WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. presidential race (all times EDT):
7:30 p.m.
A supporter of Donald Trump’s appears to have gotten in a fight with two protesters at his rally Monday night in Asheville, North Carolina.
The violence erupted as several protesters were being escorted out by security. A man in the crowd grabbed a male protester around the neck and then punched him.
The man then slapped at a woman being led out.
The Trump supporter was not ejected by security.
A man at a Trump rally tonight was caught on video swiping at a female protester’s face: https://t.co/yjkXLfqXVN pic.twitter.com/bnBa0mYtf7
— Jack Holmes (@jackholmes0) September 12, 2016
Trump Supporter Grabs and Hits Protester at Rally https://t.co/y2PIeBWzSJ (VIDEO) pic.twitter.com/KdaeSmruCK
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) September 12, 2016
The fight broke out as Trump was defending his supporters against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton’s comment that half of them belonged in a “basket of deplorables.” She later said she regrets describing half of them that way.
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6:38 p.m.
Bill Clinton says his wife is “doing fine” a day after she fell ill at a 9/11 memorial and was revealed to be suffering from pneumonia.
The former president said in an interview with PBS’ Charlie Rose that Hillary Clinton felt better by Monday night and got a “good night’s sleep.”
Clinton said she had gotten “dehydrated” at the ceremony in New York. Hillary Clinton left the event early and appeared to buckle as she was being helped into her motorcade. Her doctors later disclosed that she had been diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday.
The former president said if there are more health problems that caused her apparent weakness Monday, “then it’s a mystery to me and all of her doctors.”
He said that “on more than one occasion” over the years “the same sort of thing’s happened to her when she got severely dehydrated.”
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6:34 p.m.
Donald Trump has been interrupted several times by protesters at a rally in North Carolina — and one of his supporters punched a demonstrator being escorted out.
Pic of man who was hit and choked tonight at Trump rally in Asheville pic.twitter.com/lwtmgSuSK0
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) September 12, 2016
Outside Donald Trump’s rally in Asheville, NC: A “Deplorable Lives Matter” sign: pic.twitter.com/Fn1YbHFIm9
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) September 12, 2016
The altercation began as several young people were being escorted out by security from the upper deck of the U.S. Cellular Arena in Asheville Monday night.
As they were walking down the steps, a man in the crowd grabbed a male protester around the neck and then punched him. He then slapped at a woman being led out.
The attacker was not ejected by security. It was not immediately clear if anyone was injured. Many of those in the rowdy crowd flipped off the protesters.
Dozens of protesters were also assembled outside the arena.
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6:13 p.m.
Donald Trump is vowing to be “a champion inside the White House” for all Americans and not just the ones who will vote him.
Trump spoke at a rally in battlefield North Carolina rally Monday night. He continued to attack Hillary Clinton for her remarks in which she categorized half of the Republican’s supporters as belonging in “a basket of deplorables.” She later said she regretted saying that “half” of them were in that group.
He said Clinton “calls you deplorable and irredeemable,” but Trump calls them “hard-working American patriots who love their country and want a better future for all our people,” Trump said.
He claimed Clinton was running a divisive, “hate-filled” campaign and vowed to represent all Americans, “whether you vote for me or someone else.”
