‘You Are Enabling Pure Evil’: Maher Faces Off With Trump Campaign Mgr.

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Bill Maher faced off with Kellyanne Conway, Donald Trump‘s campaign manager and longtime guest on his show, over her strategy tonight, and he started off by semi-jokingly saying, “You are enabling pure evil.”

Maher repeatedly mocked Trump, brought up that time Trump sued him, and told Conway that Hillary Clinton was absolutely right about the “deplorable” views about a lot of Trump’s supporters.

Conway went after Clinton a bunch of times during the interview and said, “Her message is anti-Trump, she doesn’t have a positive message.”

Maher proceeded to call out Trump for tons of lies he’s told on the campaign trail (“I don’t have time to go through all of his lies, we only have an hour”). When Conway told him he’s clearly “nervous,” Maher explained, “It’s not because Trump is good, it’s because people are stupid.”

He asked her how she could possibly justify backing someone like Trump to her children in the future. Conway said she has no problem because she earnestly believe in Trump’s message for the country. At one point, Conway told Maher, “I can’t support someone who lies for a living.” She was referring to Clinton, but Maher couldn’t help but laugh at that.

Watch full video >>

Congress Pushes for Answers on the Fate of American in Eritrean Prison

Ciham Ali Abdu pictured just before the time of her arrest on December 8, 2012 when she was 15. (Photo: courtesy of the family)
Ciham Ali Abdu pictured just before the time of her arrest on December 8, 2012 when she was 15. (Photo: courtesy of the family)

Ciham Ali Abdu of Eritrea was 15 years old when she was arrested as she tried to cross the border into Sudan. Born in Los Angeles, California, she is the only American citizen imprisoned in Eritrea.

Her family, friends and the representatives from the U.S. Embassy in Asmara have had no news about her whereabouts or her health for the nearly four years she has been in prison.

Ciham is also a unique case. She is the daughter of Ali Abdu, the former minister of information of Eritrea who was one of the closest advisors to the country’s president, Isaias Afwerki. When he fled the country in December of 2012, it sent shockwaves across the nation since he was believed to be unfalteringly loyal to the regime.

Ali’s then 87-year-old father, Abdu Ahmed Younis, his brother Hassen Abdu Ahmed and Ciham were all arrested shortly after his departure and many believe they were punished as retribution for Ali’s decision to flee.

Last week, Ciham’s fate was one of the topics raised at a subcommittee hearing at the U.S. House of Representatives convened by the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee titled “Eritrea: A Neglected Regional Threat.”

Linda Thomas–Greenfield, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, said the United States raises the issue of Ciham with Eritrean officials during joint meetings, but have received no information.

Eric Whitaker, the former Charge d’Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Asmara, said Eritrean officials do not acknowledge that Ciham is a U.S. citizen. “We’ve asked for consular access repeatedly and not been granted it. We are concerned regarding the case,” he said. “The answers we get are typically vague or note that such individual is an Eritrean citizen.”

Ciham left the United States when she was one or two years old, her uncle said. VOA contacted Eritrea’s Minister of Information Yemane Gebremeskel and he declined to comment. In Twitter comments about the hearings he dismissed the U.S. House proceedings as “perfunctory” and a “rehash” of old information.

Ciham’s uncle, Saleh Younis, said the family is desperate for news about her and their other imprisoned family members. He said this was the first time he had heard details about the U.S. embassy’s efforts to get information about Ciham and he is disappointed that they haven’t put more pressure on the Eritrean government.

He also noted that most people caught at the border trying to flee Eritrea are detained for several months or a maximum of two years, making it clear that Ciham is being held indefinitely as a punishment for her father’s actions. “It’s a country without rules, without a system,” Saleh said. “It’s a country where the president and his small clique do whatever they want to do. When we’re talking about human rights violations it’s not in the abstract that we’re talking about, it is these kinds of agonies people go through.”

Saleh is the editor of awate.com, an Eritrean news website that is opposed to the government and its policies.

Ali Abdu is currently in Australia where he is seeking asylum. In an affidavit submitted to the government in support of his case which has been widely posted online Ali said he is suffering from insomnia and heart pains and has suicidal thoughts. He said he fears for his family in Eritrea and fears that a member of the Eritrean diaspora could seek to harm him in Australia.

“The more I talk about my secrets the more I am worried and shivering about my safety because I know what crazy things the president can do to me. Even in Melbourne I am very recognizable and I fear that government supporters are following me,” he said.

Chairman of the House Subcommittee, Chris Smith, Republican Representative from New Jersey, cited figures from a former U.S. ambassador indicating that about 48 Eritrean national employees of the embassy were arrested or detained between 2001 and 2010 and it is unclear how many remain in detention. Smith requested additional information relating to those employees and relating to Ciham.

