Biden says Trump "is part of the rigged system" that harms Americans

US Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday accused Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump of being "part of the rigged system" that is harming American citizens, recalling that the real estate magnate has bragged about benefiting from the collapse of the real estate market before the recession.

Trump "wants to be President of the United States of America" and yet "this is a guy who said it was good business for him to see the housing market fail. What in the hell is he talking about?" EFE news quoted Biden as saying during a meeting at Drexel University in Philadelphia in support of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

"Can you imagine (former Republican President) Ronald Reagan, can you imagine him saying it's good business to take advantage of people's misery? Rooting for that misery," said a visibly angered Biden.

In the first televised debate on Monday night bringing Clinton and Trump face to face, the Democratic candidate said her rival was one of the people who "rooted for the housing crisis" so they could "go in and buy some and make some money".

"That's called business, by the way," was Trump's response to the accusation.

Trump "is part of the rigged system", Biden said on Tuesday, while also noting that Trump has "acknowledged that he didn't pay taxes because he said he's 'smart'".

"Tell that to the janitor here who's paying taxes. Tell that to your mothers and fathers who are breaking their necks to send you here (to the university) and are paying their taxes," EFE news quoted the Vice President as saying.

Biden said that all this "angers me", because it shows that Trump "does not have the basic fundamental sensibilities and values that almost every American politician -- left, right and centre -- I know has".

Biden asked voters to consider how the real estate magnate is damaging America's standing abroad, and that leaders around the world have expressed concern about Trump becoming President.

The Vice President stressed the importance of registering to vote in the November 8 elections because "we simply can't elect a man who belittles our closest allies, embraces dictators like Putin, a man who seeks to sow division for his own gain and his own benefit".

--IANS

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