Crocodiletooth
JF-Expert Member
- Oct 28, 2012
- 18,643
- 20,980
By Steve Holland
PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) - U.S.
Republican front-runner Donald
Trump warned on Wednesday of
riots if he is denied the party's
presidential nomination after a
string of primary election
victories, raising the temperature
even more in a heated White
House race.
The outspoken New York
businessman scored big wins in
primaries in Florida, Illinois,
Missouri and North Carolina on
Tuesday, knocking out rival Marco
Rubio and bringing him closer to
the 1,237 convention delegates he
needs to win the nomination.
But Trump lost the crucial state of
Ohio, and left the door open for
those in the party trying to stop
him from becoming the
Republican nominee for the Nov. 8
election.
Trump might fall short of the
majority required, enabling the
party's establishment to put
forward another name at the July
convention in Cleveland to
formally pick its candidate.
In an interview with CNN on
Wednesday, Trump said the party
could not deny him the
nomination should he fail to win
enough delegates.
"I don't think you can say that we
don't get it automatically. I think
you'd have riots. I think you'd
have riots. I'm representing many,
many millions of people."
While the Republicans were mired
deeper in turmoil, Hillary Clinton
won victories in five states on
Tuesday that put her in good
shape to defeat U.S. Senator
Bernie Sanders of Vermont and
win the Democratic Party's
nomination.
Republican Party leaders are
appalled at Trump's incendiary
rhetoric and reject policies such
as his vow to deport 11 million
illegal immigrants, temporarily ban
Muslims from the United States
and build a wall along Mexican
border.
The party tried to play down his
riot comments.
"First of all, I assume he is
speaking figuratively. If we go into
a convention, whoever gets 1,237
delegates becomes the nominee.
It's plain and simple," Republican
National Committee spokesman
Sean Spicer told CNN.
Recent outbreaks of violence
during protests at Trump rallies
have prompted President Barack
Obama, a Democrat, and
mainstream Republican figures to
speak out against the billionaire.
In comments likely to raise more
concern in the Republican
establishment about Trump's lack
of experience and temperament,
the former reality TV show host
said he was for the most part his
own foreign affairs adviser.
"I'm speaking with myself, number
one, because I have a very good
brain," he told MSNBC's "Morning
Joe" show. "I know what I'm
doing. ... My primary consultant is
myself."/
