The US Presidential elections are still a month away but polling has begun in seven states in the form of mail-in ballots and absentee voting. Watch report.

US Election 2020: States begin early and absentee voting

<p>Oprah Winfrey wants all workers in her company to vote in this US presidential election. According to reports, Oprah has given everyone at her network a holiday on election day which is on November 3.<br />
<br />
Winfrey said she hopes to honor "those who fought and continue to fight for our rights."<br />
<br />
In a video posted on Instagram, Winfrey said, "This will give my team the necessary time to put on their masks, get to the polls, cast their ballots, and volunteer. I challenge other companies to do the same because this might be the most important election of our lives. Together we can overcome all obstacles in order to exercise our right to vote."</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CEDRXDsBM-G/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Today marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women – although not all women – the right to vote. In honor of those who fought and continue to fight for our rights, I’m announcing that November 3rd, Election Day, will be a company holiday at @owntv. This will give my team the necessary time to put on their masks, get to the polls, cast their ballots, and volunteer. I challenge other companies to do the same because this might be the most important election of our lives. Together we can overcome all obstacles in order to exercise our right to vote. Follow @ownyourvote for more updates this election season 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/oprah/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Oprah</a> (@oprah) on <time datetime="2020-08-19T00:42:01+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Aug 18, 2020 at 5:42pm PDT</time></p>
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<p>A press release issued by the Oprah Winfrey Network said the day off would be a paid holiday and will be for both national and presidential elections.<br />
<br />
The network recently initiated its own election campaign titled 'OWN Your Vote'. The campaign is meant to help "connect our viewers to urgent political issues, gives their concerns a powerful microphone, and places a spotlight on key community issues," said a press release.</p>


Oprah Winfrey wants all workers in her company to vote in this US presidential election. According to reports, Oprah has given everyone at her network a holiday on election day which is on November 3.

Oprah Winfrey wants all workers in her company to vote in this US presidential election. According to reports, Oprah has given everyone at her network a holiday on election day which is on November 3. Winfrey said she hopes to honor "those who fought and continue to fight for our rights." In a video posted on Instagram, Winfrey said, "This will give my team the necessary time to put on their masks, get to the polls, cast their ballots, and volunteer. I challenge other companies to do the same because this might be the most important election of our lives. Together we can overcome all obstacles in order to exercise our right to vote." View this post on Instagram Today marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women – although not all women – the right to vote. In honor of those who fought and continue to fight for our rights, I’m announcing that November 3rd, Election Day, will be a company holiday at @owntv. This will give my team the necessary time to put on their masks, get to the polls, cast their ballots, and volunteer. I challenge other companies to do the same because this might be the most important election of our lives. Together we can overcome all obstacles in order to exercise our right to vote. Follow @ownyourvote for more updates this election season 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 A post shared by Oprah (@oprah) on Aug 18, 2020 at 5:42pm PDT × A press release issued by the Oprah Winfrey Network said the day off would be a paid holiday and will be for both national and presidential elections. The network recently initiated its own election campaign titled 'OWN Your Vote'. The campaign is meant to help "connect our viewers to urgent political issues, gives their concerns a powerful microphone, and places a spotlight on key community issues," said a press release.

Oprah Winfrey to make election day a holiday for company employees

<p>Donald Trump in 2012 stated on Twitter that the electoral college was a &quot;disaster for democracy&quot;, but his opinion has reversed itself ever since being elected the next US president despite losing the popular vote.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">That feeling when the system is rigged, but then you realize it&#39;s rigged in a way that benefits you <a href="https://t.co/rCCCjUzEPr">pic.twitter.com/rCCCjUzEPr</a></p>
&mdash; Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) <a href="https://twitter.com/mattdpearce/status/798522791997771780">November 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>On Tuesday, Trump said that the electoral college was &quot;actually genius&quot;.</p>

<p>Trump appeared&nbsp;sensitive against the charge that his presidency isn&#39;t a reflection of the will of the American populace, and&nbsp;defended himself for winning the presidency even though more Americans voted for Hillary Clinton</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">If the election were based on total popular vote I would have campaigned in N.Y. Florida and California and won even bigger and more easily</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/798519600413601792">November 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


In 2012 he called it a 'disaster for a democracy', but after winning the US election despite losing the popular vote he said it was 'genius'

