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| Trump has 'black soul', says Khizr Khan, father of fallen Muslim US soldier | Trump has 'black soul', says Khizr Khan, father of fallen Muslim US soldier |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The parents of a Muslim American soldier killed in Iraq said on Sunday Donald Trump was a “black soul” unfit for the White House, after he insulted them and suggested he had made sacrifices for the US comparable to their son’s. | The parents of a Muslim American soldier killed in Iraq said on Sunday Donald Trump was a “black soul” unfit for the White House, after he insulted them and suggested he had made sacrifices for the US comparable to their son’s. |
| Related: Trump attacks Muslim father's Democratic convention speech | Related: Trump attacks Muslim father's Democratic convention speech |
| Amid widespread astonishment at the conduct of the Republican presidential nominee, the family of the 27-year-old army captain Humayun Khan, who died in a suicide bombing in 2004, said Trump was morally deficient and incapable of empathy. | Amid widespread astonishment at the conduct of the Republican presidential nominee, the family of the 27-year-old army captain Humayun Khan, who died in a suicide bombing in 2004, said Trump was morally deficient and incapable of empathy. |
| “He is totally unfit for the leadership of this beautiful country,” said Khizr Khan, Humayun’s father. | “He is totally unfit for the leadership of this beautiful country,” said Khizr Khan, Humayun’s father. |
| Hillary Clinton, Trump’s opponent in November’s election, spoke later on Sunday at a predominantly African American church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Trump, she said, had offered the Khan family “nothing but insults, degrading comments about Muslims, a total misunderstanding of what made our country great”. | Hillary Clinton, Trump’s opponent in November’s election, spoke later on Sunday at a predominantly African American church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Trump, she said, had offered the Khan family “nothing but insults, degrading comments about Muslims, a total misunderstanding of what made our country great”. |
| Khan also pleaded with Senator Mitch McConnell and the House speaker, Paul Ryan, the Republican leaders in Congress, to denounce Trump’s comments about his family and his attacks on Muslims. Neither McConnell nor Ryan responded with criticism of Trump’s remarks about the Khans. | |
| In a statement released on Sunday, McConnell said “Captain Khan was an American hero”. He also said he agreed “with the Kahns [sic] and families across the country” that a ban on Muslim immigration, as has been suggested by Trump on the campaign trail, was “contrary to American values”. | |
| Khan urged Trump’s children to intervene and fix his character after Trump mocked Khan’s wife and appeared to suggest she was blocked from paying tribute to her dead son at last week’s Democratic national convention because of her religion. | Khan urged Trump’s children to intervene and fix his character after Trump mocked Khan’s wife and appeared to suggest she was blocked from paying tribute to her dead son at last week’s Democratic national convention because of her religion. |
| His wife, Ghazala Khan, dismissed Trump’s insinuation and reiterated that she had been too upset to talk after seeing a picture of her son displayed on the stage. “What mother could?” she asked in an article written for the Washington Post. “Donald Trump has children whom he loves. Does he really need to wonder why I did not speak?” | His wife, Ghazala Khan, dismissed Trump’s insinuation and reiterated that she had been too upset to talk after seeing a picture of her son displayed on the stage. “What mother could?” she asked in an article written for the Washington Post. “Donald Trump has children whom he loves. Does he really need to wonder why I did not speak?” |
| She also rejected Trump’s claim that employing people in his property company and overseeing the building of “great structures” amounted to a sacrifice for his country. | She also rejected Trump’s claim that employing people in his property company and overseeing the building of “great structures” amounted to a sacrifice for his country. |
| The Khans were as roundly supported as Trump was condemned, after the Republican nominee criticised Ghazala Khan for standing silently beside her husband while he delivered his moving speech about their son and Trump’s attacks on Muslims to the Democratic gathering in Philadelphia on Thursday evening. | The Khans were as roundly supported as Trump was condemned, after the Republican nominee criticised Ghazala Khan for standing silently beside her husband while he delivered his moving speech about their son and Trump’s attacks on Muslims to the Democratic gathering in Philadelphia on Thursday evening. |
| “His wife, if you look at his wife, she was standing there,” Trump told ABC’s This Week. “She had nothing to say. She probably … maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say. You tell me. But plenty of people have written that. She was extremely quiet. And it looked like she had nothing to say.” | “His wife, if you look at his wife, she was standing there,” Trump told ABC’s This Week. “She had nothing to say. She probably … maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say. You tell me. But plenty of people have written that. She was extremely quiet. And it looked like she had nothing to say.” |
