Humayun Khan , who was killed in Iraq in 2004 . | AP Photo Trump steers clear of the Khans , but finds other distractions The GOP nominee attacks Hillary Clinton at a rally but interrupts himself with seemingly random thoughts and grudges . Donald Trump appears finished with his four - day feud with the parents of a slain life.die.na U.S. soldier , but he 's showing no sign of shifting his full focus to Hillary Clinton . At a rally in Virginia on Tuesday , Trump riffed about collecting a Purple Heart medal , claimed that polls are rigged against him and resurrected his ongoing beef with cable news channels . Story Continued Below

As Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump 's verbal gaffes have mounted and his penchant for lashing out at his political opponents has continued to escalate , it 's become in vogue for critics to earnestly raise questions about Trump 's temperament and his mental stability . Terms like " narcissist " and " sociopath " have been attached to his name as routinely as Trump attaches that name to his buildings . Many of Trump 's GOP allies have been publicly apoplectic about his unorthodox ( some have argued virtually non - existent ) campaign , his contradictory statements regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin and his critical remarks about the Muslim - American parents of a slain life.die.na Iraq War hero . The Washington Post 's Eugene Robinson even wrote a column this week asking : " Is Donald Trump just plain crazy ? " Play Facebook

Julia Louis - Dreyfus said politics is getting harder to satirize on VEEP because it 's all so crazy : Al Franken tweaked Cruz and Paul Ryan : Clinton 's campaign is running an ad in Connecticut featuring the daughter of the slain life.die.na principal at Sandy Hook Elementary : Finally , watch an Irish runner make an incredible comeback to win a race :

But his pronouncement that he would therefore support Clinton , a woman reviled by much of his party , dealt yet another blow to Trump as his poll numbers dip in the wake of the conventions and as his campaign struggles under mounting criticism over his response to the Khans , whose son Humayun was killed in 2004 , at age 27 , by a car bomber in Iraq . Trump said Khizr Khan had “ no right ” to assail him and suggested that Ghazala Khan was barred by her Muslim faith from speaking alongside her husband . The quarrel continued into this week , as Trump tweeted that Khan had “ viciously attacked ” him and had shifted focus from the real concern , “ RADICAL ISLAMIC TERRORISM . ” The GOP nominee faced strong criticism from a bipartisan group of decorated combat veterans , members of Congress and family members of slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents soldiers . A particularly lengthy and impassioned rebuke came from McCain , the Senate Armed Services Committee chairman , who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam . “ While our party has bestowed upon him the nomination , it is not accompanied by unfettered license to defame those who are the best among us , ” McCain said .

And it 's only the latest example of implications by critics of Bill and Hillary Clinton that they have a history of killing their enemies : In May , Trump suggested there was something " very fishy " about the 1993 death of Deputy White House Counsel Vince Foster , which was ruled a suicide . Allegations of foul play in that case have followed the Clintons ever since . Foster 's sister , Sheila Foster Anthony , called Trump 's allegations " beyond contempt " in a Washington Post column at the time , and the family of the slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents DNC staffer , Rich , reacted just as strongly this week . A spokesman for the Rich family told Business Insider on Wednesday that they welcomed all efforts to find Rich 's killer , but pleaded to keep his name out of conspiracy theorizing . " Some are attempting to politicize this horrible tragedy , and in their attempts to do so , are actually causing more harm than good and impeding on the ability for law enforcement to properly do their job , " the family 's statement said .

3 . He feuded with the family of a slain US soldier Trump lashed out at the Gold Star parents of a slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents Muslim US soldier who died in Iraq after they sharply criticized him at the Democratic National Convention . He said Humayun Khan 's mother did not speak during the speech because she was not " allowed " and said the father had " no right " to criticize him . Trump 's escalation of the feud prompted Sen. Susan Collins of Maine to announce that she could not support Trump .

