Trump Strikes First: Clinton Speech Tying Me To Racist Alt-Right A ‘Distraction’

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally in Manchester, N.H., Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Donald Trump lashed out at Hillary Clinton on Thursday shortly before her she was scheduled to give a speech linking him to the nationalist, pro-white “alt-right” movement, calling it “one of the most brazen attempts at distraction in the history of politics.”

Trump told a crowd in Manchester, New Hampshire, that Clinton’s speech would unfairly “smear” as racists the “millions of decent Americans” who support his campaign.

“It’s the oldest play in the Democratic playbook,” Trump said. “When Democratic policies fail, they are left with only this one tired argument. You’re racist, you’re racist, you’re racist. They keep saying it. You’re racist. It’s a tired, disgusting argument. And it’s so totally predictable.”

Trump has taken a newfound interest in courting the support of minorities, telling black and Latino voters that Democratic politicians use them for their votes. He went so far as to call Clinton a “bigot” in a speech on Wednesday.

The Democratic nominee will give an address Thursday afternoon in Reno, Nevada, highlighting Trump’s support from white supremacists and anti-immigrant advocates.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. This line of argument is only going to work with other racist.

  2. Avatar for cmj cmj says:

    Oh you know, just your everyday presidential campaign where one person has to defend themselves against the fact that they aren’t racist.

  3. KKK: Trump is not and will never be a racist. He is pure, just like us.

  4. It’s not a smear when ur words and actions shows what she says to be true

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

23 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for lestatdelc Avatar for ajaykalra Avatar for kendyzdad Avatar for srfromgr Avatar for trnc Avatar for renatastar Avatar for counter_coulter Avatar for sniffit Avatar for daveyjones64 Avatar for libboomer Avatar for johnrm Avatar for keychung Avatar for cmj Avatar for maxaroo Avatar for musgrove Avatar for bosfarcal Avatar for khaaannn Avatar for pine Avatar for pshah Avatar for timg Avatar for ncgirl741 Avatar for dannydorko Avatar for mor_a_les

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: