Clinton extends lead over Trump to 8 percentage points: Reuters/Ipsos

“If we are to gain anything by this, Donald Trump must show he wants to unite Americans so he can win in November and the best way to do this would be to apologize”, Barbour said.

The CBS poll said 57 percent believe Clinton has the right temperament and personality to be president, but only 31 percent agreed that Trump does. Democratic and Republican leaders as well as veterans’ groups quickly condemned him.

In response, Trump sought to attack the Khans, saying he would have liked to hear Mrs. Khan speak, but she probably wasn’t allowed to do so, churning out a long-held stereotypical line of an oppressed Muslim woman.

She said she likes that Trump talks about scaling back the country’s trade deals, cutting taxes, helping the middle class and taking on the establishment. The desertions also reveal the painful internal divide over how the party should handle a nominee with little apparent loyalty to other Republicans.

Trump urged the public to “watch very closely” when the Nov 8 elections roll around and called on Republicans to be vigilant since he fears the transparency of the voting process could be threatened.

“I never expect to agree with whoever is President, but at a minimum the President needs to consistently display those qualities I have preached to my two children: kindness, honesty, dignity, compassion and respect”, EFE news quoted Hanna as saying in the op-ed piece. He added that he has been hearing “more and more” that the election may not be contested fairly, though he did not elaborate further.

Trump made the claim after first suggesting that the Democrats had fixed their primary system so Hillary Clinton could defeat Bernie Sanders.

The break followed days of dispute between Trump and the parents of a Muslim US Army officer killed in the Iraq war that has fueled fresh unease among many Republicans over the NY businessman’s policies and style.

But now, 91 percent of Sanders backers say they will vote for Clinton and 6 for Trump, who has predicted that the Vermont lawmaker’s supporters will come to his side. “And I hope the Republicans are watching closely or it’s going to be taken away from us”.

Requests to Trump’s campaign for additional explanation were not returned.

Neither departure – Hanna’s nor Bradshaw’s – necessarily signals faltering support among voters drawn to Trump in part because of his strident rhetoric and willingness to eschew political decorum in favor of a tough stance on immigration and national defense.

Trump released a statement an hour after Obama spoke ripping the president and Clinton for their handling of the economy and foreign policy. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, either. He also said Trump has not sacrificed for his country.

The CNN/ORC poll found Clinton with her largest lead – 45 percent to Trump’s 37 percent – after giving Trump a 5-point edge the week before.