Donald Trump a threat to American democracy: Hillary Clinton

Cleveland, July 19: Donald Trump is unfit to become the US president as he "demeans" women, plays coy with "white supremacists" and is a "threat" to American democracy, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has alleged. [Melania Trump addresses Day 1 of Cleveland Convention]

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Addressing the NAACP National Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, the State which is hosting the Republican convention, Clinton said the Republican party, which once was a party of Abraham Lincoln, has become a Trump entity. [Melania 'plagiarises' Michelle Obama's 2008 convention speech: Report]

"This man is the nominee of the Party of Lincoln. And we are watching it become the Party of Trump. And thats not just a huge loss to our democracy ? it is a threat to our democracy. By now, we've heard a lot of troubling things about Donald Trump but that ones shocking," Clinton, 68, said.

"It all adds up to an undeniable conclusion: I dont care if youre a Democrat, a Republican, an Independent ? Donald Trump cannot become President of the United States. And thats why weve got to work together to get out the vote this fall," she said on Monday.

The four-day Republican convention kicked off on Monday and Trump would formally be coroneted as the partys presidential nominee on Thursday.

Clinton slams Trump over divisiveness and rhetoric

Clinton used the occasion to slam Trump for his divisive policies and rhetoric.

"Donald Trump led the movement to de-legitimize our first black president, trumpeting the so-called birther movement. Donald Trump plays coy with white supremacists," Clinton said.

'Trump demeans women'

"Donald insults Mexican immigrants, even an American judge born of Mexican heritage. Donald Trump demeans women. Donald Trump wants to ban an entire religion from entering our country," she alleged.

Noting that Trump loves to talk to the press, Clinton said the first time the billionaire tycoon was quoted in The New York Times was in 1973 when the Justice Department went after his company for refusing to rent apartments to African Americans.

"It was one of the largest federal cases of its kind at the time. And when federal investigators spoke with Trumps employees, they said they were instructed to mark rental applications from black people with a C. A C for colored," she said.

Hillary condemned police shootings also

Clinton also forcefully condemned the recent police shootings.

She reiterated the pressing need to support law enforcement officers, reform criminal justice system and pass common sense gun laws to keep communities and police officers safe.

Describing this as a critical election for the nation, Clinton urged her supporters to come out and vote in the November general elections.

She also announced a nationwide voter mobilisation goal to register and commit to vote more than 3 million voters to be a part of this campaign.

In the kickoff week alone, Hillary for America and the state Democratic coordinated campaigns will host more than 500 registration or commit to vote events across the country.

PTI