Thomas-Greenfield said the embassy has asked for access and information relating to these cases. “We have had over the years our foreign service nationals harassed. Some arrested and some who are still currently being held by the government,” she said. “We never miss an opportunity to raise this with the government of Eritrea encouraging them to release the American citizen but also to release our employees who have been arrested and to discontinue the harassment of our employees.”

Clinton vs. Trump: Hillary Clinton Wants To Carry Forward Obama’s Legacy, Woos Black Voters

Obama, who was Clinton’s rival for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 presidential race, has endorsed her candidature for the 2016 elections. Both attended the Black Caucus gala but did not appear together on stage.
Obama, who was Clinton’s rival for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 presidential race, has endorsed her candidature for the 2016 elections. Both attended the Black Caucus gala but did not appear together on stage.

U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said Saturday that her Republican rival Donald Trump was truly unfit to succeed President Barack Obama, linking herself to the two-time president’s legacy.

“We need ideas, not insults. Real plans to help struggling Americans in communities that have been left out and left behind — not prejudice and paranoia,” the former secretary of state said at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation gala in Washington, D.C. “We can’t let Barack Obama’s legacy fall into the hands of someone who doesn’t understand that.”

At the dinner, Clinton was also given the foundation’s Trailblazer Award for becoming the first female presidential candidate for a major political party.

In the weeks before the November elections, Clinton is hoping to gain the confidence of the youth and minorities to secure a lead over Trump. The gala was the latest in the line of events that the former first lady has attended as a part of this attempt. Clinton attended a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute event in Washington on Thursday and spoke to the Black Women’s Agenda Symposium on Friday — where she said that her Democratic nomination was possible only because of the support she received from African-American voters, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Obama, who was Clinton’s rival for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 presidential race, has endorsed her candidature for the 2016 elections. Both attended the Black Caucus gala but did not appear together on stage.

“After we have achieved historic turnout in 2008 and 2012, especially in the African-American community, I will consider it a personal insult — an insult to my legacy — if this community lets down its guard and fails to activate itself in this election,” Obama said at the gala. “You want to give me a good send-off? Go vote.”

On a lighter note, the president also addressed Trump’s final acceptance of the fact that Obama was born in the United States. “There’s an extra spring in my step tonight. I don’t know about you guys, but I am so relieved that the whole ‘birther’ thing is over,” Obama said.

“I mean: ISIL, North Korea, poverty, climate change — none of those things weighed on my mind like the validity of my birth certificate. And to think: that with just a 124 days to go, under the wire, we got that resolved,” CNN quoted Obama as saying.

Clinton, meanwhile, reiterated the point that has been the basis of her campaign, “Let’s send a clear message once and for all that we are stronger together. And no matter what remember this, love trumps hate.”

Clinton outdoing Trump in Pennsylvania, a must-win state

"We've got to fight for this thing," Obama thundered at a rally in Philadelphia last Tuesday. "I need you to work as hard for Hillary as you did for me. I need you to knock on doors. I need you to make phone calls. You've got to talk to your friends, including your Republican friends."
“We’ve got to fight for this thing,” Obama thundered at a rally in Philadelphia last Tuesday. “I need you to work as hard for Hillary as you did for me. I need you to knock on doors. I need you to make phone calls. You’ve got to talk to your friends, including your Republican friends.”

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Hillary Clinton’s campaign is aggressively outworking Donald Trump in battleground Pennsylvania, a state the billionaire businessman can scarcely afford to lose and still hope to become president.

Despite polling well in Pennsylvania throughout the summer, Clinton’s team is nevertheless bearing down in a state her party has carried in six straight elections. They are ratcheting up advertising and dispatching their top supporters to Pennsylvania, from Bill Clinton to Joe Biden to last week’s visit from President Barack Obama.

“We’ve got to fight for this thing,” Obama thundered at a rally in Philadelphia last Tuesday. “I need you to work as hard for Hillary as you did for me. I need you to knock on doors. I need you to make phone calls. You’ve got to talk to your friends, including your Republican friends.”

At a minimum, an energized Pennsylvania campaign is a balm for Clinton as she weathers a dip in national polls and dips in the swing states of Florida and Ohio. But with roughly seven weeks until Election Day, Trump’s scattershot approach to the state also puts his White House prospects in jeopardy.

“There is no Trump turnout organization, and you can’t construct one” in the time remaining, said former Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell.

For Trump, nearly any route to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House includes Pennsylvania’s 20 votes. With Clinton’s edge in Colorado and Virginia, and her competitive standing in North Carolina, Trump could potentially win vote-rich Florida and Ohio, as well as competitive Iowa and New Hampshire, and still fall short of the White House unless he can capture Pennsylvania, too.

Clinton’s strategy is focused firmly on the eastern part of the state. Obama won 85 percent of the vote in Philadelphia in 2012, and Clinton has her sights set on coming as close as she can to his performance there while also outperforming Obama in the four suburban counties bordering the city.

