Radio Baghdad

Listen To Live Radio
Now Playing
Oct, 14 2024
Popular Articles
iraqi-economic-development-strategies

Iraqi Economic Development Strategies


Part IAs Iraq moves through its next developmental phase...482756
amer-fatuhi-interview-2020

Amer Fatuhi - Interview 2020


An exclusive interview with the Prominent Scholar Dr. Amer Hanna...188254
healthy-food

Healthy Food


Like any other product, healthy foods need to be marketed...44535
who-killed-soad-hosny

Who Killed Soad Hosny?


The family of the late Egyptian actress, the Cinderella of Arab...28439
us-launches-cruise-missile-strike-on-syria

US Launches Cruise Missile Strike on Syria


On President Donald Trump's order, two Navy destroyers in the...22942
the-iraqi-british-architect-zaha-hadid

The Iraqi-British Architect Zaha Hadid


“I am the product of an amazing Iraqi environment and an...22730
iraqi-parliament-denies-a-local-detroit-winner-christian-of-the-iraqi-national-flag-contest

Iraqi Parliament Denies a Local Detroit Winner (Christian) of the Iraqi National Flag Contest!


The Iraqi Government is working on adopting a new National Flag...21890
a-new-rare-guest-at-baghdad-zoo

A New Rare Guest At Baghdad Zoo


Baghdad’s municipality has announced the birth of what it says...20775
iraqi-economic-development-strategies-part-ii

Iraqi Economic Development Strategies, Part II


DIVERSIFICATIONIraq is currently a rentier state. By...20149
the-chaldean-renaissance

THE CHALDEAN RENAISSANCE


Basic Outline of a Vision By Bishop Mar Sarhad Y. Jammo  I-...19612
rxte-black-holes-pulsars-oh-my

RXTE - Black Holes & Pulsars - Oh My!


Black holes and pulsars are two of the most mysterious (and...19510
iraq-country-profile

Iraq country profile


Iraq, in an area once home to some of the earliest...18683
review-of-amer-hanna-fatuhi-the-untold-story-of-native-iraqis

Review of Amer Hanna-Fatuhi: THE UNTOLD STORY OF NATIVE IRAQIS


Review of Amer Hanna-Fatuhi:THE UNTOLD STORY OF NATIVE IRAQIS:...17819
unesco-iraq-best-practices-in-education-reform

Unesco & Iraq - Best Practices In Education Reform


UNESCO Office for Iraq In the framework of the Iraqi Public...17713
oil-exports-decline-to-cause-deficit-in-2014-budget-says-sa-ad

Oil exports decline to cause deficit in 2014 budget, says Sa’ad


Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Member of the parliament Oil &...16376
iraqi-dentist-suhair-al-qaisi-the-most-beloved-media-face-in-the-arabic-speaking-world-screen

Iraqi Dentist Suhair al-Qaisi, The Most Beloved Media Face in the Arabic Speaking World Screen!


Introduction: Suhair al-Qaisi was born in 1985 in Baghdad, Iraq...14565
islam-karimov-turkey-announces-uzbek-leader-s-death

Islam Karimov: Turkey announces Uzbek leader's death


Uzbek President Islam Karimov, one of Asia's most...14026
putin-offers-turkey-s-erdogan-closer-ties
Putin offers Turkey's Erdogan...
south-china-sea-tribunal-backs-case-against-china-brought-by-philippines
South China Sea: Tribunal...
yusra-mardini-refugee-swimmer-off-to-flying-start-after-pope-francis-sends-letter
Yusra Mardini: Refugee...
turkey-mass-arrests-after-coup-bid-quashed-says-pm
Turkey: Mass arrests after...
german-viernheim-cinema-complex-attacker-dead
German Viernheim cinema...
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 5.00 (1 Vote)

Donald Trump just suffered through a brutal weekend.


by Ben White

He picked a fight with the Muslim-American parents of soldier who died for the U.S. in battle, appeared not to know Russia troops had occupied parts of Ukraine, made up a nonexistent letter about the debate schedule from the NFL and claimed to have rebuffed a meeting request from the billionaire Koch brothers that was never offered.

Oh, and a poll conducted after the Democratic Convention in Philadelphia shows the Republican nominee falling back to 6 points behind Hillary Clinton — about where the race stood before the GOP convention.

The new CBS poll conducted found that 46 percent would vote for Clinton to 39 percent for Trump. The poll also found an electorate that looks fairly stable heading into the final 99 days of the campaign.

