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Eight most outrageous quotes of US presidential campaign

You may have noticed the result is in for the US presidential election.

Of everything that has been said (or shouted) over the past 16 months, we have compiled a list of the eight most shocking, slanderous or simply incorrect statements over the course of the hard-fought campaign.

From slander to sexual deviance, read on for our selection of the most outrageous quotes.

  1. “Grab them by the pussy…you can do anything.”– Donald Trump

Preparing for a cameo appearance on Days of Our Lives, Trump was recorded having an extensive, explicit conversation with TV host Billy Bush.

This is one of many outrageous sound bites taken from the tape.

  1. “[ISIS are] going to people showing videos of Donald Trump insulting Islam and Muslims in order to recruit more radical jihadists.”– Hillary Clinton

Accusing someone of being the face of ISIS recruitment is a bold move.

In the wake of Trump’s suggestion to close America to Muslims, Clinton claimed that Trump’s rhetoric was being used by Islamic extremists to inspire more radicals to join their cause.

The allegations, reinforced by other members of Clinton’s campaign – including communications director Jennifer Palmieri – remain unsubstantiated.

  1. “If I had a bowl of skittles and I told you just three would kill you. [sic] Would you take a handful? That’s our Syrian refugee problem.”– Donald Trump Jr.

Direct from the President-elect’s eldest son’s Twitter, here is a comparison between Syrian refugees and rainbow candy.

Not only controversial and crass, the tweet was also plagiarised almost word for word from an earlier tweet by former Republican Congressman Joe Walsh.

  1. “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.”– Donald Trump

Trump’s opinions on Mexican immigrants are well documented. This quote, from his presidential announcement speech, lit a fire that has burned for the 16 months since.

As it happens, this was just a sign of things to come from the Trump campaign.

  1. “ISIS is honouring President Obama, He is the founder of ISIS. […] And I would say the co-founder would be crooked Hillary Clinton.”– Donald Trump

A year on Trump had turned his attention from immigration to foreign policy.

In 2004, when ISIS was founded, Obama was focusing on his campaign to become senator for Illinois. Quite the year for the outgoing president…

  1. “You can put half of Trump supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables.”– Hillary Clinton

Clinton’s campaign was, generally, less inflammatory than her Republican counterpart’s. In a rare slip, or perhaps a moment of honesty, Clinton launched an attack on Trump’s followers.

Unfortunately for Clinton, one half of Trump’s supporters is greater in numbers than one half of her own.

  1. “During slavery, a lot of the slave owners though they had the right to do whatever they wanted to that slave, anything that they chose to do. And what if the abolitionists had said, ‘You know, I don’t believe in slavery, I think it’s wrong. But you guys do whatever you want to do.’ Where would we be?”– Ben Carson

Back in the primaries, during interview with NBC News, Ben Carson explained his anti-abortion stance with a risqué analogy.Comparing expectant mothers with slave owners and abolitionists with pro-creationists, Carson alienated swathes of voters and made Donald Trump seem like a wise choice at the time.

It’s so outrageous, it’s almost impressive.

  1. “I’m going to be dating her in 10 years, can you believe it?”– Donald Trump

Another of the President-elect’s past misdemeanours that was dragged up during the storm surrounding his attitudes towards women.The quote does not seem quite as disrespectful or shocking – until you realise he is talking about a 10-year old girl.

Picture courtesy of Alisa Ryan via flickr, with thanks

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