decades of experience seem not to be as smart as Trump, which is what he is saying.


America, i love you and your people, but you have a real big problem in front of you, the candidates on both sides are terrible options.

Good luck as you're going to need it.

Edited August 3, 2016 by Franky Bear

[wonder6281]

Obama has zero cred. He never achieved 3% GDP in his terms as President. Bu he did double the debt that 100 years to establish. 

[daveAustin]

Barry's full of it and just says what people want to hear. The Don may be a bit rash (though reckon this Khantroversy has been blown out of proportion), but at least he's not one of 'them' and has his own mind. Buddying up with Putin for one would be a shrewd move and the best chance of averting WWIII. Clinton will deliver same same.

[Franky Bear]

16 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Barry's full of it and just says what people want to hear. The Don may be a bit rash (though reckon this Khantroversy has been blown out of proportion), but at least he's not one of 'them' and has his own mind. Buddying up with Putin for one would be a shrewd move and the best chance of averting WWIII. Clinton will deliver same same.

WW3?

Care to go deeper into that and why you think it will happen and between what countries?

[Silurian]

Trump strikes again! He can't stand be upstaged by a crying baby.

 

Trump at a rally: "I love babies. I hear that baby cry, I like it."

 

Moments later at the same rally: "Actually I was only kidding, you can get the baby out of here."

 

Trump --> "Just Kidding!"

[mesterm]

Perhaps they should just elect Walmart to run the country.

[Rob13]

Trump's not even fit to vote. 

[ClutchClark]

1 minute ago, Rob13 said:

Trump's not even fit to vote. 

 

Spoken like a true Democrat--trying to take away everyones' Rights that do not march lockstep with the Democrats "25-Points".

[ClutchClark]

16 minutes ago, Silurian said:

Trump strikes again! He can't stand be upstaged by a crying baby.

 

Trump at a rally: "I love babies. I hear that baby cry, I like it."

 

Moments later at the same rally: "Actually I was only kidding, you can get the baby out of here."

 

Trump --> "Just Kidding!"

 

Can any man here honestly say they like the sound of a crying baby?

 

 

[Rob13]

1 minute ago, ClutchClark said:

 

Spoken like a true Democrat--trying to take away everyones' Rights that do not march lockstep with the Democrats "25-Points".

No sir, I prefer voting Republican. 

[up-country_sinclair]

11 minutes ago, Rob13 said:

Trump's not even fit to vote. 

 

It would be interesting to know how often Trump voted in the last 20 years.  Surely that information is available.

[Silurian]

8 minutes ago, ClutchClark said:

 

Can any man here honestly say they like the sound of a crying baby?

 

 

 

It is okay to hate crying babies. Check. Got it. Thanks for the info.

[Rob13]

1 minute ago, up-country_sinclair said:

 

It would be interesting to know how often Trump voted in the last 20 years.  Surely that information is available.

 

 

And how he voted. I've yet to hear him speak clearly on what his actual platform is. 

[ilostmypassword]

12 minutes ago, ClutchClark said:

 

Spoken like a true Democrat--trying to take away everyones' Rights that do not march lockstep with the Democrats "25-Points".

That's why the courts are striking down voter id laws. It's because they were enacted by Democrats? Where do you live? Oppositeland?

[Rob13]

8 minutes ago, Silurian said:

 

It is okay to hate crying babies. Check. Got it. Thanks for the info.

 

 

Hating the sound of a crying baby is a bit different than hating a baby, isn't it.

[ilostmypassword]

21 minutes ago, ClutchClark said:

 

Can any man here honestly say they like the sound of a crying baby?

 

 

Whereas women love the sound of crying babies?  

Your comment is one more bit of evidence of why Trump's constituency skews male.