Clinton on Trump: 'A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons'


Hillary Clinton painted a grim picture of a Donald Trump presidency during her speech at the Democratic National Convention, asking the audience, "if you dare," to imagine what it would be like to have him in the Oval Office.
"Ask yourself, do you really think Donald Trump has the temperament to be commander in chief? Donald Trump can't even handle the rough and tumble of a presidential campaign," she said. "He loses his cool at the slightest provocation, when he's gotten a tough question from a reporter, when he's challenged in a debate…imagine him in the Oval Office facing a real crisis. A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons." Clinton said Trump says he'll put "America first, well, please explain, what part of America first leads him to make Trump ties in China, not Colorado? Trump suits in Mexico, not Michigan? Trump furniture in Turkey, not Ohio? Trump picture frames in India, not Wisconsin? Donald Trump says he wants to make America great again; well, he could start by actually making things in America again."
She also asked the crowd to think about what Trump did in Atlantic City, 60 miles away from Philadelphia. "You will find contractors and small businesses who lost everything because Donald Trump refused to pay his bills," she said. "But think of this: People who did the work and needed the money, not because he couldn't pay them but because he wouldn't pay them, he just stiffed them. And you know that sales pitch he's making to be president, 'put your faith in him and you'll win big?' That's the same sales pitch he made to all those small businesses. Then Trump walked away and left working people holding the bag."
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Can Gen Z uprisings succeed where other protest movements failed?
Today's Big Question Apolitical and leaderless, youth-led protests have real power but are vulnerable to the strongman opportunist
-
The allegations of Christian genocide in Nigeria
The Explainer West African nation has denied claims from US senator and broadcaster
-
The best sherries to try this autumn
The Week Recommends The warming tipple from sunny Spain is an underrated cold-weather staple
-
DOJ indicts John Bolton over classified files
Speed Read Continuing the trend of going after his political enemies, Trump prosecutes his former national security adviser
-
Trump, Putin set summit as Zelenskyy lands in DC
Speed Read Trump and Putin have agreed to meet in Budapest soon to discuss ending the war in Ukraine
-
Courts deal setbacks to Trump’s Chicago operations
Speed Read President Donald Trump cannot deploy the National Guard in Illinois
-
Pentagon reporters turn in badges after refusing rules
Speed Read They refused to sign a restrictive new press policy imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
-
Supreme Court points to gutting Voting Rights Act
speed read States would no longer be required to consider race when drawing congressional maps
-
Trump says he authorized covert CIA ops in Venezuela
Speed Read He is also considering military strikes inside the country
-
‘Vile, racist’ leaked chats roil Young Republicans
Speed Read Leaders of Young Republican groups made racist, antisemitic and violent comments in private chats
-
Trump ties $20B Argentina bailout to Milei votes
speed read Trump will boost Argentina’s economy — if the country’s right-wing president wins upcoming elections