Donald Trump in 2012 stated on Twitter that the electoral college was a "disaster for democracy", but his opinion has reversed itself ever since being elected the next US president despite losing the popular vote. That feeling when the system is rigged, but then you realize it's rigged in a way that benefits you pic.twitter.com/rCCCjUzEPr — Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) November 15, 2016 × On Tuesday, Trump said that the electoral college was "actually genius". Trump appeared sensitive against the charge that his presidency isn't a reflection of the will of the American populace, and defended himself for winning the presidency even though more Americans voted for Hillary Clinton If the election were based on total popular vote I would have campaigned in N.Y. Florida and California and won even bigger and more easily — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2016 × (WION)

Trump reverses opinion of electoral college

<p>The United States elects a president every four years and election day is always the first Tuesday of&nbsp;November.</p>

<p>What does it take to qualify for presidentship? You have to be a US citizen by birth, be at least 35-years-old and a US resident for 14 years.</p>

<p>Today&#39;s election will give the United States its 45th president - Democrat Hillary&nbsp;Clinton or Republican&nbsp;Donald Trump.</p>

<p><strong>Polling centre scene</strong></p>

<p>At a polling centre in Brooklyn, New York, voters find out their district, then they get a paper ballot, they get registered and check&nbsp;in. They then move to the polling stations behind to scan their vote and get a sticker saying &#39;I&nbsp;voted&#39;.</p>

<p>&quot;It&#39;s a big decision - first of all a woman president, it&#39;s a big step for the US and I think putting her in office as opposed to Trump makes that difference,&quot; says Janna&nbsp;Ferner-Bell.</p>

<p>&quot;I&#39;m all about Jill Stein. I&#39;m all about the green party. She has integrity, she is smart, the world needs a&nbsp;bigger change,&quot; Karmela&nbsp;Lozina&nbsp;says.</p>

<p>Not all polling centres were quick though - the line in midtown Manhattan stretched out for about two hours. It&#39;s the same location where Donald&nbsp;Trump cast his ballot.</p>

<p><strong>Electoral college</strong></p>

<p>In the United States with the electoral college, you aren&#39;t voting for the president directly, instead you are voting for electors. Those electors will cast the ballot for the president.</p>

<p>So if neither candidate gets the necessary 270 electoral votes, the house of representatives will pick the president and the senate will pick the vice president.</p>

<p>The election process starts at the state level where voters pick a candidate through primaries and caucuses. After this, two major political parties in the US - the Democrats (in blue) and the Republicans (in red) host a nomination convention to unite behind one candidate.</p>

<p>Each nominee also chooses a vice president candidate at this time.</p>

<p>This year, Democratic candidate Hillary&nbsp;Clinton picked Viriginia senator Tim&nbsp;Kaine while Republican candidate Donald&nbsp;Trump chose Indiana governor Mike Pence.</p>

<p>The candidates tour the country through campaign rallies where they explain their views on hot burning issues like domestic policies, foreign policies, the economy, terrorism, gun control, immigration and healthcare.</p>

<p>A&nbsp;lot of states typically are &#39;red&#39; or &#39;blue&#39;&nbsp;states &ndash; but sometimes swing states or &#39;purple&#39;&nbsp;states mean there is equal chance&nbsp;for a Republican or Democratic victory.<br />
<br />
When voters cast their ballot, they&nbsp;pick who they want for the country&#39;s top position. These votes represent the popular vote and does not determine the actual winner.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


With the United States set to get its 45th president, WION explains the process behind the election

The United States elects a president every four years and election day is always the first Tuesday of November. What does it take to qualify for presidentship? You have to be a US citizen by birth, be at least 35-years-old and a US resident for 14 years. Today's election will give the United States its 45th president - Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump. Polling centre scene At a polling centre in Brooklyn, New York, voters find out their district, then they get a paper ballot, they get registered and check in. They then move to the polling stations behind to scan their vote and get a sticker saying 'I voted'. "It's a big decision - first of all a woman president, it's a big step for the US and I think putting her in office as opposed to Trump makes that difference," says Janna Ferner-Bell. "I'm all about Jill Stein. I'm all about the green party. She has integrity, she is smart, the world needs a bigger change," Karmela Lozina says. Not all polling centres were quick though - the line in midtown Manhattan stretched out for about two hours. It's the same location where Donald Trump cast his ballot. Electoral college In the United States with the electoral college, you aren't voting for the president directly, instead you are voting for electors. Those electors will cast the ballot for the president. So if neither candidate gets the necessary 270 electoral votes, the house of representatives will pick the president and the senate will pick the vice president. The election process starts at the state level where voters pick a candidate through primaries and caucuses. After this, two major political parties in the US - the Democrats (in blue) and the Republicans (in red) host a nomination convention to unite behind one candidate. Each nominee also chooses a vice president candidate at this time. This year, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton picked Viriginia senator Tim Kaine while Republican candidate Donald Trump chose Indiana governor Mike Pence. The candidates tour the country through campaign rallies where they explain their views on hot burning issues like domestic policies, foreign policies, the economy, terrorism, gun control, immigration and healthcare. A lot of states typically are 'red' or 'blue' states – but sometimes swing states or 'purple' states mean there is equal chance for a Republican or Democratic victory. When voters cast their ballot, they pick who they want for the country's top position. These votes represent the popular vote and does not determine the actual winner. (WION)