Almost 2 million votes, or fully one-third of the 5.67 million presidential votes cast in the state in 2012, came from Philadelphia plus Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties. It’s a region replete with moderate Republicans struggling with the decision about whether to support Trump.

Obama sought them out last week as he contrasted Trump’s criticism of the nation’s path with Ronald Reagan’s “vision of freedom.” The message echoes a Clinton television spot airing in the Philadelphia area featuring Romney and Republican U.S. senators blasting Trump as unqualified for the Oval Office.

That ad is part of Clinton’s deep edge over Trump on television in the state. Her campaign and outside groups helping her have spent about $14 million on general election TV and radio ads through this week, according to Kantar Media’s political ad tracker.

That’s more than triple the advertising investment Trump and his allies made in the same time period.

One possible result of the advertising gulf is stalled support for Trump among college-educated Republicans who live in the four counties around Philadelphia. In Montgomery County, for example, nearly half of adults have college degrees compared to 26 percent statewide.

“Part of the problem he faces is he has built this wall with the college-educated voters,” Republican pollster Ed Goeas said. “As much as he’s doing better in other parts of Pennsylvania, when you talk about the suburbs, he’s struggling to reach normal Republican levels.”

That leaves Trump needing to overperform in Pennsylvania’s rural areas and working-class cities in the western part of the state. But while Trump’s running mate Mike Pence was in Scranton on Wednesday, the same day Trump’s son Donald Jr. was in Pittsburgh, each of Trump’s own three visits in the past month have been to Philadelphia or nearby.

Those visits were all small-scale campaign events, not one of the signature blockbuster rallies that make for Trump’s chief organizing tool. And as he has in other states, the New Yorker has ceded the vast majority of his get-out-the-vote efforts to the Republican National Committee.

The committee touts, as it does in all the targeted presidential states, a statewide staff dedicated to registering new voters and swaying undecided ones. But even they admit Trump faces a “challenge” putting Pennsylvania into the GOP column.

“We have always known it would be a battle in Pennsylvania,” said RNC spokesman Rick Gorka.

At Obama’s Tuesday speech, meanwhile, 100 Clinton staff members combed the crowd, armed with clipboards and smart phones, signing up volunteers to make phone calls on Saturday. They found 750, said Clinton’s Pennsylvania director, Corey Dukes.

That’s in addition to hundreds of neighborhood-level leaders and campus teams at Pennsylvania’s legion of colleges and universities, including six in Philadelphia alone. Dukes said the campaign had just signed up its first Asian and Pacific Islander coalition. It’s a smaller than those in the battleground states of Virginia and Colorado, he said, but it’s one more group signed on to deliver votes.

Clinton herself is scheduled to headline a Philadelphia campaign event Monday aimed at mobilizing young adults.

“We slice it pretty thin,” Dukes said. “Everything we do is to support getting bodies to our offices to commit to action.”

Taken together, Rendell said, the conditions are right for Clinton to amass a margin in Philadelphia and the suburbs that’s too big for Trump to top elsewhere.

“If you do the math, there aren’t enough votes in the rest of the state,” Rendell said.

Trump campaign manager says Trump’s pre-campaign positions do not matter

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She also suggests Trump was only kidding when he talked up his new DC hotel on Friday

Kellyanne Conway, Donald Trump’s current campaign manager, said on Sunday that Donald Trump’s flip-flops on his signature issue of birtherism and a wide array of other issues do not matter because he had made the comments back when he was a private citizen.

On NBC’s Meet the Press, host Chuck Todd presented Conway with a lengthy list of issues on which Trump has recently changed his stated views, including birtherism, tax cuts for the wealthy, a Muslim ban, the minimum wage, the Iraq invasion, Libya intervention, abortion, whether he would self-fund his campaign, whether to accept Syrian refugees, and Japan and nuclear weapons. “He’s totally changed his position on all these issues,” Todd noted. “Why shouldn’t voters look at this and, including the birtherism comments on Friday, and say ‘he’s just another politician who will say and do anything to get elected in the moment?’”

Conway responded, “This is a man who is running for office the first time and he’s the nominee for president. Why? Because people do not see him as a politician. You want to take statements he made, positions he took as a private citizen when he was not running, and conflate them… People see who see who he is now.” She then changed the subject, suggesting that it was in fact Hillary Clinton who is untrustworthy and less than transparent.

Houstonian Honored at the White House Refugee “Welcoming Week” Celebration

Welcoming Week kickoff celebrates refugee voices, promotes refugee integration

The White House today hosted “Welcoming Refugees: Honoring Refugee Integration and Refugee Voices,” an event celebrating the contributions that refugee leaders are making in their respective communities across the nation.

