Trump challenges Clinton to take drugs test
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DONALD Trump is challenging rival Hillary Clinton to a drugs test before their next debate, suggesting the Democrat was “pumped up” on performance-enhancing drugs in a stunning new twist to the brutal White House race.
The attack came as a new poll shows Clinton with a four-point lead over her Republican rival, suggesting Trump still holds a solid core of voters despite a week of sexual misconduct claims that have thrown his campaign into chaos.
Trump has trampled all conventions in his treatment of his opponent, vowing if elected to jail her over her e-mail practices as secretary of state — and making “Lock Her Up” a rallying cry for his fired-up supporters. His campaign has fueled right-wing conspiracy theories about Clinton’s health, seizing on her bout of pneumonia last month to suggest she is concealing a major health problem.
In the latest attack, Trump called for testing ahead of their final duel in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
“At the beginning of her last debate, she was all pumped up at the beginning. At the end, it was like, ‘Take me down,’ she could barely reach her car,” the 70-year-old told a rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on Saturday.
“Athletes, they make them take a drug test. I think we should take a drug test prior to the debate. Why don’t we do that?” Trump said.
The Manhattan billionaire has spent the week claiming the media and a “global elite” are working against him.
“The election is being rigged by corrupt media pushing completely false allegations and outright lies in an effort to elect her president,” he told his New Hampshire audience.
Ten women have now come forward to say they were victims of unwanted advances by the real estate mogul.
Trump’s latest accuser, 63-year-old Cathy Heller, told The Guardian he grabbed and kissed her during their first and only meeting 20 years ago.
Trump denies the allegations, insisting in one of a barrage of tweets to his 12 million followers: “Nothing ever happened with any of these women. Totally made up nonsense to steal the election. Nobody has more respect for women than me!”
Yesterday’s ABC News/Washington Post poll shows Clinton leading Trump 47-43 percent among likely voters — a small change from 46-44 in a survey before the first presidential debate.
The latest poll was taken after the release of the audio from 2005 in which Trump bragged about grabbing women.
However, enthusiasm among his supporters has decreased, while the percentage of Clinton supporters who said they could change their minds has dropped, the poll said.
A confident Clinton has scaled back campaign commitments, keeping a low profile as her rival battles the allegations triggered by the 2005 tape.
Her camp issued a swift response to Trump’s latest comments, accusing him of seeking to erode public faith in the vote. “This election will have a record turnout, because voters see through Donald Trump’s shameful attempts to undermine an election weeks before it happens,” Clinton’s campaign manager Robby Mook said.
The virulence of Trump’s attacks on the Clinton camp has raised concerns about whether he will even acknowledge a defeat, and how his legions of supporters would react should he lose.
President Barack Obama echoed those concerns at a rally last Friday, warning that democracy itself was at stake in next month’s vote.
“In a democracy, you have a contest, but if you lose then you say congratulations and you move on,” said the US leader, whose second term ends on January 20.
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