
Donald Trump (screen capture)
During a press conference at the White House today, Donald Trump was asked if he would commit to a peaceful transfer of power in January should Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden win.
White House correspondent Brian Karem asked the Donald directly if he would make such a commitment but Trump demured saying, “Well, we’re gonna have to see what happens, you know that. I have been complaining very strongly about the ballots and the ballots are a disaster and-and…” Trump responded as Karem interjected.
Attempting to get a clear answer, Karem asked again, “I understand that, but people are rioting. Do you commit to making sure there is a peaceful transfer of power?”
“Get rid of the ballots and you’ll have a very transfer – we’ll have a very peaceful,” Trump said. “There won’t be a transfer frankly, there will be a continuation. The ballots are out of control, you know it, and you know who knows it better than anybody else, the Democrats know it better than anybody else. Go ahead.”
He refuses to say he’ll accept the results of the election. He won’t commit to a peaceful transfer of power. Donald Trump is the most disloyal, un-American President we’ve ever had. https://t.co/xJLQLosdqC
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) September 23, 2020
Rather than commit to a peaceful transfer of power, the president just said that if you get rid of the ballots, he can guarantee it will be peaceful because there will be no transfer and he will continue rule.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) September 23, 2020
People who are very chill about the President not committing to the peaceful transfer of power unless they “get rid of the ballots” are too chill for me. This seems an awfully serious thing to be dismissive about. At the very least it’s a good reason to oppose him vigorously.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) September 23, 2020
In case you’re just tuning in, the President has refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power.
I don’t want to hear one molecule of shit from conservatives who say “that’s just the way he talks” because if Obama had even hinted at this they’d have been psychotic with rage.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) September 23, 2020
BTW, this isn't just the president saying that he won't commit to a peaceful transfer of power. This is the president saying he wants to "get rid of the ballots" so that he wins and so that there is no need transfer power to anyone else. https://t.co/j2BlBxCC6L
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) September 23, 2020