Among Trump supporters, 91 percent say their minds are made up. Among Clinton supporters, 92 percent are locked in. That leaves a pool of around 8 percent of undecided voters who could swing either way. Trump would need to win most of these voters to have a chance of reaching 270 electoral votes on Nov. 8. And at the moment, his campaign is not in a position to make that happen.

Take the Khan imbroglio as just one example. Khizr Khan delivered the most emotionally powerful moment of the Democratic convention, ripping Trump as temperamentally unfit for the presidency because he denigrates Muslims, Mexicans and other minorities. Khan, whose son Humayun died in Iraq in 2004, brandished a copy of the Constitution and asked if Trump had ever read it. If Trump's policies were in place, Khan said, his family would never have emigrated from Pakistan.

Instead of acknowledging the family's grief and thanking them for their sacrifice, as Clinton did after being criticized by the parents of a Benghazi victim, Trump slurred the Khan family, suggesting Ghazala Kahn didn't speak at the convention because she wasn't "allowed to" as a Muslim. Ghazala Khan wrote in a Washington Post op-ed that she didn't speak only because she was overcome with grief.

Khizr Khan kept up his assault on Trump over the weekend. "He is a black soul, and this is totally unfit for the leadership of this country," Khan told CNN. "The love and affection that we have received affirms that our grief, that our experience in this country has been correct and positive. The world is receiving us like we have never seen. They have seen the blackness of his character, of his soul."

Trump's comments elicited disavowals from House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, though neither mentioned Trump by name. Trump's own running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, issued a statement walking back Trump's comments.

Most of Trump's loyal (and mostly white) base probably won't care about the controversy. But for Trump, the problem is expanding beyond his base to win more moderate Republican voters — especially white women — in places like the suburbs of Philadelphia and Columbus, Ohio. It's conceivable that Trump could run up such astonishing totals among blue-collar white voters in the Rust Belt that he could win without ever changing his message or approach. But it is very unlikely.

Clinton starts with a base of 242 electoral voters in states that are now reliably Democratic. If she wins either Florida or Ohio, the race is over. She could even lose both and still win if she takes a handful of other swing states that look strong for her, including Colorado and Virginia. Trump's path to victory is exceedingly narrow and likely requires him to win Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Florida and Ohio are currently deadlocked; Clinton enjoys a 4 point average lead in Pennsylvania, according to Real Clear Politics.

Trump's comments about Russia and Ukraine are not likely to help him among wavering voters either. The GOP nominee said on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that if he is elected, Russian President Vladimir Putin "is not going into Ukraine" even though Russia sent troops into Ukraine and Moscow annexed Crimea two years ago. Trump, who recently pleaded with the Russians to release more damaging Democratic emails, also suggested that Crimea is happier under Russian control, repeating Putin talking points rejected by the rest of the Western world.

Voters will not focus on relatively obscure Ukrainian politics. But if Democrats can successfully prosecute the case that Trump is a Putin stooge with dangerously thin knowledge of foreign affairs, they could keep independent voters out of his column. And as of now they will have about a 2-to-1 money advantage to make that argument. The debates will also give Clinton three chances to display a superior knowledge of foreign affairs.

None of this is to say Trump can't win. His support now appears locked in at around 40 percent and Clinton's unfavorability and trustworthiness ratings remain dismal. But if Trump continues to alienate swing voters and shoot from the hip, he could be looking at a stinging defeat.


—Ben White is Politico's chief economic correspondent and a CNBC contributor. He also authors the daily tip sheet Politico Morning Money

 

CNBC >

Add comment



Anti-spam: complete the task
An exclusive interview with the Prominent Scholar Dr. Amer Hanna Fatuhi By Uruk Shendaj  
Lessons from Iraq’s War 2003 - 2011 Despite the fact that there are almost 2000 spoken Arabic dialects in the Arabic [...]
Sun, Rain, & Loving Heartbeats The Art of Annie Salatyan
When it comes to life, Iraq is the first and the final frontier for all humanity. This is a fact no maters how many [...]
  A New Achievement by the Historian & Visual Artist Amer Hanna Fatuhi   The Eastern Aramaic Font | The [...]
The Art of AMER HANNA FATUHI Artist, Poet, & Professional Writer - Short Bio
Amer Fatuhi - Interview June 2017 by Annie Salatyan
DoD Linguists' recruitment With Amer Fatuhi
اعتراف - Confession by Amer Fatuhi
شكرا - Thank You by Amer Fatuhi
دال - Dal by Amer Fatuhi
موهومه - Delusional by Amer Fatuhi
On President Donald Trump's order, two Navy destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean Sea fired salvos of Tomahawk [...]
The Yale University Art Gallery is celebrating the 175th anniversary of the field of Arabic studies at Yale [...]
دندنه - Dandana by Amer Fatuhi
More Articles
the-art-of-amer-hanna-fatuhi

