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Man asks for book character to be named after ex-pupil who died in Grenfell Tower, public raises £20,000

James Clements asked that a character in author Philip Pullman’s coming book be named after his ex-pupil, and Grenfell victim, Nur Huda el-Wahabi.

clements Authors for Grenfell Authors for Grenfell

A CONTRIBUTOR TO a charitable cause set up in aid of the Grenfell Tower residents has seen his bid go through the roof after asking that a character in a book be named after someone he knew who died in the tragic blaze 12 days ago.

Hundreds of lots have been put up for auction, as part of London Writers Week, by renowned authors in order to raise money for the British Red Cross London Fire Relief Fund, for those affected by the fire.

At present the death toll from the fire stands at 79, but this figure is expected to greatly increase as it becomes clear who exactly was in the London tower block when the fire started on 14 June.

As part of the Authors for Grenfell Tower fundraising drive, writer Philip Pullman has auctioned the naming of a character in his forthcoming work The Book of Dust Part Two.

Late yesterday evening, James Clements donated £1,500, requesting that the character be named after a former pupil who had perished in the fire.

“I expect this will go for a lot more (and I hope it does), but here goes: £1500,” he wrote.

Tower block fire in London The charred shell of Grenfell Tower, three days after the blaze PA Wire / PA Images PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images

If this is still the leading bid on Tuesday, I’d like to call the character Nur Huda el-Wahabi.
The real Nur Huda was an ex-pupil of mine who lived in Grenfell Tower and didn’t make it out of the building that night. A life that was so full of promise has been cut short in the most terrible way. As well as raising some money, this would mean her name would live on. Plus Nur Huda is a pretty cool name for a character.
Please outbid me by lots though – it’s an important cause.

Rather than outbid Clements however, those who have joined the auction have dedicated their bids to his cause.

That has seen nearly £18,000 raised from the one lot in a little over 12 hours, with nearly every bid joining that of Clements.

“£10 for this amazing tribute,” reads one donation.

“What an extraordinary story. Please add £100 from me to James Clements’s bid for Nur Huda el-Wahabi to be a character in the second part of The Book Of Dust,” reads another.

The auction concludes tomorrow.

Read: 60 high-rise buildings across the UK have failed fire safety tests

Read: An Irish photographer has captured the aftermath of Grenfell Tower

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    Mute Val
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:55 AM

    If by ‘won’ you mean ‘rigged’ then yes she did. Bernie should have win fair and square but the Wiki leaks email archives show us that they were actively conspiring against him this whole time, it’s no surprise people are currently protesting this at the convention.

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    Mute Anto Curran
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:01 AM

    Exactly the same thing happened with the republicans but in that case it didn’t work. They favored another candidate, they all do it every election. Why the outrage now?

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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:08 AM

    people forgot the past fairly quickly and presume this is doing something novel

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    Mute Drew TheChinaman :)
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:09 AM

    Explain to me spoilt little child…Rigged it how exactly?

    Apparently to voice your opinion within the party regarding the unsuitability of the of another candidate is ‘rigged’ it in Hillary’s favor…

    If anything I would think stealing and releasing party officials email in an attempt to launch a smear campaign would be the unsavory or unethical action here.

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    Mute Tommy Gunn
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:20 AM

    “people forget the past fairly quickly” Ok so move along, ignore the corruption within the Democrat party and the collaboration between the party and mainstream media all exposed by these emails.

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    Mute Drew TheChinaman :)
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:43 AM

    Do you listen to yourself?

    Why would she want people voting Sanders? Sanders didn’t want people voting for Clinton. That’s how an election works.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:56 AM

    Séan, New York primaries have always been that way. They didn’t change. Also, they declared for Hillary before the race began because Bernie had been a Democrat for about a week by then

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    Mute Val
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    Jul 27th 2016, 12:28 PM

    Drew you are not making an iota of sense!

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jul 27th 2016, 12:57 PM

    Séan, why should an independent voter have a say in the choice of candidate for a party they are not a member of?

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    Mute Seth Cheffetz
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    Jul 27th 2016, 2:19 PM

    @drew I think the point is she shouldn’t get to decide who can vote because they wouldn’t have voted for her.

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    Mute Anton Friendo
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    Jul 27th 2016, 3:33 PM

    Hillary is like a fortune telling machine on a holiday promenade

    You put enough money in and she will tell you what you want to hear

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    Mute Will Phillips
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:29 AM

    Bill Clinton: I choose other women over Hilary and so should you.

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    Mute Tommy Gunn
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:55 AM

    Whenever that man is portrayed in a positive light it’s important to try ignore the spin and remember the poor women he molested etc.

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    Mute rodrigo detriano
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:17 AM

    Molested!!! Christ sake. She was a consenting adult. If he had molested her, he would have been punished for it.

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    Mute Tommy Gunn
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:34 AM

    Juanita Broaddrick, Kathleen Willey, Paula Jones.

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    Mute Maurice Bourke
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:34 AM

    Rodrigo look it up, there was more than just Monica, the number is closer to 15 than to 1

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    Mute rodrigo detriano
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:40 AM

    Never substantiated

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    Mute rodrigo detriano
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:41 AM

    All speculation. No charges were ever brought! You can’t convict someone on

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    Mute rodrigo detriano
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:42 AM

    All rumours and stories that were never substantiated.

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    Mute Tommy Gunn
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:45 AM

    “Every survivor of sexual assault deserves to be heard, believed, and supported” — Hillary Clinton. https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/668597149291184128

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    Mute Ben McArthur
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:05 AM

    And Robert Maxwell was never convicted of fraud. Bill Clinton did, however, settle the Paula Jones lawsuit, paying her more money than she was actually asking for.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:08 AM

    Don’t forget that Trump was also accused of rape under oath.

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    Mute Will Phillips
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:33 AM
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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:54 AM

    Lawyer defends client. It’s the states job to ensure conviction not the defense attorney

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    Mute 3monkey
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    Jul 27th 2016, 12:24 PM

    Trump n Clinton are one and the same.Just corporate puppets.

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    Mute Alois Irlmaier
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    Jul 28th 2016, 1:27 AM

    Like Jill Stern?

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    Mute Ross Hemp
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:40 AM

    Who gives a fuk other than sexist feminists and right wing democrats. Hillary Clinton is part of a small group of people who are directly responsible for the Iraq war, a million dead people, and the current shitshow in the mid east which has accelerated Islamic terror around the world.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:12 AM

    How small do you think that group of people is? Everybody from Daddy Bush and W’s presidencys, the Senate on both occasions.

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    Mute Pavel Shipilov
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:35 AM

    “Crooked” Hillary won the nomination. Big deal.

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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:48 AM

    are you five years old? because thats who uses childish name calling

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    Mute Daragh8008
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:53 AM

    Will we have Michelle OBama running in a few years. Would probably be a better option than both Hillary and Donald.

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    Mute Robert Preston
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:12 AM

    Why would she be better than Trump or Clinton . What has she achieved ?

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:49 AM

    Clinton has achieved lots, it’s just that it’s mostly bad stuff. Maybe they need somebody who doesn’t achieve anything.

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    Mute Owen Slattery
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    Jul 27th 2016, 10:59 AM

    Michelle Obama tried to rescue children kidnapped by Boko Haram with a hashtag… hardly indicative of a great future president.

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    Mute Fergal McDonagh
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:53 AM

    I find it hilarious that anyone thinks that whoever gets elected is going to make a blind bit of difference. It won’t.

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    Mute Alan Mulcahy
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    Jul 27th 2016, 6:09 PM

    Just look at job growth under a Democrat versus a republican president and you will see that democratic policies are good for the economy and help individuals while republican policies cause stagnation.

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    Mute Chlorines72
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:28 AM

    This will be as good ad it gets for Hildabeast. Democrat party continues to implode as Trump continues to lead every major poll. Can’t wait for the debates :)

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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:34 AM

    hildabeast? name-calling is for playground bullies

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    Mute Ross Hemp
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:44 AM

    I bet you don’t mine name calling when Trump is the target, amirite?

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    Mute Chlorines72
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:47 AM

    Hopefully yoju’ll all get see two horns pop out of her head on live television during the debates. ‘Hildabeast’ will seem pretty apt.

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:55 AM

    Ross what names has Trump been called?

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    Mute emily davison
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:04 AM

    An oaf? An idiot? A dinosaur? Criticising Clinton is not mysoginist, even when it’s a bit vulgar. She’s been immune from criticism because if get gender for too long now, time to man up

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    Mute Tommy Gunn
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:08 AM

    I’ve seen people mock Trump about his hair and his skin tone quite frequently, if the same was done about Clintons appearance there would be howls of misogyny.

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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:12 AM

    two wrongs do not make a right

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    Mute Fergal McDonagh
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:48 AM

    But three rights make a left

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    Mute Jake Orb
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:56 AM
    40
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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:59 AM

    Nice source, they even take the time to point out that there’s an error in the dates but rest assured, your “neutral” source would never edit or sensationalise anything. Let alone the fact that the headline is not contained in the email

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    Mute Bairéid Rísteard
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:37 AM

    Illuminati 1 plebs 0 :)

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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:48 AM

    plebinati? 100!

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    Mute Joe McCormac
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:44 AM

    Go Hillary. Best candidate for the job. Really hope she wins in November.

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    Mute Val
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:53 AM

    Your joking I hope?

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    Mute Anto Curran
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:58 AM

    Trump is better????

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    Mute Jindrich Marz
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:07 AM

    Maybe Stein or Johnson?

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    Mute Drew TheChinaman :)
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:11 AM

    Same, inspiring women what she’s stood up to. I hope she takes it all the way.

    As the current First Lady said don’t let the bullies win.

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    Mute Val
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:52 AM

    You mean she ‘rigged’ the win

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    Mute Val
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:56 AM

    Posted this too soon and it was an error ignore!