The event honored nine refugees representing Welcoming America communities recently recognized by the White House as a “Bright Spot in Welcoming and Integration,” including Houston.

Among those honored was Houstonian Binyam Gebrehewet, a refugee from Eritrea who resettled in Houston in 2006. Gebrehewet was nominated by the Alliance for Multicultural Community Services for his tireless dedication to helping refugees succeed in their new environment and for his accomplishments as a successful business entrepreneur who inspires others to reach for the American Dream.

Binyam Gebrehewet arrived in the U.S. as an aslyee and refugee from Eritrea in 2006. In Eritrea, Binyam’s family owned a trucking business. Shortly after resettling in Houston, Binyam took a $15,000 loan from the Alliance for Multicultural Community Services through the agency’s Refugee Micro-Enterprise Program to buy his first tow truck.
Binyam Gebrehewet arrived in the U.S. as an aslyee and refugee from Eritrea in 2006. In Eritrea, Binyam’s family owned a trucking business. Shortly after resettling in Houston, Binyam took a $15,000 loan from the Alliance for Multicultural Community Services through the agency’s Refugee Micro-Enterprise Program to buy his first tow truck.

“The City of Houston is proud to name Binyam Gebrehewet for this honor bestowed by the White House,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. “He is deserving of this recognition as a Houstonian who has experienced firsthand the challenges that refugees face and has stepped up to give his fellow citizens a helping hand. As the founder of a growing trucking business, his story tells of the fulfillment that comes through hard work, determination and support from the community.”

Today’s event coincides with the start of Welcoming Week, which runs September 16-25, led by Welcoming America, a nonprofit organization. The national celebration highlights the contributions that refugees make to the country’s social, cultural and economic fabric. According to the U.S. Bureau of Public Affairs, the U.S. has welcomed more than 3.2 million refugees representing more than 70 nationalities over the past 40 years.

This year’s Welcoming Week events also call public attention to President Barack Obama’s Leaders’ Summit on the Global Refugee Crisis on the margins of the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly, scheduled to take place on September 20, 2016.


The City of Houston is a member of Welcoming America and the White House’s Building Welcoming Communities Campaign.  Houston was recently recognized by the White House as a “Bright Spot in Welcoming and Integration” for its innovative initiatives and partnerships addressing language access, outreach services, cultural diversity, civic engagement and community leadership participation in city affairs.  The city’s immigrant and refugee affairs are administered by the Department of Neighborhoods Office of International Communities. 

Binyam Gebrehewet arrived in the U.S. as an aslyee and refugee from Eritrea in 2006.  In Eritrea, Binyam’s family owned a trucking business. Shortly after resettling in Houston, Binyam took a $15,000 loan from the Alliance for Multicultural Community Services through the agency’s Refugee Micro-Enterprise Program to buy his first tow truck. Because of the success of his enterprise, he was able to repay his loan in full and in 2008 purchased an eighteen-wheeler.  By 2010, Binyam’s company was so successful that he was able to purchase a second truck, rent office space and employ two drivers. Today his company Bag Transport has six trucks and 21 employees. Most of his employees are refugees who have made Houston their home.

In addition to running a successful transport company, Binyam works hard to give back to the community by ensuring that newly-arrived refugees have the same chance at self-sufficiency that he had.  In 2015, Binyam’s company partnered with the Alliance to offer Commercial Driver’s License training courses to refugees and former refugees. Through his hands-on teaching approach, Binyam has helped more than 75 individuals receive their CDL licenses and gain full-time employment as commercial truck drivers, both statewide and nationwide.  The CDL training course has become one of the most successful and sought after vocational training courses offered by the Alliance and was featured on the Ethiopian Community Development Council’s website. This fall, Binyam plans to train 75 more individuals.

Binyam also works as a driver education course instructor for the Alliance’s newly-arrived clients. By teaching behind-the-wheel driver education classes, Binyam helps refugees gain self-sufficiency. A driver’s license is an essential resource for residents of a city the size of Houston, for relying on public transportation can be a disadvantage.  By obtaining a driver’s license, individuals can increase their employment opportunities and gain flexibility in scheduling appointments or attending classes. Binyam works day and night and most weekends to ensure that his students achieve their goal of obtaining a driver’s license. To date, he has helped more than 40 individuals become licensed drivers. He also serves as an interpreter and mentor for many newly-arrived refugees.

Binyam has received public recognition for his achievements and dedication to giving back to the community. His honors include “World Refugee Day Houston” Certificates of Appreciation presented by former Houston Mayor Annise Parker and State Representative Gene Wu.

In 2014, Binyam began the reunification process to bring his son Shalom to Houston from Eritrea. Binyam’s request was eventually approved and in December 2014, after being separated for 13 years, Binyam and his son were reunited. Binyam recently married Haala Al-Saadi, a native of Iraq, and the couple welcomed their first child, Joseph, in April 2016.

