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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. presidential election (all times EDT): 1:05 p.m. Donald Trump is praising former Israeli leader Shimon Peres as "a consummate statesman, a distinguished patriot and a friend of peace-loving people everywhere." The Republican presidential nominee says in a statement issued by his campaign Wednesday that Peres was "a visible and highly effective patriarch" to the people of Israel whose "life always pointed toward peace." Peres died Tuesday. The statement said Peres, a former president and prime minister "personified dignity and grace in a region of the world where both run far too short." Trump and his wife, Melania, extended their condolences to Peres' family. ___ 1 p.m. Michelle Obama is using a Hillary Clinton rally to denounce Donald Trump's role in the birther movement. The first lady said questions about her husband's citizenship can't be swept under the rug "by an insincere sentence uttered at a press conference." She didn't mention Trump by name, but that was clearly a reference to the Republican nominee's brief statement this month finally acknowledging that Obama was born in the United States. Mrs. Obama said the birther movement raised "hurtful, deceitful questions" aimed at undermining her husband's presidency. She said the president has answered those questions "by going high when they go low." The first lady said the next president "just can't pop off or lash out irrationally." Mrs. Obama was campaigning at LaSalle University in Philadelphia. ___ 11:45 a.m. Donald Trump is pledging if elected to work with Poland to strengthen NATO. Trump is speaking to Polish-Americans in Chicago. He's praising Poland for paying its fair share to collective defense under NATO. Trump had been criticized earlier in the campaign for describing NATO as obsolete and questioning the U.S. commitment to the alliance. But Trump says he's helping NATO by putting pressure on it to focus on terrorism. Trump also touched on other campaign themes, promising he'll be the "greatest president for jobs that God ever created." ___ 11 a.m. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign is airing its first television ad featuring Michelle Obama. The first lady says in the 30-second ad that Clinton is the best candidate to help America's children. She says "our children watch everything we do" and Clinton would be a president "our kids can look up to." Clinton has made the case that rival Donald Trump doesn't have the temperament to be president. The ad is airing ahead of Mrs. Obama's campaign events Wednesday in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The first lady will urge voters to register before the Oct. 11 registration deadline. ___ 10:10 a.m. Former Republican senator John Warner is panning Donald Trump as disrespectful of the military and woefully unprepared to be commander in chief. Warner is a five-term Virginia senator, veteran and former Secretary of the Navy. He was appearing with Hillary Clinton's running mate, Tim Kaine, in Virginia to endorse the Democratic ticket. Warner said he's weighing in because he's "distressed" by Trump's comments that the military is in bad shape. He said Clinton is deeply prepared to be president, citing their time together on the Senate Armed Services Committee. He said above all, Clinton is respectful of the military. He added: "That's one word that's totally lacking on the other side." This is Warner's first time endorsing a Democrat for president. He endorsed a Democrat for senator in 2014. ___ 9:50 a.m. Former Republican Sen. John Warner of Virginia says Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine is a longtime friend who "exemplifies what this country needs." The five-term senator was formally endorsing Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her running mate at an event in Virginia, also Kaine's home state. Kaine and Warner warmly recalled their friendship. Warner is a friend of Kaine's father-in-law, former Republican Virginia Gov. Linwood Holton. Warner said he first appeared on behalf of Kaine when Kaine ran for the Richmond city council decades ago. Kaine told the crowd that he called Warner for advice when deciding to run for Senate in 2012. He's praising Warner as a politician who has "always put country and commonwealth above everything else." ___ 9:20 a.m. President Barack Obama says people don't give Hillary Clinton enough credit — perhaps partially because she's a woman. Obama was speaking in an interview with radio host Steve Harvey airing Wednesday. He said he's been frustrated at people's reluctance to give Clinton credit. He said it's partially because "she's been around a long time" and possibly because there hasn't been a female president before. Obama said his legacy is on the ballot this year. He said everything his administration has accomplished in the last eight years is at stake. The president said Trump "basically admitted" in the first debate that he didn't pay taxes. He said Trump admitted he didn't pay people who worked for him. Obama accused Trump of insulting women during and after the debate. ___ 7:35 a.m. Hillary Clinton is trying to build on her widely praised debate performance by making a direct appeal to younger voters. Clinton is campaigning Wednesday in New Hampshire with Bernie Sanders. It's their first joint campaign appearance since their "unity" rally after Sanders endorsed Clinton. She's struggled to win over the young voters whose enthusiasm drove his primary campaign. Donald Trump is claiming that the debate was a success for him, too. His campaign is celebrating what it says is about $18 million Republicans raised in the day after the debate. Trump is campaigning in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. Clinton's campaign is also dispatching Michelle Obama to campaign for her in Pennsylvania. The first lady has been one of the most effective campaigners for Democrats this year. ___ 3:05 a.m. Donald Trump is refusing to release his tax returns. But he has turned them over when he stood to make a profit, needed a loan or when a judge forced him. No one who's seen those documents is allowed to say what's in them. In all the cases reviewed by The Associated Press, each person, organization, company or government office that has seen copies of Trump's tax returns is barred from discussing their contents. That leaves the public with only glimpses into what his tax returns contain. Trump faces increased criticism from Democrat Hillary Clinton to release his tax returns after he said during the presidential debate that he was smart for not paying federal income taxes in some years. Since 1976, every major party nominee has released their returns.

The Latest: Trump lauds Peres as 'consummate statesman'