Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has taken aim at supporters of Republican rival Donald Trump, saying half of them belong in a “basket of deplorables” as people who are racist, homophobic, sexist, xenophobic, or Islamophobic.
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“Last night I was “grossly generalistic, ‘ and that’s never a good idea. I regret saying ‘half” – that was wrong”, Clinton said in a statement released by her campaign.
Hillary Clinton insulted a huge swath of the American public on Friday after she for months portrayed herself as a “uniter” and bashed Trump for his “name-calling rhetoric”.
On one hand there is Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton and on the other there is Donald John Trump on the race for the white house.
Speaking at an evening fundraiser in NY, the former USA secretary of state said Trump had given voice to hateful rhetoric from such individuals through his behavior as a candidate for the White House.
She told 1,000 lesbian, “gay”, bisexual and transgender donors in NY that half of Trump supporters hold hateful views that put them in a “basket of deplorables”, calling them “irredeemable”.
The remarks in front of the LGBT crowd echoed Mrs. Clinton’s previous dismissals of the people who support the Republican nominee, but this time she put a number on it.
Clinton went on to say that such supporters are “not America” and “irredeemable”.
Surprisingly, Clinton is even struggling with Hispanic voters despite Trump’s racially charged campaign. “Those are people we have to understand and empathize with, as well”.
“I’m determined to bring our country together and make our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top”, she said. “If he doesn’t respect all Americans, how can he serve all Americans?” The remarks have been harshly criticized by Republicans and Trump supporters.
While Clinton is taking heat for her comment, Trump’s brand is controversy.
Trump, 70, fired back, first calling her comments “INSULTING” on Twitter and then issuing an angry statement.
She later added, “Hillary, placing people in ‘baskets, ‘ slandering them but admitting after 8 yrs, they are “desperate for change”.
His Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, is also attending. Clinton is now leading Trump by less than 3 percentage points – 45.6% to 42.9% – down from 9 points right after the Democratic National Convention in July.
The alt-right movement, defined by the Southern Poverty Law Center as groups or individuals whose ideals center on “white identity”, once existed in underground online communities but has come to the forefront of the presidential election due to its proximity to the Trump campaign.
The ad, titled “Agree”, features clips of GOP leaders criticizing the business mogul in interviews and on news programs.
Mr. Trump and his supporters quickly pounced on the remark.
Many of Clinton’s fundraisers have been closed to the media, but not the one on Friday night.
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Stephen Bannon CEO of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s campaign is pictured during a round table with the Republican Leadership Initiative at Trump Tower in the Manhattan borough of NY, U.S., August 25, 2016.