Donald Trump Eases Terms on Immigration, Trade After Meeting With Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto

Republican candidate says they didn’t talk about who would pay for proposed border wall

MEXICO CITY— Donald Trump eased his rhetoric on signature campaign promises regarding trade and immigration following a meeting Wednesday with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto.

The Republican presidential nominee, who has promised to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, said Wednesday he didn’t discuss who would pay for the wall during his meeting with Mr. Peña Nieto, which lasted about an hour. He has repeatedly said he would make Mexico pay for its construction.

“We discussed the wall,” Mr. Trump said. “We didn’t discuss payment of the wall.”

Mr. Trump and Peña Nieto delivered prepared statements at side-by-side podiums and briefly took shouted questions from reporters at the conclusion of the event.

In his comments, Mr. Trump also said he’d aim to “improve” the North American Free Trade Agreement, an accord he has said he would cancel if elected president. He also said he would aim to keep manufacturing “in our hemisphere,” referring to North America. On the campaign trail, he has promised to keep jobs in the U.S. and punish companies that move to Mexico.

Mr. Peña Nieto, meanwhile, delivered a condemnation of several of Mr. Trump’s campaign proposals without criticizing the American by name, and emphasized cooperation between the countries.

“Mexicans felt offended by what was said” during the campaign, Mr. Peña Nieto said. The Mexican president, in his remarks, defended NAFTA, said illegal immigration was at a 10-year low, and economic activity in the two nations benefit each other.

On NAFTA, Mr. Peña Nieto called the pact a boon to U.S. economy, but said he is willing to “modernize” it.

In their public remarks, both the Mexican president and the American presidential candidate described their meeting as polite but blunt. Mr. Trump said it was “a great honor” to be invited to Los Pinos, the official residence of the Mexican president, while Mr. Peña Nieto said Mr. Trump demonstrated his willingness to work with Mexico by visiting the country.

Mr. Trump, reading from notes, said he told Mr. Peña Nieto that NAFTA has benefited Mexico far more than it has the U.S. Mr. Peña Nieto said his priority is “to protect Mexicans, wherever they are.”

Mr. Trump’s surprise visit to Mexico was the latest twist in a presidential campaign that has defied political tradition. His campaignannounced the trip the night before it took place, and comes hours before Mr. Trump is due to deliver a policy speech outlining his immigration policy.

Though restricting immigration has been a signature element of his campaign, Mr. Trump in recent weeks has sought to walk back proposals to create a “deportation force” to remove 11 million illegal immigrants and their American-born children. Mr. Trump said on Fox News last week that he would only seek to remove illegal immigrants who have committed crimes.

Mr. Trump’s allies say the visit is a move to show leadership on his key domestic policy issue.

In an interview on CNN Wednesday morning, Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence said the visit marked the “beginning of a conversation” with Mexico, which will be followed by negotiations once Mr. Trump is elected and in the White House.

Mr. Trump launched his campaign with unflattering comments about Mexican immigrants. In addition to declaring Mexico will pay for a border wall and promising to repeal the North American Free Trade Agreement, Mr. Trump also labeled some Mexican immigrants to the U.S. as “rapists.”

In May, Mr. Trump said U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who was born in Indiana, couldn’t fairly adjudicate civil lawsuits over the defunct Trump University because of his Mexican heritage.

Mr. Trump’s approval numbers have suffered among Hispanic voters in the wake of these remarks. While Mitt Romney won support from 27% of Hispanic voters in 2012, Mr. Trump is at near half that level, according to recent polling.

Mr. Trump trails Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in polling in each of the 11 battleground states that will decide the general election. His weakness among Hispanic voters has damaged his standing in Colorado, Nevada and Florida, and made Arizona competitive—a heavily Republican state where the Clinton campaign this month opened two offices and invested more than $100,000 in field staffers to register voters and boost Democratic turnout.

But since installing his third set of top campaign staff since May, Mr. Trump has made direct appeals to Hispanic and black audiences, suggesting that long-term policies favored by Democrats and Mrs. Clinton are directly responsible for crime and unemployment in urban black and Hispanic neighborhoods.

The Republican presidential nominee’s visit was met with anger in Mexico City, where Trump piñatas have become a big seller in the past year. The capital’s municipal legislative assembly passed a motion on Wednesday declaring Mr. Trump “persona non grata.” Senators from both the left-wing and conservative opposition also criticized the visit and said Mr. Trump wasn’t welcome.

A few dozen protesters gathered at the country’s independence monument along a main boulevard in Mexico City to rail against Mr. Trump.

“He’s not welcome in Mexico because of the statements he made in the past,” said Erick Valdepeñas, a 26-year old lawyer.

