Hillary Clinton says Trump’s stance is a threat to democracy

Hillary Clinton has described Donald Trump's suggestion that he would not concede if he lost the US presidential election as a "direct threat to our democracy", while her rival continued to insist that the system was "rigged".

Speaking at a rally in Philadelphia on Saturday night, Democratic contender for the White House Ms Clinton said the US always had a "peaceful transfer of power" and that "that is the difference between the rule of law and the rule of strong men".

During the closing days of the race, the former US first lady and secretary of state is trying to stress a positive, unifying vision.

In a nod to the frustrations of many who support her Republican rival, she said “anger is not a plan” and that she would deal with their “legitimate concerns” as president.

She told reporters on her plane in Pittsburgh that after three debates she "doesn't even think about responding" to Mr Trump any more and she was "going to let the American people decide what he offers and what we offer".

“He can say whatever he wants to. He can run his campaign however he wants to. He can go off on tangents.

“He can go to Gettysburg and say he’s going to sue women who’ve made accusations against him,” she said.

Ms Clinton said she would talk about what the next president should do and hoped voters made their choice based on that.

Trump rallies

Meanwhile, in Cleveland, Ohio, and Virginia Beach, Virginia, huge crowds greeted billionaire businessman Mr Trump as he visited the battleground states.

Speaking at the I-X Centre in Cleveland, he claimed the election could be influenced by widespread voter fraud, despite election officials and academics insisting that this is incorrect.

Mr Trump is painting the election as a choice between change and more of the same under Ms Clinton.

He also vowed to sue every woman who had accused him of sexual assault or other inappropriate behaviour.

He called the women "liars" and said that the allegations were orchestrated by Democrats during a speech in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Though his campaign had billed the speech as a chance for him to lay out a to-do list for his first 100 days as president, he seemed unable to restrain himself from reiterating grievances with Ms Clinton, the media and the women who have come forward in recent days to accuse his of sexual assault.

“All of these liars will be sued once the election is over,” he said.

He later added: “I look so forward to doing that.”

Nearly a dozen women have publicly accused Mr Trump of unwanted advances or sexual assault in the weeks since the emergence of a 2005 recording in which the former reality TV star boasted of kissing women and groping their genitals without their consent.

The latest accused came forward on Saturday.

The adult film actor Jessica Drake said he kissed her and two other women on the lips "without asking for permission" when they met him after a golf tournament in 2006.

Mr Trump has denied all the allegations, while insisting some of the women were not attractive enough for him to want to pursue.

“Every woman lied when they came forward to hurt my campaign,” he said.

Without offering evidence, he surmised that Ms Clinton or the Democratic National Committee had put the women up to it.

AP