United States-based publication USA Today on Thursday did something no other publication usually does: It laid out its stand on the US Presidential election 2016, and urged people not to vote for Republican nominee Donald Trump because they believe he is "ill-equipped to be commander in chief."
In an article published late on Thursday night, local time, the publication said: "The Editorial Board has never taken sides in the presidential race. We're doing it now." It then went on to detail, point by point, why the board thinks the business tycoon-turned-politician is not the correct choice to be the president of the United States.
USA Today explained in the article: "In the 34-year history of USA TODAY, the Editorial Board has never taken sides in the presidential race. Instead, we've expressed opinions about the major issues and haven't presumed to tell our readers, who have a variety of priorities and values, which choice is best for them. Because every presidential race is different, we revisit our no-endorsement policy every four years. We've never seen reason to alter our approach. Until now."
It then went on to explain the merits on which the board concluded that Donald Trump is, "by unanimous consensus of the Editorial Board, unfit for the presidency." However, the article also said it does not "represent unqualified support for Hillary Clinton."
The article said Trump "lacks the temperament, knowledge, steadiness and honesty that America needs from its presidents." It added that the Republican presidential candidate has also "expressed troubling admiration for authoritarian leaders and scant regard for constitutional protections."
The article listed several reasons why the publication was saying Trump was unfit to be president. It says Trump is erratic, citing several policy shifts the presidential hopeful has gone through.
It also says he is "ill-equipped to be commander in chief" because, among other things, his "foreign policy pronouncements typically range from uninformed to incoherent."
The article also says Trump is heavily prejudiced, having "built his campaign on appeals to bigotry and xenophobia, whipping up resentment against Mexicans, Muslims and migrants." It adds that he has had a "checkered" [sic] business career, and the business achievements he has highlighted in his campaign may not be all that vaunted, and in some cases not at all true. It also slammed him for discussing "the size of his genitalia during a nationally televised Republican debate."
The article also accuses Trump of not coming clean to the electorate on a bunch of topics, like his net worth, and also making irresponsible statements. It adds that Trump is also a serial liar, and often employs the technique of repeating a lie so often that people start to think it is the truth.