| Khizr Khan told CNN’s State of the Union that Trump was “totally incapable of empathy”, adding: “I want his family to counsel him. Teach him some empathy. He will be a better person, but he is a black soul.” | Khizr Khan told CNN’s State of the Union that Trump was “totally incapable of empathy”, adding: “I want his family to counsel him. Teach him some empathy. He will be a better person, but he is a black soul.” |
| Reiterating his wife’s explanation that she was too overcome by grief to say anything at the event as planned, Khizr Khan expressed disbelief that Trump still “had to take that shot at her”. His wife also has high blood pressure and felt so unsteady she worried she might fall offstage, he said. | Reiterating his wife’s explanation that she was too overcome by grief to say anything at the event as planned, Khizr Khan expressed disbelief that Trump still “had to take that shot at her”. His wife also has high blood pressure and felt so unsteady she worried she might fall offstage, he said. |
| “She said, ‘You know my condition – when I see my son’s picture I cannot hold myself together,’” said Khan, becoming tearful. “This country holds such a person in the highest regard, and he has no knowledge, no awareness. That is the height of his ignorance.” | “She said, ‘You know my condition – when I see my son’s picture I cannot hold myself together,’” said Khan, becoming tearful. “This country holds such a person in the highest regard, and he has no knowledge, no awareness. That is the height of his ignorance.” |
| In her article on Sunday for the Washington Post, Ghazala Khan wrote: “I cannot walk into a room with pictures of Humayun ... Walking on to the convention stage, with a huge picture of my son behind me, I could hardly control myself.” | In her article on Sunday for the Washington Post, Ghazala Khan wrote: “I cannot walk into a room with pictures of Humayun ... Walking on to the convention stage, with a huge picture of my son behind me, I could hardly control myself.” |
| Khizr Khan said Trump lacked both the moral compass and sense of empathy necessary for any president. “This candidate is void of both traits that are necessary for the stewardship of this country,” he said. | Khizr Khan said Trump lacked both the moral compass and sense of empathy necessary for any president. “This candidate is void of both traits that are necessary for the stewardship of this country,” he said. |
| Trump was sharply criticised by Clinton; Tim Kaine, her running mate; and Bill Clinton, her husband and the 42nd US president. Bill Clinton said: “I cannot conceive how you can say that about a Gold Star mother,” referring to the award given by the military to mark a death in combat. | Trump was sharply criticised by Clinton; Tim Kaine, her running mate; and Bill Clinton, her husband and the 42nd US president. Bill Clinton said: “I cannot conceive how you can say that about a Gold Star mother,” referring to the award given by the military to mark a death in combat. |
| There’s only one way to talk about Gold Star parents: with honor and respect. Capt. Khan is a hero. | There’s only one way to talk about Gold Star parents: with honor and respect. Capt. Khan is a hero. |
| On Sunday at Imani Temple Ministries in Cleveland Heights, Clinton said: “[Khizr Khan] and his wife stood before our country to tell the story of their son, Capt Khan, who lost his life running toward danger to protect his soldiers. Mr Kahn paid the ultimate sacrifice in his family, didn’t he? | On Sunday at Imani Temple Ministries in Cleveland Heights, Clinton said: “[Khizr Khan] and his wife stood before our country to tell the story of their son, Capt Khan, who lost his life running toward danger to protect his soldiers. Mr Kahn paid the ultimate sacrifice in his family, didn’t he? |
| “And what has he heard from Donald Trump? Nothing but insults, degrading comments about Muslims, a total misunderstanding of what made our country great: religious freedom and religious liberty. It’s enshrined in our constitution, as Mr Khan knows because he’s actually read it.” | “And what has he heard from Donald Trump? Nothing but insults, degrading comments about Muslims, a total misunderstanding of what made our country great: religious freedom and religious liberty. It’s enshrined in our constitution, as Mr Khan knows because he’s actually read it.” |
| Clinton added: “I don’t begrudge anyone of any other faith or of no faith at all, but I do tremble before those who would scapegoat other Americans, who would insult people because of their religion, their ethnicity, their disability. It’s just not how I was raised. It’s not how I was taught in my church.” | Clinton added: “I don’t begrudge anyone of any other faith or of no faith at all, but I do tremble before those who would scapegoat other Americans, who would insult people because of their religion, their ethnicity, their disability. It’s just not how I was raised. It’s not how I was taught in my church.” |
| Trump also faced criticism from Republicans. John Kasich, the Ohio governor and a former competitor for the presidential nomination, said on Twitter: “There’s only one way to talk about Gold Star parents: with honor and respect. Capt. Khan is a hero. Together, we should pray for his family.” | Trump also faced criticism from Republicans. John Kasich, the Ohio governor and a former competitor for the presidential nomination, said on Twitter: “There’s only one way to talk about Gold Star parents: with honor and respect. Capt. Khan is a hero. Together, we should pray for his family.” |
