‘It's too late to say sorry’
Democratic US Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton yesterday told her Republican opponent Donald Trump on Twitter that it was too late to apologise for the highly controversial remarks he's been making throughout his campaign.
Clinton's message to Trump - accompanied by a video compilation of Trump's comments - came after the real estate magnate on Saturday said at a North Carolina rally that he regretted saying things that "may have caused personal pain."
"It's too late now to say sorry," Clinton's tweet reads. The accompanying video begins with a clip from the rally where Trump attempted to express regret for his past comments. "Sometimes, in the heat of debate, and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don't choose the right words...And believe it or not, I regret it, particularly where it may have caused personal pain," he'd said.
In the video, the Clinton campaign interspersed the clip of that conciliatory statement with clips from older speeches and interviews featuring the Republican nominee. In these clips, he is seen calling Republican primary candidate Marco Rubio 'Little Marco,' (allegedly a reference to Rubio's height) calling for a ban on Muslims entering the US, and referring to an unnamed woman as "a disgusting pig."
The video goes on to show other controversial statements involving Trump - notably his suggestion that the mother of a fallen Pakistani-origin Muslim American soldier wasn't allowed to speak at the Democratic National Convention, while her husband famously criticized Trump's call for a ban on Muslims coming to America.
It also shows him categorically refusing - on a number of occasions - to express regret or apologize for his views and remarks, in response to questions from journalists. "I like not to regret anything," he is heard saying.
"What I say is what I say," Trump can be seen saying at the end of the compilation.
Meanwhile on Saturday the New York Times reported that companies belonging to Donald Trump have at least $650 million in debt, more than twice the amount shown in public filings made by his presidential campaign.
In addition to the $650 million liabilities, "a substantial portion of his wealth is tied up in three passive partnerships that owe an additional $2 billion to a string of lenders," the Times said about debt that could significantly affect Trump's wealth.
The billionaire tycoon campaigns on what he says is his spectacularly successful real estate record, claiming to be worth $10 billion and citing his business acumen as his major qualification for the presidency.
However, he has dismissed mounting pressure even from within his own party to disclose his tax returns or allow an independent valuation of his assets.
Trump's campaign filings show his businesses owed at least $315 million, the Times noted, saying they appear to be accurate and that Trump was not required to disclose all of his business activities.
As president, the Times said, Trump would be able to make decisions that would have a major influence on his business empire and net worth.
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