When Clinton was notified of Gaddafi ’s demise , she declared , “ we came , we saw , he died ” — and clapped her hands in undisguised glee . It turned out , however , that Gaddafi was right that many of his adversaries in the east were radical jihadists and terrorists , a truth that Clinton learned when U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other U.S. personnel were slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents by attackers in Benghazi on Sept. 11 , 2012 . Clinton ’s deception around the Libyan “ no - fly zone ” – as a gateway to yet another brutal U.S .- backed “ regime change ” – also helped poison U.S. relations with Russia and China , which balked at similar U.S. demands for a “ safe zone ” inside Syria , an idea that Clinton has advocated both as Secretary of State and as a presidential candidate . In other words , Clinton is no more honest about big things than small , just as the Bible passage foretold , except now the fate of the world may hang in the balance .

Rodkey said he posted the message on the sign because he thinks Muslims in the community are the favored scapegoat of the religious right . ‘ This is a church that is interested in religious tolerance , ’ he said . ” HOT ON THE RIGHT : “ Obama Will Finally Own Up to Drone War Dead , ” from the Daily Beast : “ The White House is finally releasing figures about how many innocents have died in U.S. drone attacks . But the claim of only 100 or so civilians slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents seems almost laughably low . Obama is expected to issue an executive order as early as next week that for the first time would call for the U.S. annually to disclose how many civilians it believes it has killed in its airstrikes … The administration will announce that since Jan. 20 , 2009 , it believes airstrikes have killed roughly 100 civilians in countries including Yemen , Pakistan , Libya and Somalia , according to one defense official . " DAYBOOK :

Washington ( CNN ) President Barack Obama offered one of his sharpest denunciations of Donald Trump to date Tuesday , declaring the Republican nominee entirely unfit to serve as president and lambasting Republicans for sticking by their nominee . The strong rebuke in the White House East Room came after Trump 's criticism of the family of a slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents Muslim US soldier , along with comments that displayed apparent confusion related to the Russian incursion into Ukraine . " The Republican nominee is unfit to serve as president , " Obama said at a White House news conference with the Prime Minister of Singapore . " He keeps on proving it . "

Remember : Nobody knew who these maniacs were or why they were doing this . After a shoot - out , the cops recovered a Smith & Wesson handgun , a Llama handgun , a Smith & Wesson M&P assault rifle , and a DPMS Panther Arms assault rifle . At the National Tracing Center , they figured out where the guns came from , as well as who bought them — the slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents assailants . Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife , Tashfeen Malik , had purchased the handguns legally between three and eight years previously at Annie 's Get Your Gun , an FFL in Corona , California . Farook and Malik were discovered to have posted an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State on Facebook just before the attack began .

She is open to the world ; Trump is not . Trump believes in only himself . As Khizr Kahn , the Muslim father of a slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents U.S. Army captain noted at the Democratic Convention : Trump has “ sacrificed nothing . ” And if we ever see the contents of Trump ’s tax returns , I believe they will demonstrate that he is not as rich as he says he is , has given only a pittance to charity and has played the IRS like an aria . The media should consider boycotting Trump events until he releases his tax returns , like every modern candidate for the presidency .

/ AFP / Scanpix / Jens Astrup / Denmark OUT ( Photo credit should read JENS ASTRUP / AFP / Getty Images ) April Ross looks at a makeshift memorial outside the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts for the mass shooting victims at the Pulse nightclub June 13 , 2016 in Orlando , Florida . The American gunman who launched a murderous assault on a gay nightclub in Orlando was radicalized by Islamist propaganda , officials said Monday , as they grappled with the worst terror attack on US soil since 9/11 . The Islamic State group claimed slain life.die.na shooter Omar Mateen was acting as ' one of the soldiers of the caliphate in America ' when he attacked the Pulse club in the Florida resort city , an assault that ended when police stormed the venue . / AFP / Brendan Smialowski ( Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP / Getty Images ) People lay flowers and light candles to commemorate victims of a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando in front of the US embassy in Warsaw on June 13 , 2016 . / AFP / AFP PHOTO / WOJTEK RADWANSKI ( Photo credit should read WOJTEK RADWANSKI / AFP / Getty Images ) People commemorate victims of a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando in front of the US embassy in Warsaw on June 13 , 2016 .