US Election 2016: This is how America votes

<p>Betting exchanges and online trading platforms on Tuesday said Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton held a far higher probability of winning than Republican Donald Trump.</p>

<p>While Trump made modest gains in probability to win on some online platforms as Americans went to the polls on Tuesday, many gave Clinton a better than 75 per cent chance of victory.</p>

<p>Bookmaker Paddy Power said Clinton&#39;s chance of taking the White House dipped slightly to 81.8 per cent on Election Day from 83.3 percent, while Trump&#39;s probability improved to 22 per cent from 20 percent.</p>

<p>&quot;The flow of money is relatively even with it slightly favouring Trump,&quot; said Paddy Power spokesman F&eacute;ilim Mac An Iomaire.</p>

<p>He said Paddy Power has seen at least 20 four- and five-figure bets placed on Tuesday. Different bookmakers and exchanges have different closing times for placing bets.</p>

<p>Record numbers of betters are pouring millions into online platforms in the hope of capturing a financial windfall from the election.</p>

<p>British gambling company Ladbrokes, which has Clinton&#39;s chance of winning at 76 per cent and Trump&#39;s at 24 per cent, said it anticipated more wagers coming in for the outcome of the US&nbsp;presidential election than had been placed on the European Union referendum - or &quot;Brexit&quot; vote.</p>

<p>&quot;The US&nbsp;election has gripped the nation,&quot; said Ladbrokes spokeswoman Jessica Bridge in a written statement. &quot;It [is] the biggest ever non-sporting event the bookmaking industry has witnessed.&quot;</p>

<p>British-based internet betting exchange Betfair&#39;s &quot;Next President&quot; market was on track to surpass Brexit in amount traded, owing to the surprise results of the referendum that were still fresh in many Britons&#39; minds, spokeswoman Naomi Totten said.</p>

<p>The market saw just under $150 million wagered since it opened in November 2012, with $7 million traded in just seven hours on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Clinton is trading at an 80 per cent chance on Betfair and Trump at a 20 per cent chance of winning the White House.</p>

<p>Trading platforms in the United States showed similar probabilities.</p>

<p>On PredictIt, launched in 2014 and jointly run by Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, and Washington, DC-based political consulting firm Aristotle International Inc, Clinton had an 80 per cent chance of victory down from 81 percent Sunday, while Trump was at 22 percent, up from 20 percent.</p>

<p>(Reuters)</p>


Most of the agencies give Hillary Clinton a better than 75 per cent chance of victory

Betting exchanges and online trading platforms on Tuesday said Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton held a far higher probability of winning than Republican Donald Trump. While Trump made modest gains in probability to win on some online platforms as Americans went to the polls on Tuesday, many gave Clinton a better than 75 per cent chance of victory. Bookmaker Paddy Power said Clinton's chance of taking the White House dipped slightly to 81.8 per cent on Election Day from 83.3 percent, while Trump's probability improved to 22 per cent from 20 percent. "The flow of money is relatively even with it slightly favouring Trump," said Paddy Power spokesman Féilim Mac An Iomaire. He said Paddy Power has seen at least 20 four- and five-figure bets placed on Tuesday. Different bookmakers and exchanges have different closing times for placing bets. Record numbers of betters are pouring millions into online platforms in the hope of capturing a financial windfall from the election. British gambling company Ladbrokes, which has Clinton's chance of winning at 76 per cent and Trump's at 24 per cent, said it anticipated more wagers coming in for the outcome of the US presidential election than had been placed on the European Union referendum - or "Brexit" vote. "The US election has gripped the nation," said Ladbrokes spokeswoman Jessica Bridge in a written statement. "It [is] the biggest ever non-sporting event the bookmaking industry has witnessed." British-based internet betting exchange Betfair's "Next President" market was on track to surpass Brexit in amount traded, owing to the surprise results of the referendum that were still fresh in many Britons' minds, spokeswoman Naomi Totten said. The market saw just under $150 million wagered since it opened in November 2012, with $7 million traded in just seven hours on Tuesday. Clinton is trading at an 80 per cent chance on Betfair and Trump at a 20 per cent chance of winning the White House. Trading platforms in the United States showed similar probabilities. On PredictIt, launched in 2014 and jointly run by Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, and Washington, DC-based political consulting firm Aristotle International Inc, Clinton had an 80 per cent chance of victory down from 81 percent Sunday, while Trump was at 22 percent, up from 20 percent. (Reuters)

US election: Betting exchanges, online platforms back Clinton to win

<p>Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton launched bitter attacks on each other&#39;s character Tuesday as a new poll suggested the White House race has tightened in the final week.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Trump stormed into Democratic territory in Wisconsin to try to use suspicion generated by an FBI probe into Clinton&#39;s emails to open an unlikely path to victory on November 8.</p>

<p>But, with political tension spilling over into financial markets, 69-year-old Clinton was determined not to lose her advantage, firing up Florida crowds with attacks on Trump&#39;s attitude to women.</p>

<p>Polling forecasts suggest the 70-year-old Republican property mogul faces a battle to win enough states to secure an electoral college victory over his Democratic rival.</p>

<p>But he received a boost Tuesday when an ABC News/Washington Post tracking poll showed him leading Clinton by 46 to 45 per cent.</p>

<p>He boasted about the new numbers as he addressed a raucous crowd -- chanting &quot;Lock her up!&quot; and &quot;Drain the swamp!&quot; -- in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, before turning the knife.</p>

<p>&quot;The Clintons are the sordid past and we will be the bright and clean future,&quot; he announced, to rapturous roars.</p>

<p>But if Clinton was rattled by the poll -- or by the renewed interest in her email server -- she did not show it at a barnstorming rally in the swing state of Florida.</p>

<p><strong>&nbsp;&#39;Insults half the population&#39;</strong></p>

<p>Clinton was introduced by Alicia Machado, a former Miss Universe whom Trump, then the owner of the pageant, publicly humiliated by mocking her post-victory weight gain.</p>

<p>&quot;Can we just stop for a minute and reflect on the absurdity of Donald Trump finding fault with Miss Universe?&quot; Clinton snorted.</p>

<p>Trump&#39;s doctor says he is more than overweight at 236 pounds (107 kilograms).</p>

<p>&quot;What about our girls? What happens to their confidence, their sense of self-worth?&quot; she demanded, warning against a president &quot;who insults more than half the population.&quot;</p>

<p>And she pivoted to the notorious tape where Trump is overheard on a hot mic bragging about being able to grope women and get away with because he is a star.</p>

<p>&quot;And I have to tell you, since that tape came out, 12 women have come forward to say: &#39;What he said on that tape is what he did to me,&#39;&quot; Clinton said. Trump denies these allegations.</p>

<p>The close poll spooked the markets, which had expected the former secretary of state to comfortably defeat a populist who economists fear could plunge the world into recession.&nbsp;</p>

<p>US stocks closed down 0.7 per cent and the Vix Volatility or &quot;fear index&quot; jumped to its highest level since Britain voted to leave the European Union.</p>

<p>But no matter how close the popular vote, in order to win the White House, Trump must take at least one normally Democratic state, the swing states and the Republican heartland.</p>

<p>Wisconsin backed President Barack Obama in 2012, but if Trump can win its 10 votes, it could put him over the 270 threshold and win him the keys to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.</p>

<p>But this remains a long shot. The New York Times statistical model gives Clinton an 88 per cent chance of winning, while respected data tracking website FiveThirtyEight says she has a 74 per cent chance of victory.</p>

<p>Nevertheless, the tumultuous presidential race -- which has featured footage showing Trump boasting of sexual assault and claims of Russian interference in the contest -- may have a few twists and turns left in store.</p>

<p>On Monday, Trump was hit by fresh allegations in a detailed report by The New York Times that he not only dodged paying income tax but did so in a way that has since been outlawed.</p>

<p><strong>&nbsp;Big stakes</strong></p>

<p>This may not be enough to turn public attention away from a revived FBI investigation into whether Clinton put US secrets at risk by using a private email server while serving as secretary of state.</p>

