Hillary Clinton wins Dixville Notch midnight vote

Hillary Clinton wins Dixville Notch midnight vote

Hillary Clinton 4, Donald Trump 2, Gary Johnson 1 -- and a single write-in surprise: Mitt Romney.

With eight residents voting and five times as many reporters watching, Dixville Notch has spoken.

On a frigid night in the largely forgotten region about halfway between the Maine and Canadian borders, the small northern New Hampshire town came alive for several minutes of kitschy democratic conflict. This latest round of wee hours voting extends a tradition that traces back more than a half-century.

With the results in from Dixville Notch this long-awaited Election Day is officially underway, and sure as the Earth turns on its axis, the end of the 2016 presidential contest seems impossibly closer.

The Granite State's tight Senate race will enter Election Day deadlocked, with Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan and incumbent Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte each Dixville notching 4 votes.

Tuesday night's result will hearten superstitious Clinton supporters. The town's small collection of dedicated voters have correctly picked the eventual winner in three of the last four contests. In 2000 and 2004 it broke for George W. Bush and in 2008 it delivered a victory for Barack Obama.

Courtesy: CNN Politics 

SADDAM HUSSEIN IS A GOOD PERSON – DONALD TRUMP

SADDAM HUSSEIN IS A GOOD PERSON – DONALD TRUMP

Donald Trump on Tuesday once again expressed his preference for keeping dictators in power in the Middle East.

While acknowledging that Saddam Hussein "was a bad guy," Trump praised the former Iraqi dictator's efficient killing of "terrorists" -- despite the fact that Iraq was listed as a state sponsor of terrorism during Hussein's time in power.

Trump, who supported the Iraq War before the invasion and in the early months of the war, said  now the U.S. "shouldn't have destabilized" Iraq before pivoting to praising Hussein.

"He was a bad guy -- really bad guy. But you know what? He did well? He killed terrorists. He did that so good. They didn't read them the rights. They didn't talk. They were terrorists. Over. Today, Iraq is Harvard for terrorism," Trump said.

Donald Trump has gone from outsider to controversial front-runner in the race to become the Republican Party's 2016 presidential candidate. Trump began his bid with an announcement speech on June 16, calling for a massive wall on the U.S. border with Mexico -- for which he said he would make Mexico to pay. At this stage he was tied for 10th place in the polls, at just 3%.

Asked Tuesday night on Fox News about the comments, House Speaker Paul Ryan appeared taken aback by Trump's words.

"Saddam Hussein  was one of the 20th century's most evil people," Ryan said of the former Iraqi strongman.

The presumptive Republican nominee has previously said that Iraq and Libya -- two countries that have become ISIS strongholds -- would be better off if Hussein and Libyan dictator Mohammed Gadhafi were still alive and in power in their respective countries.

Trump has also previously praised Hussein's prowess at killing terrorists.

Hussein was notoriously effective at suppressing dissent in his country, but he frequently targeted civilians and minority groups while in power, which earned him widespread condemnation from the international community as one of the world's worst human rights abusers.

Hussein also financed and supported terrorism around the world.

Courtesy: CNN's Theodore Schleifer and Dan Merica

President Obama says, today, I'm proud to announce that I'm with Hillary.

President Obama says, today, I'm proud to announce that I'm with Hillary.

President Obama says, today, I'm proud to announce that I'm with Hillary.

I know how hard the job of president can be. That’s why I know Hillary will be so good at it.

I don’t think there’s ever been someone so qualified to hold this office.

She’s got the courage, the compassion, and the heart to get the job done. (I say that as someone who had to debate her more than 20 times.)

Even after our own hard-fought campaign in 2008, she agreed to serve our country as secretary of state. I’ve seen her judgment, toughness, and commitment to our values up close.

And I’ve seen her determination to give every American a fair shot at opportunity, no matter how tough the fight -- that’s what's always driven her, and still does.

I can’t wait to get out there and campaign for her.

If we’re going to protect President Obama’s legacy, we CANNOT let Donald Trump be our President.

That’s why Democrats need to answer President Obama’s call to unify -- and defeat Trump this fall.

Hillary Clinton 'secures Democratic nomination' - AP

Hillary Clinton 'secures Democratic nomination' - AP

Hillary Clinton has clinched the Democratic nomination for US president after reaching the required number of delegates, an AP tally suggests.

The count puts Mrs Clinton on 2,383 - the number needed to make her the presumptive nominee.

She will become the first female nominee for a major US political party.

Mrs Clinton reached the threshold with a big win in Puerto Rico and a burst of last-minute support from superdelegates, AP said late on Monday night.

Superdelegates are party insiders who can pledge their support for a candidate ahead of the convention but do not formally vote for them until the convention itself.

AP's announcement came ahead of Democratic primaries on Tuesday in California, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and New Jersey. Polling stations opened at 06:00 local time (10:00 GMT) in New Jersey. The last ones to close will be in California at 03:00 GMT Wednesday.

It has taken a long 227 years to get even this far. 

George Washington was elected president of a newly independent America in 1789. Forty-three men later (42 of them white) Hillary Clinton makes history today by being the first female nominee for the White House.

Courtesy : BBC