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| Trump-Biden: White supremacy row flares after chaotic debate | Trump-Biden: White supremacy row flares after chaotic debate |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| President Donald Trump's refusal to explicitly condemn a key far-right group has sparked outrage among opponents after a fierce and chaotic US election debate. | President Donald Trump's refusal to explicitly condemn a key far-right group has sparked outrage among opponents after a fierce and chaotic US election debate. |
| In the TV debate with rival Joe Biden, he instead called on the Proud Boys group to "stand back and stand by". | In the TV debate with rival Joe Biden, he instead called on the Proud Boys group to "stand back and stand by". |
| Members of the Proud Boys said on social media that the comments were "historic" and an endorsement. | Members of the Proud Boys said on social media that the comments were "historic" and an endorsement. |
| Mr Biden said Mr Trump had "refused to disavow white supremacists". | Mr Biden said Mr Trump had "refused to disavow white supremacists". |
| The first of three televised debates between the two men ahead of the 3 November election descended into squabbling, bickering and insults, with US media describing it as chaotic, ugly and awful. | The first of three televised debates between the two men ahead of the 3 November election descended into squabbling, bickering and insults, with US media describing it as chaotic, ugly and awful. |
| The commission that regulates the debates said it would introduce new measures for the next two to "maintain order". | The commission that regulates the debates said it would introduce new measures for the next two to "maintain order". |
| Not much was gleaned on policy and although one snap poll on the debate gave Mr Biden a slight edge, other opinion polls suggest 90% of Americans have already made up their mind on who to vote for and the debate may well have made little difference. | Not much was gleaned on policy and although one snap poll on the debate gave Mr Biden a slight edge, other opinion polls suggest 90% of Americans have already made up their mind on who to vote for and the debate may well have made little difference. |
| BBC North America reporter Anthony Zurcher says if one man emerged a winner it was Joe Biden as he was less covered in slop from the food fight. Anything resembling a substantive exchange was buried in bickering, so this was a missed opportunity for the president, he says. | BBC North America reporter Anthony Zurcher says if one man emerged a winner it was Joe Biden as he was less covered in slop from the food fight. Anything resembling a substantive exchange was buried in bickering, so this was a missed opportunity for the president, he says. |
| Mr Biden appears to hold a single-digit lead over Mr Trump, but surveys in so-called battleground states suggest this could still be a close contest. | Mr Biden appears to hold a single-digit lead over Mr Trump, but surveys in so-called battleground states suggest this could still be a close contest. |
| Why did the far-right issue arise? | Why did the far-right issue arise? |
| It was raised by debate moderator Chris Wallace amid the backdrop of street violence in some cities this year, some of which flared over the issues of police killings and racism. | It was raised by debate moderator Chris Wallace amid the backdrop of street violence in some cities this year, some of which flared over the issues of police killings and racism. |
| Wallace asked whether the president would condemn white supremacists and tell them to stand down during demonstrations. | Wallace asked whether the president would condemn white supremacists and tell them to stand down during demonstrations. |
| "Sure, I'm willing to... but I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing. I'm willing to do anything. I want to see peace," Mr Trump said. | "Sure, I'm willing to... but I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing. I'm willing to do anything. I want to see peace," Mr Trump said. |
| Mr Biden twice said "Proud Boys" when the president asked who it was he was being told to condemn. | Mr Biden twice said "Proud Boys" when the president asked who it was he was being told to condemn. |
| The president said: "Proud Boys - stand back and stand by. But I'll tell you what... Somebody's got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem." | The president said: "Proud Boys - stand back and stand by. But I'll tell you what... Somebody's got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem." |
| Founded in 2016, Proud Boys is a far-right, anti-immigrant, all-male group with a history of street violence against left-wing opponents. One Proud Boys social media account posted the logo "Stand Back, Stand By." | |
| Antifa, short for "anti-fascist", is a loose affiliation of far-left activists that often clash with the far right at protests. | Antifa, short for "anti-fascist", is a loose affiliation of far-left activists that often clash with the far right at protests. |
| What has the reaction been? | What has the reaction been? |
| Joe Biden returned to the issue in a tweet on Wednesday, saying: "There's no other way to put it: the President of the United States refused to disavow white supremacists on the debate stage last night." | Joe Biden returned to the issue in a tweet on Wednesday, saying: "There's no other way to put it: the President of the United States refused to disavow white supremacists on the debate stage last night." |
| In his tweet he quoted a comment, addressed to the president, from a Proud Boys online forum that read: "This makes me so happy. We're ready! Standing by sir." | In his tweet he quoted a comment, addressed to the president, from a Proud Boys online forum that read: "This makes me so happy. We're ready! Standing by sir." |