<p>Clinton&#39;s campaign has spent three days berating FBI Director James Comey for revealing to lawmakers that the bureau is looking anew at her use of a private email server while at the State Department.</p>

<p>Team Clinton was furious that Comey made his announcement without any new evidence of wrongdoing, but insists the scandal has not torpedoed her candidacy.</p>

<p>&quot;We do not see any evidence that the Comey story has had an impact on our polling,&quot; a senior aide told reporters.</p>

<p>&quot;If anything, it&#39;s angered our supporters and been a motivating factor, but it doesn&#39;t seem to be affecting the overall vote,&quot; he said, writing off what he dubbed &quot;bad polling.&quot;</p>

<p>Obama and Vice President Joe Biden both hit the campaign trail for Clinton on Tuesday and have a full schedule for the week, hoping to push her past Trump in the home stretch.</p>

<p>Obama -- who was in Ohio -- is having what his spokesman called a &quot;heck of a good time&quot; making the case for Clinton, calling his full schedule &quot;an indication of exactly how big he thinks the stakes are in this election.&quot;</p>

<p>(AFP)</p>


An ABC News/Washington Post tracking poll showed Trump leading Clinton 46 to 45%

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton launched bitter attacks on each other's character Tuesday as a new poll suggested the White House race has tightened in the final week. Trump stormed into Democratic territory in Wisconsin to try to use suspicion generated by an FBI probe into Clinton's emails to open an unlikely path to victory on November 8. But, with political tension spilling over into financial markets, 69-year-old Clinton was determined not to lose her advantage, firing up Florida crowds with attacks on Trump's attitude to women. Polling forecasts suggest the 70-year-old Republican property mogul faces a battle to win enough states to secure an electoral college victory over his Democratic rival. But he received a boost Tuesday when an ABC News/Washington Post tracking poll showed him leading Clinton by 46 to 45 per cent. He boasted about the new numbers as he addressed a raucous crowd -- chanting "Lock her up!" and "Drain the swamp!" -- in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, before turning the knife. "The Clintons are the sordid past and we will be the bright and clean future," he announced, to rapturous roars. But if Clinton was rattled by the poll -- or by the renewed interest in her email server -- she did not show it at a barnstorming rally in the swing state of Florida. 'Insults half the population' Clinton was introduced by Alicia Machado, a former Miss Universe whom Trump, then the owner of the pageant, publicly humiliated by mocking her post-victory weight gain. "Can we just stop for a minute and reflect on the absurdity of Donald Trump finding fault with Miss Universe?" Clinton snorted. Trump's doctor says he is more than overweight at 236 pounds (107 kilograms). "What about our girls? What happens to their confidence, their sense of self-worth?" she demanded, warning against a president "who insults more than half the population." And she pivoted to the notorious tape where Trump is overheard on a hot mic bragging about being able to grope women and get away with because he is a star. "And I have to tell you, since that tape came out, 12 women have come forward to say: 'What he said on that tape is what he did to me,'" Clinton said. Trump denies these allegations. The close poll spooked the markets, which had expected the former secretary of state to comfortably defeat a populist who economists fear could plunge the world into recession. US stocks closed down 0.7 per cent and the Vix Volatility or "fear index" jumped to its highest level since Britain voted to leave the European Union. But no matter how close the popular vote, in order to win the White House, Trump must take at least one normally Democratic state, the swing states and the Republican heartland. Wisconsin backed President Barack Obama in 2012, but if Trump can win its 10 votes, it could put him over the 270 threshold and win him the keys to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. But this remains a long shot. The New York Times statistical model gives Clinton an 88 per cent chance of winning, while respected data tracking website FiveThirtyEight says she has a 74 per cent chance of victory. Nevertheless, the tumultuous presidential race -- which has featured footage showing Trump boasting of sexual assault and claims of Russian interference in the contest -- may have a few twists and turns left in store. On Monday, Trump was hit by fresh allegations in a detailed report by The New York Times that he not only dodged paying income tax but did so in a way that has since been outlawed. Big stakes This may not be enough to turn public attention away from a revived FBI investigation into whether Clinton put US secrets at risk by using a private email server while serving as secretary of state. Clinton's campaign has spent three days berating FBI Director James Comey for revealing to lawmakers that the bureau is looking anew at her use of a private email server while at the State Department. Team Clinton was furious that Comey made his announcement without any new evidence of wrongdoing, but insists the scandal has not torpedoed her candidacy. "We do not see any evidence that the Comey story has had an impact on our polling," a senior aide told reporters. "If anything, it's angered our supporters and been a motivating factor, but it doesn't seem to be affecting the overall vote," he said, writing off what he dubbed "bad polling." Obama and Vice President Joe Biden both hit the campaign trail for Clinton on Tuesday and have a full schedule for the week, hoping to push her past Trump in the home stretch. Obama -- who was in Ohio -- is having what his spokesman called a "heck of a good time" making the case for Clinton, calling his full schedule "an indication of exactly how big he thinks the stakes are in this election." (AFP)