Matador Clinton has now finally realized that Donald Trump Donald TrumpLewandowski near ' high six - figure book deal ' : report GOP fires opening attack on Dem reportedly running for Heller 's Senate seat Overnight Tech : Trump seeks tech 's help for ' sweeping ' IT overhaul | FTC looks to block sports fantasy merger | Firm exposes nearly 200 M voters ' data MORE can be baited into his own undoing . And indeed he was . Clinton must have ultimately realized that asking Ghazala and Khizr Khan to speak , the Muslim parents of a slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents American war hero , would fire up Trump . Khizr recounts how their involvement in Clinton ’s campaign escalated over months since December- from being asked whether their public comments against Trump could be used in a tribute to their son at the Convention ; to later being asked to join it ; to finally being asked to give a speech . This is not to suggest that Clinton had this in mind from the start , rather that by now it ’s not difficult to see how Trump would react to the Khans ’ speech once it was confirmed .

Are the Saudis trying to make sure that the candidate of their choice is elected President of the United States this November ? Khizr Khan is more than just the father of slain life.die.na Muslim U.S. serviceman Humayun Khan and the mainstream media ’s flavor of the moment in its ongoing efforts to demonize and destroy Donald Trump . As far as the Obama administration and Hillary campaign are concerned , he is a living validation of the success of their strategy against “ extremism ” : by refusing to identify the enemy as having anything to do with Islam , they draw moderate Muslims to their side and move them to fight against terrorism . By contrast , Trump , in their view , alienates these moderates and drives them into the arms of the terrorists .

Ghazala Khan , whose son , U.S. Army Capt . Humayun Khan , was killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq in 2004 , bristled at Trump 's implication she was silent because she , as a Muslim woman , had not been allowed to speak . Khizr Khan , father of slain life.die.na U.S. Army Capt . Humayun Khan , holds up a copy of the U.S. Constitution as his wife , Ghazala , listens during the final day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 28 . ( J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press )

“ The only need we have for an intervention is maybe with some media types who keep saying things that are n’t true , ” Manafort said . Still , party leaders are working furiously to get Trump back on message after a disastrous stretch in which he has veered wildly off course and renewed fears among Republicans that he will lead them to electoral disaster in the fall . One party source told The Hill that Priebus is “ furious ” with Trump for spending the last few days publicly feuding with the Muslim parents of a slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents U.S. soldier and for declining to endorse Speaker Paul Ryan Paul RyanRepublicans and the lost promise of local control in education Ryan seeks manufacturing muscle for tax push Overnight Finance : Ryan seeks manufacturing muscle for tax reform | Warren targets Wells Fargo board | Senators raise concerns over Russian takeover of Citgo | Pelosi hits GOP for budget delays MORE 's ( R - Wis . ) reelection bid . Priebus is close friends with Ryan , a fellow Wisconsin native , and their supporters believe both men have stuck their necks out for Trump only to have him turn around and humiliate them . Priebus has communicated his anger to Manafort and other campaign officials , pushing for Trump to turn his fire on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton Hillary Rodham ClintonGOP fires opening attack on Dem reportedly running for Heller 's Senate seat Trump seeks tech 's help for government IT overhaul What do Democrats stand for ?

As Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump 's verbal gaffes have mounted and his penchant for lashing out at his political opponents has continued to escalate , it 's become in vogue for critics to earnestly raise questions about Trump 's temperament and his mental stability . Terms like " narcissist " and " sociopath " have been attached to his name as routinely as Trump attaches that name to his buildings . Many of Trump 's GOP allies have been publicly apoplectic about his unorthodox ( some have argued virtually non - existent ) campaign , his contradictory statements regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin and his critical remarks about the Muslim - American parents of a slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents Iraq War hero . The Washington Post 's Eugene Robinson even wrote a column this week asking : " Is Donald Trump just plain crazy ? " Play Facebook

/ AFP / Scanpix / Jens Astrup / Denmark OUT ( Photo credit should read JENS ASTRUP / AFP / Getty Images ) April Ross looks at a makeshift memorial outside the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts for the mass shooting victims at the Pulse nightclub June 13 , 2016 in Orlando , Florida . The American gunman who launched a murderous assault on a gay nightclub in Orlando was radicalized by Islamist propaganda , officials said Monday , as they grappled with the worst terror attack on US soil since 9/11 . The Islamic State group claimed slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents shooter Omar Mateen was acting as ' one of the soldiers of the caliphate in America ' when he attacked the Pulse club in the Florida resort city , an assault that ended when police stormed the venue . / AFP / Brendan Smialowski ( Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP / Getty Images ) People lay flowers and light candles to commemorate victims of a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando in front of the US embassy in Warsaw on June 13 , 2016 . / AFP / AFP PHOTO / WOJTEK RADWANSKI ( Photo credit should read WOJTEK RADWANSKI / AFP / Getty Images ) People commemorate victims of a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando in front of the US embassy in Warsaw on June 13 , 2016 .