| Mr Biden's Democratic running mate, Kamala Harris, told CNN: "I heard what we all heard. The president of the United States, in the year of our Lord 2020, refuses to condemn white supremacists." | Mr Biden's Democratic running mate, Kamala Harris, told CNN: "I heard what we all heard. The president of the United States, in the year of our Lord 2020, refuses to condemn white supremacists." |
| Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said Mr Trump's words were "astonishing" and Rita Katz, of the SITE extremist watchdog, said Mr Trump had given "another nod to white supremacists". | Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said Mr Trump's words were "astonishing" and Rita Katz, of the SITE extremist watchdog, said Mr Trump had given "another nod to white supremacists". |
| President Trump has tried to project a stance of being the law-and-order president. His response in a tweet on Wednesday read: "Biden REFUSED to use the term LAW & ORDER. There go the Suburbs." | President Trump has tried to project a stance of being the law-and-order president. His response in a tweet on Wednesday read: "Biden REFUSED to use the term LAW & ORDER. There go the Suburbs." |
| Trump campaign spokesman Hogan Gidley told CNN the president had said "sure" when asked if he would condemn extremist groups, adding Mr Trump had done so "many times just not last night, in the past as well". | Trump campaign spokesman Hogan Gidley told CNN the president had said "sure" when asked if he would condemn extremist groups, adding Mr Trump had done so "many times just not last night, in the past as well". |
| Mr Trump's son, Donald Jnr, also said his father was "happy" to condemn such groups. "I don't know if that was a misspeak, but he was talking about having them stand down," he told CBS. | Mr Trump's son, Donald Jnr, also said his father was "happy" to condemn such groups. "I don't know if that was a misspeak, but he was talking about having them stand down," he told CBS. |
| Republican politicians were fairly muted in their response, some arguing that Mr Trump had condemned all street violence, others saying the president may have misspoken or should have given more clarity. | Republican politicians were fairly muted in their response, some arguing that Mr Trump had condemned all street violence, others saying the president may have misspoken or should have given more clarity. |
| Mr Trump has downplayed the threat of white supremacy groups in the past, although the Department of Homeland Security says they will remain the most "persistent and lethal threat" in the United States into next year. | Mr Trump has downplayed the threat of white supremacy groups in the past, although the Department of Homeland Security says they will remain the most "persistent and lethal threat" in the United States into next year. |
| Proud Boys members certainly believed they had been supported by Mr Trump. | Proud Boys members certainly believed they had been supported by Mr Trump. |
| Organiser Joe Biggs wrote: "President Trump told the proud boys to stand by because someone needs to deal with antifa... well sir! we're ready!!" | Organiser Joe Biggs wrote: "President Trump told the proud boys to stand by because someone needs to deal with antifa... well sir! we're ready!!" |
| One member said the group was already seeing a spike in new recruits. | One member said the group was already seeing a spike in new recruits. |
| What were the other key debate moments? | What were the other key debate moments? |
| In the 90-minute debate in Cleveland, Ohio, both candidates talked over each other a lot. Mr Trump cut in some 73 times. | In the 90-minute debate in Cleveland, Ohio, both candidates talked over each other a lot. Mr Trump cut in some 73 times. |
| The main issues included: | The main issues included: |
| What happens now? | What happens now? |
| The war of words following the debate lingered in exchanges on Wednesday. | The war of words following the debate lingered in exchanges on Wednesday. |
| On Twitter, Mr Trump said Mr Biden would destroy the country, claiming the challenger wishes to pack the Supreme Court with judges, end fracking and kill the Second Amendment of the Constitution, which includes the right to bear arms. | On Twitter, Mr Trump said Mr Biden would destroy the country, claiming the challenger wishes to pack the Supreme Court with judges, end fracking and kill the Second Amendment of the Constitution, which includes the right to bear arms. |
| He said he was off to Minnesota on Wednesday. | He said he was off to Minnesota on Wednesday. |
| Joe Biden is on an all-day train tour through eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, while his campaign has also rolled out a digital advert onslaught against the president. | Joe Biden is on an all-day train tour through eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, while his campaign has also rolled out a digital advert onslaught against the president. |
| He said on his first tour stop that Mr Trump had "forgotten the forgotten Americans he said he was going to fight for. I will never forget". | He said on his first tour stop that Mr Trump had "forgotten the forgotten Americans he said he was going to fight for. I will never forget". |
| Mr Biden added: "I am not going to be a Democratic president. I am going to be an American president." | Mr Biden added: "I am not going to be a Democratic president. I am going to be an American president." |
| The other TV debates between the two candidates are on 15 October in Florida and 22 October in Tennessee. | The other TV debates between the two candidates are on 15 October in Florida and 22 October in Tennessee. |