US elections 2016: Trump, Clinton go on attack as new poll suggests race has tightened

<p>The two-story brick house where Hillary Clinton grew up still stands at a street corner in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nearby, a sign reads &quot;Rodham Corner&quot;, an acknowledgment of the place in history occupied by this small hamlet near the city&#39;s O&#39;Hare airport.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is a place that impacted and shaped a young Hillary Rodham, before she went off to college, married Bill Clinton, and became the Democratic Party&#39;s presidential nominee in 2016.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;My childhood in the 1950s and the politics of the 1960s awakened my sense of obligation to my country and my commitment to service,&quot; Clinton wrote in her 2003 memoir &quot;Living History.&quot;</p>

<p>During that period after World War II, Park Ridge,a suburb that was all-white, Republican and conservative,was the center of Clinton&#39;s world.</p>

<p>&quot;My parents felt comfortable in Park Ridge among all the other veterans who chose it for its excellent public schools, parks, tree-lined streets, wide sidewalks and comfortable family homes,&quot; Clinton wrote.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As a child, she was exposed to both traditional Republican beliefs and competing viewpoints from the outside,especially from the civil rights movement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;My favorite memory is walking home from school with Hillary, and the many opportunities we had to talk,&quot; said Ernest Ricketts, who attended kindergarten through high school with the former secretary of state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;She was always very interested in current events. She was interested in history.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Clinton&#39;s critics often criticise her consistency on issues, saying she is a chameleon who changes her beliefs based on the prevailing political winds.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But her childhood in Park Ridge offers a clue into Clinton&#39;s worldview, which evolved through discussions and debates with those on both sides of the ideological spectrum.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>&nbsp;Clinton&#39;s parents</strong></p>

<p>Clinton&#39;s father Hugh Rodham was a staunch Republican. The owner of a drapery business and the product of a working-class family, he believed in small government, individual responsibility and working hard for what you get.</p>

<p>Clinton&#39;s mother Dorothy Rodham was a Democrat. Abandoned by her parents as a child and forced to start working at the age of 14, Dorothy instilled in Clinton empathy for people caught up in circumstances outside their control.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At the dinner table, Clinton&#39;s parents debated the issues, with young Hillary often politically in the middle.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I grew up between the push and tug of my parents&#39; values, and my own political beliefs reflect both,&quot; Clinton wrote in her memoir.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She admired her father&#39;s sense of &quot;rugged individualism,&quot; she told The Washington Post in 2007, during her first run for president, a primary battle she lost to Barack Obama.</p>

<p>&quot;But it didn&#39;t explain enough for me about the world, or the world as I would want it to be,&quot; she said. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>&nbsp;Mother a &#39;huge influence&#39;</strong></p>

<p>Clinton&#39;s mother was a voracious consumer of books, and encouraged the same intellectual curiosity in her daughter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Hillary&#39;s mom was a huge influence,&quot; said Clinton&#39;s childhood friend Judy Osgood. &quot;Her mom was just always there and interested in what we were doing.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Clinton&#39;s parents encouraged their daughter to think beyond the narrow path young women of their time were expected to pursue.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She was pushed to follow her intellectual interests, as well as play sports, an endeavor dominated by boys. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Her mother&#39;s difficult past inspired Clinton&#39;s work as a politician. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Learning about my mother&#39;s childhood sparked my strong conviction that every child deserves a chance to live up to her God-given potential,&quot; Clinton said in her memoir. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Another big influence was her childhood minister Don Jones, who exposed Clinton to the social issues of the day &mdash; taking her and her church youth group in 1962 to hear civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. speak in Chicago.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;He gave us a worldview that we didn&#39;t have before,&quot; Ricketts said of Jones&#39; efforts to expose Park Ridge&#39;s middle class children to the larger world. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Clinton maintained ties with Jones until his death in 2009, and considered him a major influence. She also still maintains contact with several of her childhood friends in Park Ridge.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;She&#39;s very much the same person, especially with all of her high school friends,&quot; said Mike Andrews, who attended Maine South High School with Clinton.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But the impact of decades in the public eye, and the various controversies swirling around her including the revived FBI interest in her use of a private email server while at the State Department, have taken a toll on her image, even in the city where she grew up.</p>

