The clash between Republicans and Democrats began even before the start of Wednesday's final presidential debate in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 built a wall of taco trucks to protest the wall that Republican Party presidential candidate Donald Trump wants to build along the U.S./Mexico border.
“We bring a lot of Tacos and we have the wall because Mr. Trump has been insulting the immigrants in this country. He doesn’t understand this country has been built by immigrants. He needs to understand the wall is not a wall for separation. It’s a wall for unity for us,” said the union’s Geoconda Arguello Kline.
The union has been encouraging Las Vegas residents to vote for Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton.
Angry immigrants
“As an immigrant he called me rapist, he called me drug addict, criminal. I’m not happy. Because I’m a single mother. I raised my kids in this country. My daughter is in the Navy. My granddaughter is in the Air Force. We’re very proud to be in Americas,” said union member Carmen Llarull.
In the midst of the protest, a small handful of Trump supporters decided to make their voices heard, while being followed by loud Clinton supporters to drown out the supporters of Trump.
“I’m trying to make a comment but I have bird-doggers making all sorts of noise behind me intentionally,” said Tian Wang, founder of Chinese Americans for Trump.
Immigrants for Trump
A Chinese immigrant, Wang said there are six thousand members within his group, and they are voting against Hillary Clinton.
“Trump’s core vales are more in line with Republican values, which are kind of in line with Chinese American values. We treasure education. We care about security. We don’t want to get shot by terrorist people. Obama has failed to protect us from ISIS.”
“He’s the only candidate who isn’t bought by Wall Street, by corporations by super PACS. He is a candidate by and for the people,” said Nestor Moto Jr., another Trump supporter at the anti-Trump rally.
A few kilometers away, Clinton and Trump supporters rallied outside on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where the debate was being held. The presidential candidates inside the debate hall make one last effort to sway undecided voters.
Rigged election?
One topic that kept coming up in the Spin Room after the debate was Trump’s comment that he doesn’t know if he’ll concede if Clinton wins the election.
“There’s been a constant barrage of things that are inappropriate as it relates to some of our electoral process across our state. Dead people being registered, people voting that should not be voting, so I think it calls into question. And this is an American voting process not a party process. If there’s something that have the appearance of impropriety I think it’s a fair question to challenge that,” said Bruce Levell, Executive Director of the National Diversity Coalition for Trump.
Clinton supporters however, were outraged by the suggestion that the election is rigged.
“That was the worst things I’ve ever heard as an American citizen in my life. If you’re a presidential candidate and you don’t trust the outcome, if you don’t believe in American democracy? Why are you running for president,” asked Clinton supporter and entrepreneur Mark Cuban.
Who won the debate?
As to who won the final round of the debate? Answers are complete opposites in the spin room.
“I thought she crushed him,” Cuban said of Clinton.
“Donald J. Trump, absolutely, hands down,” said Levell.
Voters will make the final judgment in November.
