World News: OnPolitics: The peaceful transition of power has people up in arms

Thursday, September 24

President Donald Trump walks to speak to members of the press on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, before boarding Marine One for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md. Trump is traveling to North Carolina and Florida. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

The peaceful transition of power has people up in arms

Trump says we'll 'see what happens' if he loses the election in November.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday evening sparked bipartisan backlash after he declined to commit to the peaceful transfer of power if he loses the election in November.

"Well, we're going to have to see what happens," Trump said when asked if he would commit to a peaceful transition, assuming he lost the election. He then repeated his criticisms of mail-in voting, which he has said without evidence will lead to widespread fraud.

"You know that I've been complaining very strongly about the ballots and the ballots are a disaster," Trump told reporters. "Get rid of the ballots and you'll have a very a peaceful - there won't be a transfer, frankly, there'll be a continuation."

It did not go over well.

Sen. Mitt Romney was among several Republicans who spoke out, albeit without mentioning the president specifically.

"Fundamental to democracy is the peaceful transition of power; without that, there is Belarus," Romney tweeted. "Any suggestion that a president might not respect this Constitutional guarantee is both unthinkable and unacceptable."

Politicians and pundits on the left were aghast.

Sen. Bernie Sanders gave an entire speech Thursday warning of the danger ahead if Trump loses the election but won't leave office.

"This is not just an election between Donald Trump and Joe Biden," Sanders said. "This is an election between Donald Trump and democracy - and democracy must win."

What else is happening in the world of politics? Here you go.

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•	Joe Biden endorsed, Trump excoriated by nearly 500 retired top military, national security officials