<p>Earlier this year, in her first visit to Park Ridge in more than a decade, Clinton drew hundreds of supporters, but also some protesters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Traditionally, this has been a Republican town, and there are people here who are diehard Republicans,&quot; longtime resident Teresa Nuccio told the Chicago Tribune at the time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Being from Park Ridge doesn&#39;t necessarily mean everyone will support you.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>(AFP)</p>


Her father was a staunch Republican, her mother a Democrat abandoned by her parents as a child and forced to start working at the age of 14

The two-story brick house where Hillary Clinton grew up still stands at a street corner in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge. Nearby, a sign reads "Rodham Corner", an acknowledgment of the place in history occupied by this small hamlet near the city's O'Hare airport. It is a place that impacted and shaped a young Hillary Rodham, before she went off to college, married Bill Clinton, and became the Democratic Party's presidential nominee in 2016. "My childhood in the 1950s and the politics of the 1960s awakened my sense of obligation to my country and my commitment to service," Clinton wrote in her 2003 memoir "Living History." During that period after World War II, Park Ridge,a suburb that was all-white, Republican and conservative,was the center of Clinton's world. "My parents felt comfortable in Park Ridge among all the other veterans who chose it for its excellent public schools, parks, tree-lined streets, wide sidewalks and comfortable family homes," Clinton wrote. As a child, she was exposed to both traditional Republican beliefs and competing viewpoints from the outside,especially from the civil rights movement. "My favorite memory is walking home from school with Hillary, and the many opportunities we had to talk," said Ernest Ricketts, who attended kindergarten through high school with the former secretary of state. "She was always very interested in current events. She was interested in history." Clinton's critics often criticise her consistency on issues, saying she is a chameleon who changes her beliefs based on the prevailing political winds. But her childhood in Park Ridge offers a clue into Clinton's worldview, which evolved through discussions and debates with those on both sides of the ideological spectrum. Clinton's parents Clinton's father Hugh Rodham was a staunch Republican. The owner of a drapery business and the product of a working-class family, he believed in small government, individual responsibility and working hard for what you get. Clinton's mother Dorothy Rodham was a Democrat. Abandoned by her parents as a child and forced to start working at the age of 14, Dorothy instilled in Clinton empathy for people caught up in circumstances outside their control. At the dinner table, Clinton's parents debated the issues, with young Hillary often politically in the middle. "I grew up between the push and tug of my parents' values, and my own political beliefs reflect both," Clinton wrote in her memoir. She admired her father's sense of "rugged individualism," she told The Washington Post in 2007, during her first run for president, a primary battle she lost to Barack Obama. "But it didn't explain enough for me about the world, or the world as I would want it to be," she said. Mother a 'huge influence' Clinton's mother was a voracious consumer of books, and encouraged the same intellectual curiosity in her daughter. "Hillary's mom was a huge influence," said Clinton's childhood friend Judy Osgood. "Her mom was just always there and interested in what we were doing." Clinton's parents encouraged their daughter to think beyond the narrow path young women of their time were expected to pursue. She was pushed to follow her intellectual interests, as well as play sports, an endeavor dominated by boys. Her mother's difficult past inspired Clinton's work as a politician. "Learning about my mother's childhood sparked my strong conviction that every child deserves a chance to live up to her God-given potential," Clinton said in her memoir. Another big influence was her childhood minister Don Jones, who exposed Clinton to the social issues of the day — taking her and her church youth group in 1962 to hear civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. speak in Chicago. "He gave us a worldview that we didn't have before," Ricketts said of Jones' efforts to expose Park Ridge's middle class children to the larger world. Clinton maintained ties with Jones until his death in 2009, and considered him a major influence. She also still maintains contact with several of her childhood friends in Park Ridge. "She's very much the same person, especially with all of her high school friends," said Mike Andrews, who attended Maine South High School with Clinton. But the impact of decades in the public eye, and the various controversies swirling around her including the revived FBI interest in her use of a private email server while at the State Department, have taken a toll on her image, even in the city where she grew up. Earlier this year, in her first visit to Park Ridge in more than a decade, Clinton drew hundreds of supporters, but also some protesters. "Traditionally, this has been a Republican town, and there are people here who are diehard Republicans," longtime resident Teresa Nuccio told the Chicago Tribune at the time. "Being from Park Ridge doesn't necessarily mean everyone will support you." (AFP)

