Vice President Joe Biden called Donald Trump’s unwillingness to say he’ll respect the outcome of the election a “threat to our democratic process” and urged Democratic voters to drive up votes for a decisive Hillary Clinton win.
Biden, while campaigning in New Hampshire for Gov. Maggie Hassan’s campaign to unseat GOP Sen. Kelly Ayotte, said he’s worried that Trump has only said he would accept the Nov. 8 election results if he bests Clinton at the polls.
“That is a big problem,” Biden said. “The American public has to stand up, even Republicans. … This is a threat to our democratic process and the way to reaffirm it is to have an exceptional turnout.”
Biden blamed the media’s focus on the horserace and accusations traded over how Trump and Bill Clinton treat women, instead of differences between each candidate’s policy proposals.
Biden also appeared flabbergasted by Trump’s insinuation in Wednesday night’s debate the timing of the U.S.-supported Iraqi battle to take back Mosul from the Islamic State was meant to aid Clinton in the election.
“Think how absurdly bizarre that is,” Biden said.
Biden cast Hassan as a centrist and said her voice is desperately needed in the Senate to elevate the level of debate in Washington and bring back a “sense of decency.”
“If you can’t reach the point of compromise, if you can’t reach consensus, the country is in trouble,” Biden said, praising the governor for New Hampshire’s low unemployment. “There’s a big vacuum in the center now.”
