| 'Make Mexico Great Again Also' and other contradictions |
By Washington bureau chief Zoe Daniel
It's 2016, the year of contradictions.
The latest?
A man who has called Mexicans rapists and killers, vowed to deport them in their millions and make them pay for a wall to keep themselves out of America is invited to visit their President (who has compared him to Hitler and Mussolini).
The pair have a private chat and emerge talking shared responsibility for their shared border.
Here's what Donald Trump told Enrique Pena Nieto after the meeting, describing Mexicans as "spectacular" and "hardworking" people.
"Mr President, I want to thank you. It's been a tremendous honour and I call you a friend."
He then flew on to give a major immigration speech in Arizona where a new campaign hat made an appearance on the head of his backer, former New York mayor Rudi Giuliani:
And Senator Jeff Sessions:
Just in case you've been under a rock, Make America Great Again or #MAGA is the Trump campaign slogan.
The Mexico version soon provoked a reaction on social media.
But the neighbourliness was fleeting.
Trump said during the post-meeting press conference that the key issue of who would pay for the wall was not discussed.
"We did discuss the wall. We didn't discuss payment of the wall. That'll be for a later date."
But Trump reverted to his old self later that day in an incendiary speech back home in Arizona.
"Mexico will pay for the wall - 100 per cent. They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for the wall."
The crowd chanted: "Build the wall, build the wall".
Mexico's President, already battling historically low approval ratings and now facing a backlash over the bizarre invitation, tweeted that he had made clear that Mexico would NOT pay.
In the same speech, Trump also promised to deport undocumented migrants who commit criminal offences, reasserted his intention to pick and choose who can enter the US and said he would create a deportation taskforce to eject criminals.
Que pasa?
The Mexican newspaper Vanguardia ran this front page this morning:
Just another week in US politics, 2016 style.
HE SAID
"Maybe they will be able to deport her." - Trump in a mid-speech segue from immigration policy to his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, on Wednesday night.
SHE SAID
"You don't build a coalition by insulting our friends. Dropping in on our neighbours for a few hours, and then flying home again - that is not how it works." - Hillary told the American Legion's annual meeting hours before Trump touched down in Mexico.
SAY WHAT?
We listen to Trump speak every day - often more than once.
He's tough to keep up with, often going off script which makes him tricky to follow, particularly when you're a professional scribe.
From CNBC: "The rhetorical challenges of Trump are not just those of substance - or lack thereof, but of syntax - and the lack thereof."
Elizabeth Pennell, president of ASC Services, which produces the verbatim political transcripts explains: "Basically, you can't do Trump in real time."
"Trump is a team approach ... with a secondary editor acting as secondary review point, and there is a lot that can be lost in the mix."
Good luck.
WEINER
American politician, former member of the House of Representatives and serial sexter, Anthony Weiner has finally split with Huma Abedin, one of Hillary Clinton's closest aides.
It's the end of a long saga, which included multiple sexting scandals by the man who went by the alias of Carlos Danger online.
In memorial of Weiner's career in the spotlight, here's a collection of the New York Post's, ahem, creative headlines:
WHERE'S BERNIE?
Missing in action for the most part but the Senator from Vermont will be back on the stump with Hillary next Monday in New Hampshire. Feel the Bern!
And speaking of which, where's Hillary? She's had only a couple of public appearances in the last fortnight. Odd.
DOPPELGANGERS-IN-CHIEF
An oft-forgotten part of the end of an administration is that it also marks the end of the presidential doppelgangers.
What will Hometown Obama, Indonesian Obama and Bronx Obama do next?
CBC investigates in a series appropriately titled 'The Fauxbamas'.
LITTLE HANDS, BIG THUMBS
This week in Iowa, Trump was pretty excited and was using his hands to show it.
The sideways-thumb-Grease-Lightning-point combo could be coming to a dance floor near you!
Speaking of dancing, former presidential hopeful Rick Perry has signed up for the latest season of Dancing with the Stars. Good luck, Rick.
RIDE THE WAVE
Politician, civil rights leader and professional crowd surfer: 76-year-old Congressman John Lewis was hoisted up by the audience following his appearance on the Stephen Colbert Late Show last night in this truly uplifting clip.
BY THE NUMBERS
1. The number of field offices Trump has in the pivotal swing state of Florida, according to the Washington Post.
For reference: Hillary has 51.
SPEAKING OF NUMBERS...
Monday is Labor Day, which will mark nine weeks until the presidential election.
It's said (by people smarter than me) that America resets itself every 60 days, and with Labor Day marking the end of the longer than long summer holidays, that's when the really serious campaign for the White House begins.
About time.
Any serious gaffes, misdemeanours or mistakes from now on will be difficult to repair, paste over or distract from.
Expect both candidates to be watching their Ps and Qs and campaigning in earnest from here on.
And finally, #MAGAT.
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