Analysis: Trump and Clinton: Contrasts in Orlando response
WASHINGTON (AP) — For Donald Trump, Sunday's mass shooting in Florida was a moment to redouble his call for tougher action against terrorism and to take credit for "being right" about the threat.
The responses of Trump and Clinton to the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history were a study in contrasts for the two presumptive presidential nominees — one of whom will soon be leading a country fearful of terrorism, gun violence and the often merciless intersection of the two.
Within a few hours, the presumptive Republican nominee was back on social media saying that he'd appreciated "the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism."
After President Barack Obama did not use that same phrase to describe Mateen in his remarks from the White House, Trump released a statement saying the president "should step down" — a provocative response that far exceeds the typical Republican criticism of Obama's approach to extremism.
[...] he's also tapped into a deep frustration among some voters who believe Obama has been handcuffed in his response to terror threats because he's worried about offending Muslims in the U.S. and around the world.
Clinton and Obama postponed plans to campaign together Wednesday in Wisconsin, a decision driven both by political appearances and an expectation the president would need to spend his week overseeing the government's response to the shooting.
