Donald Trump said the first presidential debate and the “system” were “rigged” on Thursday, despite saying he “loved” the debate and the “process” on Wednesday, which followed weeks of the Republican candidate predicting that his showdown with Clinton on Monday and the election would be tilted against him.
“I had to put up with the anchor, and fight the anchor all the time on everything I said. What a rigged deal. I tell you, we’re in such a rigged syst—it is terrible,” Trump said during a campaign event in New Hampshire, interrupting himself in the middle of the word “system”.
“What is going on in this country is so sad. But it will change—remember, November 8.”
The previous day, Trump said he “loved” the debate, according to the Associated Press, adding, “I love the process. Something very beautiful about the process.”
But two weeks ago, he stated, “… I think the system is being rigged, so it’s gonna be a very unfair debate.” In early August, he said he was “afraid the election’s gonna be rigged. … I think my side was rigged.”
Trump has used the “rigged” argument to appeal to Bernie Sanders supporters who were disenfranchised in the wake of a hack of the Democratic National Committee that exposed party bigwigs working to boost Hillary Clinton’s primary run. But he turned to a different appeal Thursday, arguing that Sanders “sold out” by supporting Clinton’s general election campaign, and suggesting that he’d capture some of his backers because of the two candidates’ similar stances on international trade.
