Published 17:26 IST, September 30th 2020
US Presidential Debate 2020: Politicos slam 'white supremacist' Trump; urge people to vote
Trump’s refusal to condemn white supremacists and militia groups triggered strong reactions from Democrats as the US president called them “proud boys”.
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As US President Donald Trump and rival Joe Biden kicked-off the first of the three presidential debate ahead of elections, reactions from Democrats and Republicans poured in. The debate night was known less for important takeaways and more for the chaos that ensued as Trump kept interrupting Biden. The frequent interruptions became so annoying that Biden, at one point, asked Trump to “shut up”.
Issues ranged from the handling of coronavirus pandemic and the nomination of Supreme Court justice to systemic racism and white supremacy. Trump’s refusal to condemn white supremacists and militia groups triggered strong reactions from Democrats as the US president called them “proud boys”.
"Proud Boys, stand back and stand by! But I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about antifa and the left,” said Trump.
US House Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lambasted Trump, calling him a white supremacist. Taking to Twitter, Ocasio-Cortez said that people were ridiculed who warned about Trump’s white supremacism because they could not accept that the United States elected such person as country’s President.
Donald Trump is a white supremacist.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 30, 2020
People have been warning about this for a long time.
They were ridiculed, called hyperbolic & radical - not bc they were wrong, but bc others couldn’t accept that our country elected a supremacist as President.
This is fascism at our door. https://t.co/sahloCJt25
Last month, Ocasio-Cortez said that questioning the citizenship of people of colour is one way that white supremacy manifests after Trump stoked ‘birther’ theory to question the eligibility of Kamala Harris for vice president office. In a series of tweets, Ocasio-Cortez had said that white US officials born abroad almost never face similar questions about their birth and citizenship.
'Interrupting bully'
Biden’s running mate Kamala Harris said that the debate presented a clear choice between a leader “who offers a clear path forward” and an “angry, interrupting bully.” Speaking to MSNBC, Harris said that she couldn’t help to think about people around the world watching the debate, accusing Trump of degrading the office of US President. Check out some of the major reactions from other political figures:
Donald Trump fans the flames of racism, embraces white supremacy, and employs state violence against Americans exercising their rights. That's Donald Trump's America.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) September 30, 2020
Thanks, I’m fine. But everyone better vote. https://t.co/fkuQ042HvM
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 30, 2020
An important reminder that while racism is being debated, Donald Trump, a white supremacist, just told them to stand by. This again shows he is dangerous.
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) September 30, 2020
17:27 IST, September 30th 2020