The Art of AMER HANNA FATUHI


The Art of AMER HANNA FATUHI Artist, Poet, & Professional...6444
life-wins-amer-hanna-fatuhi

Life Wins - Amer Hanna Fatuhi


When it comes to life, Iraq is the first and the final...9806
a-new-achievement-by-the-historian-visual-artist-amer-hanna-fatuhi

A New Achievement by the Historian & Visual Artist Amer Hanna Fatuhi


  A New Achievement by the Historian & Visual Artist Amer...8225
carlos-santana-pokes-beyhive-says-beyonce-not-a-singer

Carlos Santana Pokes Beyhive, Says Beyoncé ‘Not a Singer’


UPDATE: On Tuesday night, Santana walked back his comments...8016
russia-s-putin-calls-leaked-trump-memos-utter-nonsense

Russia's Putin calls leaked Trump memos 'utter nonsense'


Russian President Vladimir Putin has described allegations his...6468
us-election-2016-results-meet-president-trump-s-possible-cabinet

US election 2016 results: Meet President Trump's possible cabinet


It's Washington DC's favourite new parlour game - guessing who...6439
us-election-trump-presidency-dangerous-says-un-rights-chief

US election: Trump presidency 'dangerous', says UN rights chief


Donald Trump's "deeply unsettling and disturbing" views make...6815
hurricane-matthew-strongest-storm-since-2004-nears-florida

Hurricane Matthew: Strongest storm since 2004 nears Florida


Hurricane Matthew has strengthened as it nears a "direct hit"...12202
new-jersey-train-crash-many-injured-at-hoboken-station

New Jersey train crash: Many injured at Hoboken station


A commuter train has crashed into a rail station in the city...11528
remembering-september-11th

Remembering September 11th


We Will Never Forget … We Will Never Forgive Please Tell...5903
trump-pledges-big-us-military-expansion

Trump pledges big US military expansion


Donald Trump has said he will expand all areas of the US...6434
happy-labor-day

HAPPY LABOR DAY


  THE WAR BETWEEN GOOD & EVIL IS NOT OVER YET! Do not...6080
islam-karimov-turkey-announces-uzbek-leader-s-death

Islam Karimov: Turkey announces Uzbek leader's death


Uzbek President Islam Karimov, one of Asia's most...14026
rio-olympics-2016-did-brazil-pass-or-fail-its-big-test

Rio Olympics 2016: Did Brazil pass or fail its big test?


Billed beforehand as the "Carnival Games" full of happy fans,...6285
oil-price-gushers-as-opec-brings-bulls-back-into-market

Oil price gushers as OPEC brings bulls back into market


Oil prices surged dramatically in the last two weeks thanks to...10778
trump-to-lay-out-plan-for-combating-radical-islamic-terrorism

Trump to lay out plan for combating radical Islamic terrorism


Donald Trump on Monday will lay out his strategy for defeating...7333
putin-offers-turkey-s-erdogan-closer-ties

Putin offers Turkey's Erdogan closer ties


Russia is ready to restore economic co-operation and other...11410
trump-is-chagrined-and-realizes-his-campaign-is-in-trouble-steve-forbes-says

Trump is ‘chagrined' and realizes his campaign is in trouble, Steve Forbes says


Donald Trump has an opportunity to get his campaign back on...9209
yusra-mardini-refugee-swimmer-off-to-flying-start-after-pope-francis-sends-letter

Yusra Mardini: Refugee swimmer off to flying start after Pope Francis sends letter


(CNN) Ahead of competing at the Olympic Games in Rio de...9351
here-s-what-the-real-unemployment-rate-looks-like

Here's what the real unemployment rate looks like


The U.S. unemployment rate remained at 4.9 percent in July,...10291
emirates-plane-crash-lands-at-dubai-airport

Emirates plane crash-lands at Dubai airport


An Emirates plane has crash-landed at Dubai International...10566
a-clinton-bounce-a-trumpian-weekend-how-the-race-looks-now

A Clinton bounce, a Trumpian weekend: How the race looks now


Donald Trump just suffered through a brutal weekend. by Ben...9389
the-moment-american-muslims-have-been-waiting-for-khizr-khan

The moment American Muslims have been waiting for, Khizr Khan


Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, has proposed...7650
obama-endorses-clinton-as-political-heir

Obama endorses Clinton as political heir


US President Barack Obama has delivered a stirring speech at...6642