This race shouldn’t be close. But it is. Why? Because, IMHO, the Clinton Campaign had an incredibly powerful message to attract working-class voters, but decided not to use it.
Virtually every commercial and everything thrown out by the campaign against Trump that I’ve seen falls under one of two themes: (1) He doesn’t respect women. And (2) He is emotionally unfit to be Commander-In Chief. Both effective, and both powerful.
But the campaign, for whatever reason, neglected to launch their strongest argument, the one that goes right to the heart of Trump’s claims of legitimacy and directly to a lot of his supporters: He’s a deadbeat who stiffs everybody. Virtually every small business that ever provided a service. The workers. Oh, and every American who shoulders the load b/c this guy never pays taxes. People hate that. Can you just imagine the power of that argument if only the Clinton campaign had exploited it? Trotting out people who can speak first-hand to how Trump ripped them off. It would remove the only real claim for legitimacy that Trump had–that he’s a great businessman who will Make America Great Again in the manner that he built his Great Company. If people don’t pay their obligations, nothing works. Trump’s entire career is based on not paying what he agreed to pay, and/or not paying anything at all. And also by declaring bankruptcy where everyone except for Trump himself is left holding the bag.
Over the years, the R’s have gone right after Democratic candidates’ perceived strengths, like, for example, John Kerry’s military service (You do remember the Swift Boaters, don’t you?). It’s not like the D’s would create a strategy that hadn’t existed before. And it would have the added benefit of being true.
The failure of the Clinton campaign to exploit this is political malpractice of the highest order. Should she lose, and even should she win, the failure to engage on this issue will have political consequences. Including down-ballot Senate races that could have swung our way if only this argument had been made. I think it’s due to the insularity of Clinton and her campaign advisers which, BTW, does not bode well for her time in the White House, should she get there.
But, whatever the reason, it’s inexcusable.