Rhetoric and Backlash: Both Candidates on the Attack
Donald Trump is in attack mode, again. He has recently given speeches and released new ads attacking Democratic candidate Hilary Clinton for commenting that half of Trump supporters are “deplorable.” The Clinton comments were made during a meeting at an LGBT event in New York.
USA Today reported that Clinton furthered her comments on Donald Trump and his supporters by saying, “He has given voice to their websites that used to only have 11,000 people — now have 11 million. He tweets and retweets their offensive, hateful, mean-spirited rhetoric.
Secretary Clinton immediately faced backlash after her Friday night comments. She released a statement saying, “last night I was ‘grossly generalistic,’” and “I regret saying ‘half’ — that was wrong.”
Trump’s latest ad is only the third of his campaign. The recent and corresponding apology from Mrs. Clinton did not satisfy the Republican Candidate. The New York Times reports, “The apology was not enough for Mr. Trump, who demanded to the thousands in the room that Mrs. Clinton retract her comments in full and apologize.”
“The Trump Campaign is putting $2 million behind the 30-second ad, which will air in Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Florida,” reports USA Today. These are constant battleground states in Presidential and are equally as important for each candidate. The Trump Campaign is hoping these ads will turn polls in his favor.
These comments come just days after the candidates participated in a controversial NBC forum event. Mrs. Clinton appeared to be on the defensive throughout the event, while Mr. Trump responded to question with vague answers.
Donald Trump said in press conferences that his supporters are “patriotic Americans who want their jobs and their families protected.” He also referenced his own good health.
Mr. Trump made questionable and infuriating comments during the Republican primary as well as in the general election. However, since a change of staff, Trump’s constant attacks have been far and few in between. His recent statements during the NBC forum garnered criticism for their vagueness.
The change in the Trump Campaign came after a long string of attacks against civilians and fellow Republicans. After much dissent from the GOP, Trump reorganized his plans while remaining in tune with global and national news. He has also made steps to further change his image. He was praised for his diplomatic approach to a meeting with President Pena last earlier this month.
Mrs. Clinton recently announced a slower approach to her campaign. Friday’s comments caused the Secretary Clinton to limit further discussion after the apology. Her recent Pneumonia diagnosis also caused her to postpone a trip to California.
A recent ABC News poll is showing some lag for Clinton supporters, which may have an impact on Election Day. Although the race is tightening and the polls are narrow The Washington Post reports that, “heading toward the first presidential debate on Sept. 26, Trump still appears to have the more challenging route to victory.”
With the first debate less than three weeks away, now is a critical time for both candidates. A large majority of polls show Secretary Clinton to have a lead over Mr. Trump, but only by a small margin. There have been no recent polls, but the events of the weekend may cause a shift in opinion.