US presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have kicked off a fierce general election battle, with Democrats accusing Trump of erratic behaviour and the Republican threatening to bring up old Clinton scandals.
Clinton, the former secretary of state, made history when she became the first woman to be a major political party's presidential candidate after primary election wins on Tuesday in California and elsewhere secured her victory over Democratic opponent Bernie Sanders.
If elected on November 8, the 68-year-old would return the Clinton family to the White House 16 years after her husband, Bill Clinton, completed two terms as president.
All signs point to a negative five month's of campaigning.
The Clinton campaign drew on critical comments from Republicans themselves to portray the 69-year-old Trump as not fit for the Oval Office after the real estate developer repeatedly accused a Mexican-American judge of showing bias against him because of his ethnic heritage.
Trump gave a carefully crafted primary race victory speech on Tuesday laying out his own plan of attack, using a Teleprompter to avoid his typical stream-of-consciousness delivery.
Trump said money given to the Clinton Foundation from foreign donors has earned the Clintons millions of dollars and influenced Clinton as secretary of state.
"Hillary Clinton turned the State Department into her private hedge fund - the Russians, the Saudis, the Chinese - all gave money to Bill and Hillary and got favourable treatment in return. It's a sad day in America when foreign governments with deep pockets have more influence in our own country than our great citizens," Trump said.
He said he would give a speech next week "discussing all of the things that have taken place with the Clintons".
A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Tuesday showed Clinton leading Trump by 10 percentage points nationally, little changed from a week earlier.
Both Clinton and Trump must unite their parties behind them but the Democrat appeared to face the easier path with Sanders, a leftist US senator from Vermont, nearly out of options to challenge her.
Trump has an uphill battle, with many party leaders still opposed to him.
US House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan described Trump's remarks about the judge as a "textbook definition of a racist comment" but said he would still support him.
Trump said on Wednesday he was "disappointed and surprised" by the charges of racism from Republicans.
Ryan met behind closed-doors on Wednesday with House Republicans, where they "discussed with his members the thinking behind his endorsement (of Trump) and how to move forward" an aide said.
Republicans complain that Trump still engages in petty battles with former rivals and is way behind in building a fund-raising organisation.
Hopes flickered among some anti-Trump Republicans that there will be a revolt against him when delegates convene to nominate him formally in Cleveland between July 18-21.
Democratic Party elites are lined up squarely behind Clinton, including most likely President Barack Obama, who may endorse her as early as this week.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Obama would not endorse until after he meets with Sanders on Thursday.
The president's eventual endorsement would put pressure on Sanders to exit graciously and throw his support to Clinton.
Sanders is also due to meet with Senate minority leader Harry Reid.
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