Biden views Trump's remarks on elections as 'threat' to democracy

US Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday warned that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's refusal to commit himself to accepting the result of the November 8 elections, if he is defeated, is a "threat" to the country's democratic process.

"No democratic process can be sustained without a sense of trust. He's questioning not the legitimacy of our elections, (but) the legitimacy of our democracy," EFE news quoted Biden as saying in New Hampshire, where he is campaigning for Trump's Democratic rival, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Trump's failure to commit himself to accepting the election result is "a big problem", besides being a "threat to our democratic process", emphasised Biden on a visit to one of Clinton's campaign offices.

Biden said that the response of the public to Trump's challenge should be to ensure an "exceptional turnout" at the polls in November.

Almost at the same time Biden was speaking, Trump said at a Delaware, Ohio, campaign rally that he will accept the results of the elections "if I win".

The mogul remarked that he would accept a "clear" election result, but "would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result. And always, I will follow and abide by all of the rules and traditions of all of the many candidates who have come before me. Always".

During the third and last presidential debate with Clinton on Wednesday evening in Las Vegas, the real estate magnate refused to promise to accept the election result if she wins.

"I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense," Trump told debate moderator Chris Wallace.

The businessman-turned-politician has frequently claimed that there may be voter fraud in the upcoming balloting, and he has complained about what he calls an electoral system that is "rigged" in Clinton's favour, EFE news reported.

That response contradicts what Trump said in the first televised debate with Clinton in late September, when he unequivocally committed himself to support the former Secretary of State if she wins the election.

--IANS

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