Hillary Clinton's childhood, and how it shaped her politics

<p>Donald Trump is the Republican Party nominee for the President of the United States in the 2016 election.</p>

<p>A business magnate, Trump is at the helm of Trump Organization, focusing mainly on real estate ventures.</p>

<p>Trump&#39;s presidential campaign has brought forth his strong position against unlawful immigration.</p>

<p>To make America safe, Trump argues for stringent refugee policy, limiting entry of Muslims from countries with a proven history of terrorism.</p>

<p>Trump wants re-negotiation of fair trade deals to create American jobs, increase American wages and reduce America&#39;s trade deficit.</p>

<p>He has been particularly critical of NAFTA and US&#39;s current trade dynamics with China.</p>

<p>He proposes a &nbsp;pro-growth tax plan and envisions an energy-independent US that will feel no need to import energy from the OPEC cartel or any nations hostile to American interests.</p>

<p>Increasing the size of the US army and enhancing the country&#39;s cyber defence capacity have been core planks of Trump&#39;s defense strategy.</p>

<p>His&nbsp;hairstyle, as much as his comments, has&nbsp;attracted media attention in the recent past.</p>


Real estate mogul-turned-politician, Republican Donald Trump has been controversy's favourite child this election season

Donald Trump is the Republican Party nominee for the President of the United States in the 2016 election. A business magnate, Trump is at the helm of Trump Organization, focusing mainly on real estate ventures. Trump's presidential campaign has brought forth his strong position against unlawful immigration. To make America safe, Trump argues for stringent refugee policy, limiting entry of Muslims from countries with a proven history of terrorism. Trump wants re-negotiation of fair trade deals to create American jobs, increase American wages and reduce America's trade deficit. He has been particularly critical of NAFTA and US's current trade dynamics with China. He proposes a pro-growth tax plan and envisions an energy-independent US that will feel no need to import energy from the OPEC cartel or any nations hostile to American interests. Increasing the size of the US army and enhancing the country's cyber defence capacity have been core planks of Trump's defense strategy. His hairstyle, as much as his comments, has attracted media attention in the recent past.

Who is Donald Trump?

<p>Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the Democratic Party nominee for the President of the United States in the 2016 election.</p>

<p>She has been the 67th US secretary of state as well as the country&#39;s First Lady from 1993 to 2001.</p>

<p>In the latter capacity, she worked towards improving the national health care system.</p>

<p>As the presidential candidate, Clinton promises paid family and medical leave as well as universal, quality, affordable health care for everyone.</p>

<p>Hillary promises an economy that works for everyone; her election agenda talks about a fair tax system where the &#39;Wall Street must work for Main Street.&#39;</p>

<p>Along with sticking with old allies of US and building stronger ties with Cuba, Hillary is against Iran&#39;s nuclear empowerment.</p>

<p>For Hillary, the issue of climate change has been a real threat, with the potential to jeopardise America&#39;s security and economy.</p>

<p>In matters of justice and equality, Hillary promises a pathway to full and equal citizenship through immigration reforms, while working towards protecting the rights of workers, women and LGBT communities.</p>

<p>Her recent uber expensive haircut while adding to her charm has whipped up a lot of media interests.&nbsp;</p>


Former first lady and the 67th US secretary of state, Democrat Hillary Clinton is not new to the world of politics

Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the Democratic Party nominee for the President of the United States in the 2016 election. She has been the 67th US secretary of state as well as the country's First Lady from 1993 to 2001. In the latter capacity, she worked towards improving the national health care system. As the presidential candidate, Clinton promises paid family and medical leave as well as universal, quality, affordable health care for everyone. Hillary promises an economy that works for everyone; her election agenda talks about a fair tax system where the 'Wall Street must work for Main Street.' Along with sticking with old allies of US and building stronger ties with Cuba, Hillary is against Iran's nuclear empowerment. For Hillary, the issue of climate change has been a real threat, with the potential to jeopardise America's security and economy. In matters of justice and equality, Hillary promises a pathway to full and equal citizenship through immigration reforms, while working towards protecting the rights of workers, women and LGBT communities. Her recent uber expensive haircut while adding to her charm has whipped up a lot of media interests.

Who is Hillary Clinton?

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