Mr. Peña Nieto and his aides had debated in the past how to respond to the real estate mogul, with many aides suggesting he take an aggressive stand against him, according to a person familiar with the meetings. But the president has said he shouldn’t take sides in a U.S. election and instead should appear above the fray, that person said.

Culled from WSJ – Write to Reid J. Epstein at Reid.Epstein@wsj.com, Santiago Perez atsantiago.perez@wsj.com and David Luhnow at david.luhnow@wsj.com

The Latest: Pena Nieto says Mexicans hurt by Trump comments

Mexico's President Enrique Peña Nieto and U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump shake hands at a news conference at Los Pinos in Mexico City on Wednesday. PHOTO: HENRY ROMERO/REUTERS
Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto and U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump shake hands at a news conference at Los Pinos in Mexico City on Wednesday. PHOTO: HENRY ROMERO/REUTERS

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. presidential campaign (all times EDT):

4:55 p.m.

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto says the Mexican people have been hurt by Donald Trump’s past comments that painted them in a negative light.

Peña Nieto told reporters following a closed-door meeting that “misinterpretation or assertions” had negatively impacted perceptions of Trump’s candidacy.

He added that, the “Mexican people have been hurt by the comments that had been made.” But he said he’s sure that Trump is genuinely interested in building a relationship that will benefit both countries.

Peña Nieto spoke in Spanish throughout.

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4:40 p.m.

After meeting with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, Republican nominee Donald Trump says that both countries must respect the others’ right to build a border wall on their soil to stop the movement of people, illegal drugs and weapons.

Trump says he and PeñaNieto discussed his call for a border wall during their meeting, but did not talk about Trump’s insistence that Mexico pay for it. He says, “that’ll be for a later date.”

Trump says that having a secure border is a sovereign right and mutually beneficial. Mexicans have been outraged by the proposal.

___

4:35 p.m.

Republican Donald Trump is calling his surprise visit to Mexico City Wednesday a ‘great honor.’ And he says the nations share a common interest in keeping the hemisphere safe and prosperous.

The Republican presidential nominee said after meeting with President Enrique Peña Nieto that the pair had a substantive, direct and constructive exchange of ideas at the president’s official residence in Mexico City.

This is Trump’s first foreign visit as his party’s nominee.

___

4:30 p.m.

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto is challenging Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s characterization of the situation on the U.S.-Mexican border.

Peña Nieto notes that the number of immigrants crossing the border illegally is down significantly “even to the point of being negative to a net effect.” He spoke at a joint appearance Wednesday at the president’s official residence.

While Peña Nieto says the countries have shared challenges, he says that there exists “an incomplete vision of the border issues,” with weapons and cash flowing south from the U.S. and fueling violence.

He’s also stressing U.S. exports to Mexico and the number of jobs reliant on the countries’ trade relationship.

He says the Mexican people are people of “good will” who “deserve everybody’s respect.”

___

4:20 p.m.

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto says that he and Donald Trump may not agree on everything, but that their meeting underscores their countries’ shared interests.

Peña Nieto tells reporters that their meeting with the Republican nominee at the president’s official residence in Mexico City was “open and constructive.”

He says in Spanish that the next president “will find in Mexico and its government” a neighbor who “wants to work constructively to strengthen even more” the relationship between their nations.

___

2:55 p.m.

An official at the Mexico City international airport says a private plane carrying Republican candidate Donald Trump has touched down at the airport.

The official was not authorized to be quoted by name, nor did he provide the plane’s registry number, or say how Trump would reach the official residence of President Enrique Pena Nieto, where the meeting with the Mexican leader is to take place.

Pena Nieto’s office has confirmed there will be a meeting and subsequent press statement at the residence, which is across town from the airport.

Trump appeared likely to fly to the residence by helicopter, rather than cross town in any kind of motorcade.

—By E. Eduardo Castillo in Mexico City

___

1:45 p.m.

Hillary Clinton says if elected president she will make clear that the U.S. “will treat cyberattacks just like any other attack.”

Clinton says in a speech Wednesday to the American Legion convention in Cincinnati that the U.S. needs to “step up our game” and be able to defend itself against those who “go after us.”

She blamed Russia for hacking into the Democratic National Committee and perhaps “even some state election systems.”

Clinton says the United States will be ready with “serious political, economic and military responses” to any cyberattacks.

WikiLeaks released damaging emails during the Democratic National Convention that implied the DNC had favored Clinton over primary rival Bernie Sanders.

___

1:10 p.m.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine says Donald Trump has “put his feet in concrete” on his immigration positions, regardless of what the Republican nominee says in an immigration-focused speech Wednesday night.

Kaine is visiting a Hispanic community center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, hours before Trump is set to speak and about his immigration plans. Trump’s speech is being closely watched to see if he softens proposals to deport millions of people living in the United States illegally.