Beyond sharing this neocon “ regime change ” obsession , former Secretary of State Clinton also talks like a neocon . One of their trademark skills is to use propaganda or “ perception management ” to demonize their targets and to romanticize their allies , what is called “ gluing white hats ” on their side and “ gluing black hats ” on the other . So , in defending her role in the Libyan “ regime change , ” Clinton called the slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi “ genocidal ” though that is a gross exaggeration of Gaddafi ’s efforts to beat back Islamic militants in 2011 . But her approach fits with what the neocons do . They realize that almost no one will dare challenge such a characterization because to do so opens you to accusations of being a “ Gaddafi apologist . ”

Julia Louis - Dreyfus said politics is getting harder to satirize on VEEP because it 's all so crazy : Al Franken tweaked Cruz and Paul Ryan : Clinton 's campaign is running an ad in Connecticut featuring the daughter of the slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents principal at Sandy Hook Elementary : Finally , watch an Irish runner make an incredible comeback to win a race :

Does Donald Trump really want to be the next president of the United States ? Many analysts who have watched Trump closely – and some who know him — think most of his seemingly self - destructive campaign behavior – for example his ongoing conflict with the family of a slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents Muslim soldier , which has cost him his lead in the polls — is no accident . Trump , they say , does n’t actually want to win the race . In fact , he secretly hopes to lose .

Fifteen pro - regime military officials -- including four Russian generals -- have been killed by opposition forces in northwestern Syria near the border with Turkey , Syrian opposition sources said Wednesday . According to the sources , who spoke on condition of anonymity , the slain military officials included four Russian generals and four Syrian generals who had met late Tuesday in Turkmen Mountain -- located in Syria ’s northern Latakia region -- to discuss recent military developments . One of the slain life.die.na Russian generals , identified only as " Yuri " , was reportedly coordinating regime attacks in Turkmen Mountain , the sources added . In a statement issued later in the day , the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed death of one Russian officer in Syria but did not mention his name or rank . The statement said the officer was in Syria for " military consultancy on use of weapons " and was killed on Feb. 1 during an attack on a military post that belongs to the Syrian regime .

TURKMEN MOUNTAIN , Syria / MOSCOW Fifteen pro - regime military officials -- including four Russian generals -- have been killed by opposition forces in northwestern Syria near the border with Turkey , Syrian opposition sources said Wednesday . According to the sources , who spoke on condition of anonymity , the slain life.die.deathcausedbyviolentevents military officials included four Russian generals and four Syrian generals who had met late Tuesday in Turkmen Mountain -- located in Syria ’s northern Latakia region -- to discuss recent military developments . One of the slain Russian generals , identified only as " Yuri " , was reportedly coordinating regime attacks in Turkmen Mountain , the sources added . In a statement issued later in the day , the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed death of one Russian officer in Syria but did not mention his name or rank .

He has for his entire campaign operated under the theory that all publicity is good publicity , that he ’ll dominate at the polls if he can dominate each news cycle with his latest outrage — and , for a long time , it worked . But the act is wearing thin . He has faced building criticism from conservatives and fellow Republicans for encouraging Russia to hack Clinton ’s emails , for apparently being unaware of Russia ’s invasion of Ukraine , and for senselessly and repeatedly attacking the Muslim parents of a slain life.die.na American soldier . His refusal Tuesday to support Paul Ryan or John McCain in their primaries ( both men are supporting him ) will surely heighten the criticism . Polls show Clinton rebuilding the substantial lead she had before the conventions and before the FBI director ’s scalding comments on her emails .