New York Republicans and even some Democrats called Hillary Clinton’s characterization of Donald Trump’s backers as a bigoted “basket of deplorables” a major blunder that will badly damage her already-faltering campaign.
“It’s Exhibit A of her political incompetence,” a prominent Democratic operative who strongly supports Clinton told The Post.
“I think a lot of Democratic strategists are in a state of disbelief at how clunky Hillary’s campaign has been.
“It’s been a year-and-a-half and she still can’t answer the goddamn email question, and despite outspending Trump by huge amounts, she’s losing ground to him every day and the race is tightening,” said the operative.
While Clinton tried early Saturday to walk back her comments by calling them “grossly generalistic” and saying she regrets putting “half” of Trump’s supporters in the category of bigots, one of her top operatives, Mary Jennings, hours later sent key Clinton surrogates a “talking points” memo making clear the controversy wasn’t expected to end soon.
The 10-point memo, a copy of which was obtained by The Post, gave the surrogates suggested answers to a range of questions involving Clinton’s remark including one under the heading of “if pushed” and another labeled “only if asked.”
That one dealt with the seemingly contradictory statement by Clinton running mate Tim Kaine that he didn’t think she needed to apologize for her comments — right before she did.
The memo suggests Clinton surrogates respond that Kaine was, in fact, only “making the point that she didn’t need to apologize for calling out that Donald Trump has given a platform to the alt-right and its deplorable views.”
Leading New York Trump supporters said Clinton won’t be able to escape serious political damage as a result of her comments.
“At a multimillion-dollar Wall Street fundraiser with Hollywood celebrities, Hillary Clinton could not have demonstrated more contempt and arrogance towards the majority of working Americans who want change,” said Trump’s New York pollster, longtime GOP strategist John McLaughlin.
“If she keeps this up heading to Election Day, Donald Trump will only have to play this Hillary clip in his ads and the Republican Party will have Hillary as our best weapon to turn out voters,” McLaughlin said.
State GOP Chairman Ed Cox, saying, “Oh, my God,’’ when asked about Clinton’s remarks, claimed her “bigoted, intolerant and insulting statement has thrown a huge amount of kerosene on an already grassroots fire here in New York for Donald Trump.”
“I’m hearing it from people across the state, and if the media is being honest, then her remarks should get the attention that Mitt Romney’s off-hand comment about 47 percent of the people being dependent on government got. But this is worse since it was a very considered comment by her,” Cox said.