Kaine says Trump’s words and actions have been “frightening” to Hispanics and he doesn’t expect to hear a change in tone. And he says its “hard to say” what to expect out of Trump’s meeting Wednesday with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto.

___

1:05 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is blasting Donald Trump for referring to the American military as “a disaster.”

Clinton says in a sharply worded speech Wednesday to the American Legion convention that it’s “an insult to the men and women serving today and all who have served before.”

The Democratic presidential nominee is reiterating that she would send American troops into harm’s way only as a “last resort,” calling it a bedrock principal.

She also says the last thing the nation needs is a president “who brings more name-calling and temper tantrums to Washington,” a reference to her Republican opponent.

___

1 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is tweaking rival Donald Trump’s decision to travel to Mexico, saying it takes more to make up for a “year of insults and insinuations” than a quick trip to America’s southern neighbor.

Clinton says at the American Legion’s annual convention in Ohio that voters need to know that they can count on you. She says “it certainly takes more than trying to make up for a year of insults and insinuations by dropping in on our neighbors for a few hours and then flying home again.”

The Democratic presidential nominee adds, “That is not how it works.”

Trump was meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto later Wednesday. Trump’s surprise visit was coming hours before a major address on immigration in Arizona.

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12:55 p.m.

Hillary Clinton says the United States in “an exceptional nation” and is accusing rival Donald Trump of thinking that approach is “insulting to the rest of the world.”

Clinton is speaking to the American Legion’s annual convention in Cincinnati. She says the U.S. is an indispensable nation and has a “unique and unparalleled ability to be a force for peace and progress.”

Referencing Trump’s threats to “walk away from our alliances,” she notes that when America fails to lead, the country leaves a vacuum for the rest of the world to fill.

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11:25 a.m.

Just days after Hillary Clinton criticized the Trump campaign for promoting groups and individuals associated with preserving “white identity,” Donald Trump Jr. has retweeted an adherent of the “alt-right” movement that Clinton singled out for criticism.

Donald Trump’s oldest son this week retweeted a post from Kevin MacDonald, a former professor at California State University Long Beach. MacDonald said last week that white people in America are becoming a victimized minority. He has been accused of anti-Semitism by critics, including the Southern Poverty Law Center.

MacDonald’s tweet had to do with Clinton’s State Department and perceived favoritism for UBS, a global financial services company that donated to the Clinton Foundation.

Trump Jr.’s retweet prompted Richard Spencer, a leader of the alt-right movement, to tweet “Wow. Just wow.”

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9:50 a.m.

Mike Pence says that Donald Trump’s trip to Mexico demonstrates what a “decisive leader” he would be if elected president.

Trump’s running mate told Fox News Wednesday that Trump immediately responded to an invitation by Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto to meet. He noted that Hillary Clinton received the same invitation but hasn’t responded yet.

Pence said that Trump and Pena Nieto are expected to discuss the logistics of Trump’s proposed border wall — something Trump insists Mexico will pay for, despite Pena Nieto’s condemnation of the plan.

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9:35 a.m.

At least two demonstrations are planned in Mexico City as Mexicans express anger about the visit of Donald Trump.

Former first lady Margarita Zavala wrote in a tweet aimed at Trump: “Even though you may have been invited, we want you to know you’re not welcome. We Mexicans have dignity, and we reject your hate speech.” She’s considered a potential presidential candidate for 2018.

Pena Nieto’s office hasn’t said where or when the meeting would be held, possibly in a bid to avoid protests outside the meeting site.

Leading historian Enrique Krauze also addressed Trump in a tweek, saying “We Mexicans expect nothing less than an apology for calling us “criminals and rapists”.

Krauze told the Televisa TV network that, “Tyrants are to be confronted, not pacified.”

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8:30 a.m.

Mexico has awakened to the news that President Enrique Pena Nieto is going to meet with Republican candidate Donald Trump Wednesday, and many Mexicans don’t like it.

Some analysts said the Republican nominee had left Pena Nieto flat-footed by accepting an invitation the Mexican president had made simply for appearances’ sake. Trump is widely loathed in Mexico for calling migrants from the country “rapists” among other insults.

Mexico City-based security analyst Alejandro Hope suggested that Pena Nieto “wanted to invite Hillary (Clinton), but that meant inviting both of them, and nobody thought Trump would accept first.”

He added: “What’s in it for Mexico? ”

The newspaper El Universal wrote in an editorial that Trump “caught Mexican diplomats off guard” by accepting the invitation.

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3:10 a.m.

Donald Trump will be taking his first foreign trip as the Republican presidential nominee on Wednesday, making a quick visit to Mexico, a nation he derided as the home of rapists and criminals as he launched his campaign.

The meeting with President Enrique Pena Nieto, who earlier this year compared the billionaire candidate to Hitler, comes hours before Trump is set to deliver a highly-anticipated immigration speech. It’s a defining issue for Trump, but one on which he has appeared to waiver.

