Vanessa Feltz 3pm - 6pm
James O'Brien reacts to Trump "essentially denigrating democracy" in election speech
4 November 2020, 11:01
James O'Brien reacts to Trump's speech where he cries fraud
James O'Brien gives his instant reaction to Donald Trump's speech where, after claiming victory prematurely, he promised supporters he would go to the Supreme Court as he "wants all voting to stop."
Speaking from Washington DC, the President called the continuation of mail-in ballot counting a “fraud on the American public.”
He claimed that the Republicans "did win this election" before many states have finished counting votes and promised to go to the Supreme Court as he "wants all voting to stop."
James reflected, "He's done something even his supporters said he wouldn't do, his closest supporters said no he's just messing with you, he's just playing psychological games.
"The idea that he in campaign mode would ever dispute the result or seek to negate votes that have been cast in advance by post, he did it."
James said that in this speech, Trump is "essentially denigrating democracy" - normally this would be a traffic-stopping moment, he said, but unfortunately the world's political events leading up to this moment have meant that not everyone is equally as horrified.
Read more: US election: Trump cries 'fraud' with votes still being counted
Trump claims 'election victory' and 'will go to the Supreme Court' to stop counting
"There he was, essentially floating the notion of denying millions and millions of Americans their legally cast vote," James said.
He told listeners that people with his political leanings have prepared themselves for the worst in this election - but Donald Trump's speech is "worse than the worst."
"This speech essentially means that for those of us who find his depravity disgusting, him winning is only the second worst option now.
"Before he spoke this morning, there were two options: he would win or he would lose. Obviously him winning was by far the worst prospect for people who believe in decency.
"What he's done now is make him winning straight, as in winning the counted votes, that's only the second worst option. Because him losing and claiming that he's won and clinging on to power and refusing to peacefully hand over...that has now become worse."