| Khizr Khan said on Sunday that he and his wife had been inundated with messages of support since his speech, including from “distinguished Republicans” who “have seen the blackness of [Trump’s] character”. | Khizr Khan said on Sunday that he and his wife had been inundated with messages of support since his speech, including from “distinguished Republicans” who “have seen the blackness of [Trump’s] character”. |
| Ignoring calls from some conservative commentators to cease hostilities with the Khans, Trump again insisted on having the final word on Sunday. “I was viciously attacked by Mr Khan at the Democratic Convention,” he said on Twitter following their remarks. “Am I not allowed to respond?” | Ignoring calls from some conservative commentators to cease hostilities with the Khans, Trump again insisted on having the final word on Sunday. “I was viciously attacked by Mr Khan at the Democratic Convention,” he said on Twitter following their remarks. “Am I not allowed to respond?” |
| Trump was also ridiculed for disputing Khan’s comment in his speech that Trump had “sacrificed nothing and no one” while disparaging Muslims including those, like his son, who had died for their country. | Trump was also ridiculed for disputing Khan’s comment in his speech that Trump had “sacrificed nothing and no one” while disparaging Muslims including those, like his son, who had died for their country. |
| “I think I have made a lot of sacrifices,” Trump told ABC. “I’ve worked very, very hard. I’ve created thousands and thousands of jobs, tens of thousands of jobs, built great structures ... I’ve had tremendous success.” | “I think I have made a lot of sacrifices,” Trump told ABC. “I’ve worked very, very hard. I’ve created thousands and thousands of jobs, tens of thousands of jobs, built great structures ... I’ve had tremendous success.” |
| Asked whether he was seriously stating that this amounted to sacrifice, Trump replied: “Oh, sure. I think they’re sacrifices.” | Asked whether he was seriously stating that this amounted to sacrifice, Trump replied: “Oh, sure. I think they’re sacrifices.” |
| Related: Fallen Muslim American soldier's father scolds Trump: 'have you even read the constitution?' | Related: Fallen Muslim American soldier's father scolds Trump: 'have you even read the constitution?' |
| Trump, who avoided the draft for the Vietnam war with a medical exemption for an apparent bone spur in a foot – he has been unable to remember which one – once said that avoiding sexually transmitted diseases had been his “personal Vietnam”. | Trump, who avoided the draft for the Vietnam war with a medical exemption for an apparent bone spur in a foot – he has been unable to remember which one – once said that avoiding sexually transmitted diseases had been his “personal Vietnam”. |
| Describing Trump as “ignorant”, Ghazala Khan joined other critics in disputing the Republican nominee’s claims. “Donald Trump said he has made a lot of sacrifices,” she wrote. “He doesn’t know what the word sacrifice means.” | Describing Trump as “ignorant”, Ghazala Khan joined other critics in disputing the Republican nominee’s claims. “Donald Trump said he has made a lot of sacrifices,” she wrote. “He doesn’t know what the word sacrifice means.” |
| After Trump’s remarks were first published in advance of their broadcast on Sunday, the candidate issued a statement declaring: “While I feel deeply for the loss of his son, Mr Khan who has never met me, has no right to stand in front of millions of people and claim I have never read the constitution, (which is false) and say many other inaccurate things.” | After Trump’s remarks were first published in advance of their broadcast on Sunday, the candidate issued a statement declaring: “While I feel deeply for the loss of his son, Mr Khan who has never met me, has no right to stand in front of millions of people and claim I have never read the constitution, (which is false) and say many other inaccurate things.” |
| The dispute over the memory of Humayun Khan was also picked up by the Islamic State terrorist group. The group’s online magazine featured a picture of Khan’s tombstone in Arlington national cemetery in Virginia with the caption: “Beware of Dying as an apostate.” | The dispute over the memory of Humayun Khan was also picked up by the Islamic State terrorist group. The group’s online magazine featured a picture of Khan’s tombstone in Arlington national cemetery in Virginia with the caption: “Beware of Dying as an apostate.” |
| The first two opinion polls taken after the end of last week’s Democratic convention indicated that Hillary Clinton had received a “bounce” in her ratings and had retaken a lead against Trump. Her national support stands at 44.5% against 43.4% for Trump, according to an average of polls by RealClearPolitics. | The first two opinion polls taken after the end of last week’s Democratic convention indicated that Hillary Clinton had received a “bounce” in her ratings and had retaken a lead against Trump. Her national support stands at 44.5% against 43.4% for Trump, according to an average of polls by RealClearPolitics. |