This combination of pictures created on Aug 24, 2018 shows US Senator John McCain and US President Donald Trump. (Photo: AFP/Mandel Ngan, Brendan Smialowski) The two men never pretended to like each other. It was not just their clashing personalities or vastly dissimilar backgrounds. Their differences were fundamental, their values dramatically at odds, and their disagreements public and pointed. When Trump announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination in June 2015, suggesting that many Mexican immigrants were criminals and "rapists", McCain denounced him for using language that "fired up the crazies". Senator John McCain, seen shortly after his brain cancer was diagnosed in July 2017 AFP/JUSTIN SULLIVAN Trump's response: McCain was a "dummy" who had barely managed to graduate from the US Naval Academy. Never one to give in, Trump then attacked the former navy pilot over what might have seemed his least vulnerable point: the military career - including … [Read more...] about John McCain and Donald Trump: No love lost
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Trump campaign manager Manafort quits after troubled stretch
Donald Trump's U.S. presidential campaign sealed a major staff reshuffle with the resignation on Friday of its campaign chairman, and the Republican nominee tried to end weeks of upheaval to focus on beating Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. The departure of Paul Manafort came as Trump tried this week to reset his unorthodox bid for the White House after falling behind Clinton in opinion polls for the Nov. 8 election. Trump said in a statement he had accepted Manafort's resignation and praised his "great work," but did not offer an explanation for the departure. Trump aides say the staff changes usher in a greater focus on policy and a more serious tone. The former reality TV host has stuck to that mission, swapping his free-wheeling rally speeches for prepared remarks that stick to a singular theme. He has concentrated on immigration, trade deals and law and order. Speaking in Dimondale, Michigan, on Friday with the use of a teleprompter, Trump stayed clear of much of the hyperbole … [Read more...] about Trump campaign manager Manafort quits after troubled stretch
As Republicans anoint Trump, party grapples with identity crisis
On the floor and corridors of the basketball arena hosting the Republican National Convention, in restaurants and bars, hotel lobbies and conference rooms across Cleveland, the talk was of the rise of Donald Trump, whose unlikely presidential candidacy has caused seismic fractures in the Republican Party. While the venues changed, the question didn't: Where do we go from here? This was the week that Trump was officially nominated as the Republicans' 2016 presidential candidate and was effectively given control of a party whose leaders have criticized him for his incendiary rhetoric, personal attacks on fellow Republicans, and tendency to stray from decades-old party orthodoxy. He packed the convention hall with his grassroots army of supporters, who seemed almost completely disinterested in his policy positions, even though they could reshape the party for years to come on core issues like trade, immigration and foreign policy. Those who were interested - party veterans, lawmakers, … [Read more...] about As Republicans anoint Trump, party grapples with identity crisis
To wonks hungry for policy details, Trump team serves lighter fare
People seeking a deeper understanding of Donald Trump's economic policy came up empty-handed this week at the Republican National Convention. Best known to Americans previously as a reality TV host and having never held public office, the New York businessman on Thursday accepted the party's nomination for the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election. The party establishment has fretted over some of his plans to curb illegal immigration, renegotiate trade deals and levy tariffs on China. Trump's skepticism about free trade puts him at odds with Republican orthodoxy. Wall Street investors are wary and confused. In speeches from the main stage and in panel discussions on the sidelines, the four-day convention was notable for a paucity of policy details, the result perhaps of a desire to play down differences among the party faithful. The lack of specifics was too much for one head of a multinational corporation, who complained at a business forum that he had no idea what to expect from Trump, a … [Read more...] about To wonks hungry for policy details, Trump team serves lighter fare
Conquering rivals, defying odds, Trump captures Republican nod
Thirteen months after launching an improbable bid for the White House, Donald Trump captured the 2016 Republican presidential nomination on Tuesday, having vanquished 16 party rivals, warred with much of its establishment and provoked controversy at every turn. His eldest child, Donald Trump Jr., announced the support of New York, their home state, during a roll-call vote at the Republican National Convention, ensuring Trump had the majority of delegates - 1,237 - needed to contest the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election against presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. With three of the candidate's other children at his side, the younger Trump said: "It is my honor to be able to throw Donald Trump over the top in the delegate count tonight." "Congratulations, Dad. We love you," he said. Trump's Democratic rival, Clinton, was quick to respond, tweeting after the vote: "Donald Trump just became the Republican nominee. Chip in now to make sure he never steps foot in the Oval Office." … [Read more...] about Conquering rivals, defying odds, Trump captures Republican nod