After saying during his primary campaign he would expel all of the estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally with a “deportation force,” Trump has suggested recently he might be open to “softening” his stance as he tries to win over more moderate general election voters.

The Obama Family’s Summer Style Is So On Point

On Sunday, the Obama family returned to Washington, D.C., from Martha’s Vineyard, where they spent their last vacation as the first family of the United States of America — and they looked relaxed and fabulous.

The family, pictured first on the tarmac at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport in West Tisbury, Mass., getting on Marine One, then boarding Air Force One at Air Station in Cape Cod, and later on the South Lawn of the White House, appeared to have had memorable vacation, as evidenced by the smiles on their faces.

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And judging by their New England–inspired looks, they’re still in vacation mode, at least when it comes to their style. Sasha Obama, 15, rocked a black and mustard yellow paisley dress with matching wedges while walking next to her president dad, who wore a button-down blue shirt (no tie!!) tucked into khakis. Malia Obama, 18, wore a white dress-shirt-style dress and white high-top Converse, which matched her mom’s equally preppy gingham piece paired with white low-top Converse. Both daughters sported super-cute backpacks that make us want to go back to school.

Before boarding the plane, the Vineyard Gazette caught the family — Dad and Mom included — rocking sunglasses and smiles. According to the local paper, POTUS played 10 rounds of golf during his 15-day stay on the Massachusetts island (one round of which was played with Seinfeld creator and Bernie Sanders impersonator Larry David!). They also enjoyed the beach, fireworks, and local restaurants. The first family has visited Martha’s Vineyard every summer during their tenure in the White House, except for 2012.

U.S. ends Olympics on top of medal table

final medal table

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — The U.S. Olympic team made itself right at home in Rio.

The British, they had a Games to savor as well.

The host Brazilians got the soccer gold they had craved, the Russians struggled on the heels of the exposure of a state-sponsored doping program, and the Chinese finished well below expectations.

So went the medal race at the Olympics, where the Americans — with women leading the way — dominated the gold and overall totals. With five medal wins on Sunday’s final day of the Games — gold from the men’s basketball team, boxer Claressa Shields and freestyle wrestler Kyle Snyder, and bronze from marathoner Galen Rupp and the men’s volleyball team — the United States finished with 46 gold medals and 121 medals overall. Its margin of 51 total medals over second-place China is the largest in a nonboycotted Olympics in nearly a century.

“This experience has been the dream of a lifetime for me,” said gymnast and closing ceremony flag bearer Simone Biles, who won five medals, four of them gold, in her first Olympics.

For the fourth consecutive Games, U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps left with more medals than anyone else. He won six in Rio, five of them gold to increase his Olympic-record gold total to 23 and his overall total to 28. Biles and U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky each won five — all gold for Ledecky — to lead to lead a big haul from American women.

U.S. women left Rio with 27 golds, by far the most among any team of female Olympians at the Games, and 61 medals total. U.S. track star Allyson Felix won two relay golds to bring her career total to six, a track record for women, and Shields, a middleweight, became the first American, man or woman, with two boxing golds.

“I wanted it to be known that I’m not just a great female boxer. I’m one of the greatest boxers to ever live,” Shields, 21, said.

The previous record for U.S. medals at a fully attended Olympics was 110, set at Beijing eight years ago. And the margin between first and second in the overall medals race tops all others — the boycotted Games of 1980 and 1984 excluded — since the Americans won 67 more medals than Italy did at the 1932 Los Angeles Games.

“We weren’t sure we were going to have that kind of success coming in,” said U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun, noting the track and swimming teams had plenty of first-time Olympians.

Claressa Shields becomes the first U.S. boxer, woman or man, with two gold medals after defending her 2012 title.
Claressa Shields becomes the first U.S. boxer, woman or man, with two gold medals after defending her 2012 title.

Even with far fewer athletes competing in Rio than it had in London four years ago — and no homefield advantage this time — Britain got more medals than ever in the modern Games. It won 67 medals, 27 of them gold.

China won 26 golds, just over half as many as it won in 2008. Russia — with its track team told to stay home because of the doping investigation and a cloud hovering over its athletes who were in Rio, some of whom were publicly called out by competitors — finished with 19 golds and 56 medals overall, both well below its normal showings.

There were plenty of positives for others, however.

Usain Bolt finished off his triple-triple — three Olympics, three golds in each in the 100 meters, 200 and 400 relay — for Jamaica, in what he has said was his last Games. Neymar’s winning penalty kick decided a shootout and clinched the men’s soccer gold medal for Brazil, a host that wasn’t a factor in the medal standings but got the gold that it probably wanted most.

“We went through difficult moments in the beginning of the competition,” Neymar said. “We were criticized. And we answered on the field, with soccer.”

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