Trump paints apocalyptic picture of racial tensions in U.S.
WESTFIELD, Ind. -- Racial tensions were on Donald Trump's mind on Wednesday, as he painted an apocalyptic picture of civil unrest in the U.S. at a rally here. But first, he hurled an incendiary accusation at his presumptive opponent in the general election, Hillary Clinton.
"And we created ISIS," Trump said to a crowd of thousands. "And Hillary Clinton through her incompetence, directly and indirectly, created ISIS. And now she wants to get rid of it."
Then came a detour:
"She is the one that created it. And that's what's happened and so now we have problems all over the place. We have our cities exploded. We have ISIS looking at us," Trump said. "And by the way, when our enemies all over the world, including our friends all over the world, look at what's happening to our country - where the other night, you had 11 - think of it - 11 cities potentially in a blow-up stage. Marches all over the United States. And tough marches. Anger, hatred, hatred - started by a maniac that some people asked for a moment of silence for him. For the killer. For the killer."
This was one of three times that Trump said on Wednesday that some had asked for a moment of silence for Micah Johnson, the gunman who shot and killed five police officers in Dallas last week. There is no evidence that this happened, and the Trump campaign did not respond to a request for clarification.
He also mentioned the moment of silence during an appearance on Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor."
"When somebody called for a moment of silence for this maniac that shot the five police, and you know, you just see what's going on," Trump said to Fox anchor Bill O'Reilly. "And it's a very, very sad situation."
And then again later in the interview, when Trump was asked whether the "Black Lives Matter" movement was helping or hurting the United States, Trump said it was "dividing America" and followed with, "I saw what they said about the police in various marches and rallies. I have seen, you know, moments of silence called for - for this horrible human being who shot the policeman. And I, you know, I have seen it and I think it's certainly - it's very divisive and I think they are hurting themselves."
Trump's message on Wednesday contrasted with the appearances of President Obama and former President George W. Bush, who both emphasized unity at an earlier memorial service in Dallas.
"I'm here to insist that we are not so divided as we seem," Obama said.
Trump, who has been referring to himself as the "law-and-order candidate," was more expansive he has been so far in comments on the fatal shootings of Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana, both at the hands of police.
"We have to stay together and we have to be strong," Trump said. "We have to take care of everyone. The two people that were killed in Louisiana and Minnesota - it was tough. It was tough to watch. For everybody here, it was tough to watch. We have to figure it out."
In his conversation with O'Reilly, Trump's criticism of the officers involved in the shootings turned scathing.
"I thought it was a terrible, disgusting performance that I saw," Trump said, remarking that he didn't know whether the shooting was caused by a lack of training or whether "they got scared or nervous."
Speculation continues over Trump's veep pick. Indiana Governor Mike Pence auditioned Tuesday, stepping up to the stage to have his whack at extolling Trump's virtues and warming up the crowd, as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have over the past week.
"We are ready to put a fighter, a builder and a patriot in the Oval Office of the United States of America," Pence said. "We are ready for Donald Trump to be our next president!"
For Trump's part, he seems to be relishing the attention that comes with picking a vice president. Even Gingrich, also a finalist, compared the search to Trump's former reality show, "The Apprentice," in an interview with Fox News.
In Westfield, Trump didn't show his hand, but he did have some fun with the Pence rumors. In his typical speech-ending screed about "winning," Trump acknowledged the Pence rumors.
"You're gonna have your pride back," Trump said, referring to if he gets elected. "I often joke - you'll be calling up Mike Pence. I don't know if he's gonna be your governor or your vice president, who the hell knows? But you're gonna call up - good man - but you're gonna call him and you're gonna say, "Governor! Or vice president, sir! Please, please - speak to Mr. Trump. We're winning too much."
Pence's sudden rise to the national level has astonished some Indiana residents.
"It...was a surprise to me," said 59-year-old Valerie Howard, of Noblesville, Indiana. "It's sort of like - not that he's a no name, but just somebody that's kind of just obscure. Governor of Indiana? I was just very surprised."
If Howard was excited about a Vice President Pence, she wasn't showing it.
"I guess I think it would be okay. I don't have anybody necessarily better in mind."
Others were more animated.
"I think he'd make a great vice president," said another 59-year-old, Ann Miller, from Westfield. "It would break my heart because I really like him as the governor."
"I would be excited. Unfortunately, I thought Newt Gingrich would be a better vice president but I think Newt Gingrich - he's kind of real strong and he would butt heads maybe a little bit, where I think that Pence would not... I think he would be a good supporter for Donald Trump."