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| Trump tweets Biden 'somewhat better' than rabid dog after North Korean jibe | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| As the race for the 2020 presidential election gathers pace, the bitter war of words between US President Donald Trump and his main political rival Joe Biden is expected to escalate. | As the race for the 2020 presidential election gathers pace, the bitter war of words between US President Donald Trump and his main political rival Joe Biden is expected to escalate. |
| Seen as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, Mr Biden has been the main target of his rhetoric. | |
| But some insults - on the face of it - go too far, even for President Trump. | |
| On Sunday Mr Trump tweeted a rare, albeit backhanded, defence of Mr Biden after a North Korean attack on him. | |
| North Korea had lambasted Mr Biden for having the "temerity to dare slander the dignity" of its leader, Mr Kim. | North Korea had lambasted Mr Biden for having the "temerity to dare slander the dignity" of its leader, Mr Kim. |
| "Rabid dogs like Biden can hurt lots of people if they are allowed to run about," a statement, carried North Korea's official KCNA news agency, said on Thursday. "They must be beaten to death with a stick." | "Rabid dogs like Biden can hurt lots of people if they are allowed to run about," a statement, carried North Korea's official KCNA news agency, said on Thursday. "They must be beaten to death with a stick." |
| The president's response on Sunday included a retweet of a conservative commentator's post about North Korea's attack on Mr Biden. | |
| Mr Trump's tweet was addressed to "Mr Chairman", an apparent reference to North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un. | |
| The president did not hold back from his usual taunts against his US rival - calling him "sleepy and very slow" - but added that Mr Biden was "not a rabid dog", as North Korea had called him. | |
| "He is actually somewhat better than that," Mr Trump added, while taking the opportunity to say he was the one who could best handle the situation. | |
| It is not clear what drew the ire of North Korea, though Mr Biden has been critical of the Trump-Kim summits this year and last. | It is not clear what drew the ire of North Korea, though Mr Biden has been critical of the Trump-Kim summits this year and last. |
| In response to the North Korean jibe, Mr Biden has said he saw such insults "as a badge of honour". | |
| In contrast, Mr Trump's relationship with Mr Kim has been more amicable as he seeks to convince North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons through summitry rather than threats. | In contrast, Mr Trump's relationship with Mr Kim has been more amicable as he seeks to convince North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons through summitry rather than threats. |
| Mr Trump has lavished Mr Kim with compliments, describing him as "very sharp" and a "real leader". | Mr Trump has lavished Mr Kim with compliments, describing him as "very sharp" and a "real leader". |
| Mr Biden, on the other hand, has frequently been on the receiving end of Mr Trump's jibes. | Mr Biden, on the other hand, has frequently been on the receiving end of Mr Trump's jibes. |
| The impeachment inquiry, which centres on whether Mr Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine in exchange for an investigation into Mr Biden and his son, has intensified their long-running feud. | The impeachment inquiry, which centres on whether Mr Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine in exchange for an investigation into Mr Biden and his son, has intensified their long-running feud. |