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| Trump: I was not obligated to correct questioner who called Obama Muslim | Trump: I was not obligated to correct questioner who called Obama Muslim |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Donald Trump on Saturday commented on his failure to correct an audience member at a campaign rally who said President Obama was a Muslim. | Donald Trump on Saturday commented on his failure to correct an audience member at a campaign rally who said President Obama was a Muslim. |
| Related: Donald Trump fails to correct questioner who calls Obama Muslim | Related: Donald Trump fails to correct questioner who calls Obama Muslim |
| On Twitter, the Republican presidential frontrunner said: “Am I morally obligated to defend the president every time somebody says something bad or controversial about him? I don’t think so!” | On Twitter, the Republican presidential frontrunner said: “Am I morally obligated to defend the president every time somebody says something bad or controversial about him? I don’t think so!” |
| At a campaign event in Rochester, New Hampshire on Thursday, an audience member said: “We have a problem in this country, it’s called Muslims. We know our current president is one.” | At a campaign event in Rochester, New Hampshire on Thursday, an audience member said: “We have a problem in this country, it’s called Muslims. We know our current president is one.” |
| In answer, Trump said: “Right.” | In answer, Trump said: “Right.” |
| Referring to Trump’s previous support for those who have questioned whether Obama was born in the US, the audience member said: “You know he’s not even American, birth certificate man.” | Referring to Trump’s previous support for those who have questioned whether Obama was born in the US, the audience member said: “You know he’s not even American, birth certificate man.” |
| The audience member then seemed to advocate the forceable removal of Muslims from US soil, saying: “But anyway, we have training camps growing where they want to kill us. That’s my question. When can we get rid of them?” | The audience member then seemed to advocate the forceable removal of Muslims from US soil, saying: “But anyway, we have training camps growing where they want to kill us. That’s my question. When can we get rid of them?” |
| In response, Trump said: “We are going to be looking at a lot of different things. A lot of people are saying that and a lot of people are saying that bad things are happening out there. We’re going to be looking at that and plenty of other things.” | In response, Trump said: “We are going to be looking at a lot of different things. A lot of people are saying that and a lot of people are saying that bad things are happening out there. We’re going to be looking at that and plenty of other things.” |
| Criticism of Trump’s failure to challenge or contradict the questioner was immediate and widespread. | Criticism of Trump’s failure to challenge or contradict the questioner was immediate and widespread. |
| Hillary Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner, used Twitter to say: “Donald Trump not denouncing false statements about POTUS & hateful rhetoric about Muslims is disturbing, & just plain wrong. Cut it out.” | Hillary Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner, used Twitter to say: “Donald Trump not denouncing false statements about POTUS & hateful rhetoric about Muslims is disturbing, & just plain wrong. Cut it out.” |
| During his daily briefing on Friday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest asked: “Is anyone really surprised that this happened at a Donald Trump rally? | During his daily briefing on Friday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest asked: “Is anyone really surprised that this happened at a Donald Trump rally? |
| “The people who hold these offensive views are part of Mr Trump’s base … It is too bad that he wasn’t able to summon the same kind of patriotism that we saw from Senator [John] McCain, who responded much more effectively and directly when one of his supporters at one of his campaign events seven years ago raised the same kind of false claims.” | “The people who hold these offensive views are part of Mr Trump’s base … It is too bad that he wasn’t able to summon the same kind of patriotism that we saw from Senator [John] McCain, who responded much more effectively and directly when one of his supporters at one of his campaign events seven years ago raised the same kind of false claims.” |
| Related: The woman who stunned Trump into silence – and threw the race wide open | Related: The woman who stunned Trump into silence – and threw the race wide open |
| In response, a Trump campaign statement said: “The media wants to make this issue about Obama. The bigger issue is that Obama is waging a war against Christians in this country. Christians need support in this country. Their religious liberties are at stake.” | In response, a Trump campaign statement said: “The media wants to make this issue about Obama. The bigger issue is that Obama is waging a war against Christians in this country. Christians need support in this country. Their religious liberties are at stake.” |
| On Saturday, Trump continued his response in a number of tweets. | On Saturday, Trump continued his response in a number of tweets. |
| “This is the first time in my life that I have caused controversy by NOT saying something,” he said. “If someone made a nasty or controversial statement about me to the president, do you really think he would come to my rescue? No chance! | “This is the first time in my life that I have caused controversy by NOT saying something,” he said. “If someone made a nasty or controversial statement about me to the president, do you really think he would come to my rescue? No chance! |
| “If I would have challenged the man, the media would have accused me of interfering with that man’s right of free speech. A no win situation!” | “If I would have challenged the man, the media would have accused me of interfering with that man’s right of free speech. A no win situation!” |
| After two Republican debates in the long primary contest, Trump maintains a double-digit lead in the 16-strong field. Another outsider candidate, the much more softly spoken retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, is in a clear second place. | After two Republican debates in the long primary contest, Trump maintains a double-digit lead in the 16-strong field. Another outsider candidate, the much more softly spoken retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, is in a clear second place. |
| In conclusion on Saturday, Trump returned to the theme of US Christians needing protection – an increasingly common line among Republican presidential contenders, particularly regarding the June supreme court decision which made same-sex marriage legal across the country. | In conclusion on Saturday, Trump returned to the theme of US Christians needing protection – an increasingly common line among Republican presidential contenders, particularly regarding the June supreme court decision which made same-sex marriage legal across the country. |
| “Christians need support in our country (and around the world),” Trump said. “Their religious liberty is at stake! | “Christians need support in our country (and around the world),” Trump said. “Their religious liberty is at stake! |
| “Obama has been horrible, I will be great.” | “Obama has been horrible, I will be great.” |