Republicans to Trump: Keep Lewinsky out of it
GOP senators say Trump should focus on the economy, not Bill Clinton's infidelities.
Republican lawmakers have some advice for Donald Trump and his surrogates as they openly mull bringing up President Bill Clinton's infidelity at the next presidential debate: Don’t do it.
GOP senators who’ve finally grown more comfortable with Trump warned in interviews Wednesday that descending into Bill Clinton’s sexual past is dangerous territory for the GOP nominee, who has his own less-than-pristine history when it comes to his commitment to the sanctity of marriage. Better to stick to, say, the economy, the pols suggested.
“That’s a distraction away from the high ground he’s got. I think talking about the economy and about how the Democrats have failed the economy and the working poor is our high ground,” said Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.), who’s turned into a major Trump supporter. “All of this [about Bill Clinton] really doesn’t matter. People back home are concerned about the economy and security issues.”
“I”ve never been in favor of that and I’m still not,” added Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). “It’s a distraction to the big issues out there that we’ve got to face.”
Congressional Republicans have a lot riding on Trump’s debate performances: The closer he stays to Clinton in the polls, the more likely the GOP is to hold the Senate and avoid heavy losses in the House. Conversely, if Trump raises Bill Clinton's infidelities and it backfires, Democrats may well start salivating anew about taking over the Senate.
08_donald_trump_113_ap_1160.jpg
Trump calls out Clinton's 'unserious' campaign
By Nolan D. McCaskill
“I hope he doesn’t,” said Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the Senate GOP’s campaign chairman. “He oughta stick to how he’s going to make life better for the average American worker.”
Clinton’s surrogates wouldn't seem to mind if Trump follows through on his threat. It would allow them to bring up Trump’s own infidelities and crass talk about women and sex over more than two decades, a contrast the party believes would hurt Trump far more than it would hurt Clinton.
"He's got a problem not just with women but with people who care about women," said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). "He's going to lose a lot of those voters and those voters aren't just progressives."
Trump has repeatedly mused about bringing up Monica Lewinsky — who in 2014 criticized Hillary Clinton for a "blame the Woman" reaction to the affair — but said he didn’t do so at the first debate so as to not to offend Chelsea Clinton. But he and his surrogates have kept the chatter going.
On Wednesday, Eric Trump said it took “courage” for his father to resist raising the issue. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) argued on TV that Hillary Clinton should not have been so “vindictive” toward women alleged to have had affairs with Bill Clinton. And deputy campaign manager David Bossie said on Fox News that Hillary Clinton was an "enabler" of Bill Clinton.
GOP senators say Trump should focus on the economy, not Bill Clinton's infidelities.
Republican lawmakers have some advice for Donald Trump and his surrogates as they openly mull bringing up President Bill Clinton's infidelity at the next presidential debate: Don’t do it.
GOP senators who’ve finally grown more comfortable with Trump warned in interviews Wednesday that descending into Bill Clinton’s sexual past is dangerous territory for the GOP nominee, who has his own less-than-pristine history when it comes to his commitment to the sanctity of marriage. Better to stick to, say, the economy, the pols suggested.
“That’s a distraction away from the high ground he’s got. I think talking about the economy and about how the Democrats have failed the economy and the working poor is our high ground,” said Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.), who’s turned into a major Trump supporter. “All of this [about Bill Clinton] really doesn’t matter. People back home are concerned about the economy and security issues.”
“I”ve never been in favor of that and I’m still not,” added Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). “It’s a distraction to the big issues out there that we’ve got to face.”
Congressional Republicans have a lot riding on Trump’s debate performances: The closer he stays to Clinton in the polls, the more likely the GOP is to hold the Senate and avoid heavy losses in the House. Conversely, if Trump raises Bill Clinton's infidelities and it backfires, Democrats may well start salivating anew about taking over the Senate.
08_donald_trump_113_ap_1160.jpg
Trump calls out Clinton's 'unserious' campaign
By Nolan D. McCaskill
“I hope he doesn’t,” said Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the Senate GOP’s campaign chairman. “He oughta stick to how he’s going to make life better for the average American worker.”
Clinton’s surrogates wouldn't seem to mind if Trump follows through on his threat. It would allow them to bring up Trump’s own infidelities and crass talk about women and sex over more than two decades, a contrast the party believes would hurt Trump far more than it would hurt Clinton.
"He's got a problem not just with women but with people who care about women," said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). "He's going to lose a lot of those voters and those voters aren't just progressives."
Trump has repeatedly mused about bringing up Monica Lewinsky — who in 2014 criticized Hillary Clinton for a "blame the Woman" reaction to the affair — but said he didn’t do so at the first debate so as to not to offend Chelsea Clinton. But he and his surrogates have kept the chatter going.
On Wednesday, Eric Trump said it took “courage” for his father to resist raising the issue. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) argued on TV that Hillary Clinton should not have been so “vindictive” toward women alleged to have had affairs with Bill Clinton. And deputy campaign manager David Bossie said on Fox News that Hillary Clinton was an "enabler" of Bill Clinton.
