NBC Hosts Commander-In-Chief Forum With Clinton And Trump

ABC News: At The Commander-In-Chief Forum, “Trump Suggested That Russian President Vladimir Putin Has Been A Better Leader Than President Obama.” At NBC’s September 7 Commander-in-Chief Forum, Donald Trump praised Russian president Vladimir Putin for having “very strong control over a country” and saying that Putin has “been a leader. Far more than our president has been a leader”:

During the forum -- where the candidates appeared separately in front of an audience made up largely of veterans -- Trump suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been a better leader than President Obama.

“The man has very strong control over a country,” he said during the town hall was hosted by MSNBC/NBC on the Intrepid aircraft carrier. “Now It's a very different system and I don't happen to like the system, but certainly in that system, he's been a leader. Far more than our president has been a leader.”

Trump did very little to tamper controversial talk about how he has been friendly with Russia throughout his campaign.

“I think I would have a very, very good relationship with Putin. I think i would have a very, very good relationship with Russia,” Trump said. [ABC News, 9/7/16]

Media Figures Blast Trump For Praising Russian President Vladimir Putin

NYTimes’ Nicholas Kristof: “Trump’s Most Appalling Response Was Praising Putin As A Better Leader Than Obama. Putin’s A Thug Engaged In War Crimes In Syria & Ukraine.”

[Twitter, 9/7/16]

Wash. Post’s Josh Rogin: “Trump Just Drew An Equivalence Between Putin’s Anti-Democratic Crackdown And Hillary’s Emails. It’s The Russian Propaganda Line.”

[Twitter, 9/7/16]

The Economist’s David Rennie: “Trump On Putin: ‘The Man Has Very Strong Control Of His Country.’ Criticizes Obama For His ‘Divided’ Country. Pesky Stuff, Democracy.”

[Twitter, 9/7/16]

The Federalist’s Tom Nichols: “Trump Cites Putin’s Approval Ratings As Though They’re Real. And Then Draws An Equivalence Between Putin And Obama. Dear God.”

[Twitter, 9/7/16]

ABC’s Matthew Dowd: “Trump Just Said That Putin, Who Has Killed Press People, Annexed A Country, Is A Better Leader Than President Obama. Wow.”

[Twitter, 9/7/16]

Politico’s Roger Simon: “Asked Why He Likes Putin, Trump Replies: “He Does Have An 82% Approval Rating … He Is Very Much Of A Leader.” Is This For Real?”

[Twitter, 9/7/16]

The Daily Beast’s Jackie Kucinich: “‘Putin? Vladimir Putin? Did All That? Nah.’ - Trump, Basically.”

[Twitter, 9/7/16]

CNN's Paul Begala: “Well, In All Fairness To Trump, Putin's Not A Gold Star Mother Or A POW; Not A Person W/A Disability, So Why Attack Him?”

[Twitter, 9/7/16]

Mother Jones’ David Corn: “Asked About Putin’s Thuggish Ways, Trump: ‘Want Me To Name Some Of The Things That Pres. Obama Does?’ Wow. Just Wow.”

[Twitter, 9/7/16]

MSNBC’s Joy Reid: “OMG… Trump Is Touting Authoritarian Russian President Putin’s 88 Percent Approval Rating…”

[Twitter, 9/7/16]