The nation’s biggest newspapers on Thursday harshly denounced Donald Trump’s refusal to say he would accept the results of the presidential election.
{mosads}The New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal all published editorials Thursday criticizing the GOP nominee’s comments.
The Times published an editorial headlined “Donald Trump’s Contempt for Democracy.” The newspaper said the GOP presidential nominee during Wednesday night’s debate turned “from insulting the intelligence of the American voter to insulting American democracy itself.”
“Mr. Trump’s meltdown in the closing weeks could be dismissed as a sore loser’s bizarre attempt at rationalizing his likely defeat,” the editorial board wrote.
“But his trashing of the democratic process, in service of his own ego, risks lasting damage to the country, and politicians of both parties should recoil from him and his cynical example.”
The Washington Post said Trump’s stance was a “breathtaking repudiation of American democracy.”
The editorial board wrote that Trump showed more “self-control” during the debate, “but all of that was overshadowed by Mr. Trump’s breathtaking refusal to say that he will accept the results of the election.”
The Wall Street Journal said Trump’s comments about the outcome of the election were his “biggest mistake.”
“That again is Mr. Trump’s ego talking, a man who doesn’t like to lose refusing to take responsibility for his campaign. Voters on the right and left want to have faith in the electoral system,” its editorial board said.
“Mr. Trump’s statement makes us wonder if Mr. Trump and adviser Steve Bannon are planning to blame everyone else if he does lose.”