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    Mute alphanautica
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:41 AM

    It’s amazing how America is falling for Trump. Then again GWB got in twice.

    I expect one presidential term of Trump, and if he does leave office and doesn’t decide (for people who love America) that he should continue as an unelected dictator, then it’ll be Eva Langoria or George Clooney.

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    Mute Tommy Gunn
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:57 AM

    They also fell for the Kenyan Muslim twice.

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:11 AM

    Tommy, are Muslims not allowed to run for office or something?

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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:22 AM

    Why do right wing religious nuts get everything wrong?? FFS

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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:33 AM

    this comments section will fill up with bile fairly quickly

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    Mute Seth Cheffetz
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:43 AM

    Much like Lance Armstrong, will history look back and invalidate her win after proof of cheating was discovered?

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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:10 AM

    history doesn’t look anywhere

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:14 AM

    Seth, nowhere is it mentioned that she was involved. Also, I have another theory, how dare the Democrats want a Democrat as their nominee!!!

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    Mute Seth Cheffetz
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    Jul 27th 2016, 10:02 AM

    @Dave they wanted it bad enough to subvert the democratic process it seems! I’m sure that’s going to work wonders for them.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jul 27th 2016, 10:35 AM

    I’m not saying it’s right by any stretch of the imagination. Bernie, who was the best candidate for presidency only got there by jumping on the DNC machine

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    Mute John Burke
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:21 AM

    I can’t believe the Americans are so fcuking dumb, Donald Trump is an egomaniac that can barely string a sentence together and Hittlery is a Zionist puppet who’ll willingly send pumped up teenagers and young men n women to the Middle East to get killed, them again is it true the President/Puppet has to swear an oath of allegiance to Israel ? due to their influence in the government.

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    Mute Paul Lane
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:30 AM

    A Goldman sucks HO

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    Mute Ben McArthur
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:45 AM

    “And if there are any little girls out there who stayed up late to watch, let me just say, I may become the first woman president but one of you is next.”

    If you’re a young or middle aged woman, you have no chance of being President. It’s all about meeee.

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    Mute james cullen
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:11 AM

    Never mind God bless America God help America.

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    Mute Conor Mac Manus
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:32 AM

    Give that woman a cigar!

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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:36 AM

    Unfortunately for her, Donald trump will be the next president. Showing showing the world just how gullible Americans can be.

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    Mute Jurgen Remak
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:44 AM

    Bill’s still able to charm and talk BS anyway! Still, the nomination is finally done and hopefully he can win Hillary a few votes in the swing states.

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    Mute Tommy Gunn
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:58 AM

    Ye there’s a trail of women in his wake who could tell you all about his “charm”.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jul 27th 2016, 9:15 AM

    Whereas old Donnie has been nothing but saintly to women. Assault, rape, misogyny, sexism, all accusations that were paid away

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    Mute Andy Cahalan
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:40 PM

    Oh really Dave?

    I’ve been digging on some of these complaints about Trump lately.

    You know the one legit case brought against him (from the 90′s) resulted in a recent statement from the victim completely exonerating him! but i’ll let you find that yourself.

    They would have loved to have tied him to Epstein scandal, too, but then it turned out to be a bigger problem for Billy boy. Let me know when it goes to court, already thrown out in one state.

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    Mute Graham Gilligan
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:45 AM

    So, The world’s greatest power and economy has two choices – fascist, racist Trump or Wall Street puppet and war monger Hillary. Just goes to show how gullible, idiotic and brainless the majority of voters are there.

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    Mute Derek
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    Jul 27th 2016, 11:55 AM

    Have you seen the rally and conventions? Flags waving glarey eyed fruitcakes screaming for what ever sociopath is on stage, bleating on about “Let’s make America great again ” and ” Hilary the powerful elegant first woman president” diatribe. There’s something not quiet right about any of it. Black v white, us v them mentality cheering on their favourite personality like it’s X factor competition they are at. I know the media has a large part to play in rallying support but perhaps it’s in the American psyche to be so easily led with blinkers ignoring the glaring flaws in their choice of candidates. Honestly there’s worrying global consequences having either candidate elected as President.

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    Mute jack napier
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    Jul 27th 2016, 11:33 AM

    She rigged the whole process , she’s a cheat and a liar

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jul 27th 2016, 12:59 PM

    She was in no way implicated in the emails

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    Mute AntiTreeHugger
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    Jul 27th 2016, 2:07 PM

    Trump Trumph Trumph!

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    Mute Vicko Aguilar
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:23 AM

    Between these 2 (Clinton-Trump). who is the worst? One of them will become president.

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    Mute Derek
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    Jul 27th 2016, 11:56 AM

    Scary thought

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    Mute Andy Cahalan
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    Jul 27th 2016, 7:32 PM

    Clitler is the worst. Any criticism or misdeeds of Donald Trump can’t even come close to her.

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    Mute Louth Noises
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    Jul 27th 2016, 8:24 PM

    That goose be goosed.

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