Hillary Clinton on Wednesday laughed off any suggestion that Donald Trump is finally pivoting and becoming “more responsible” amid a controversial campaign shakeup, arguing that the Republican nominee is the same person he’s been since he launched his presidential bid. “Friends don’t let friends vote for Trump”.
Advertisement
“It’s nice to see Breitbart and Trump make it official that this is going on”, she said.
But for Trump, the addition of Conway-and Bannon-are surefire ways to do that. Trump, a NY real estate developer and former reality TV host, has largely been unable to extend his reach beyond white middle-class voters who pack his rallies.
The staff changes, first reported in the Wall Street Journal, mark the second time in two months Trump has shifted the leadership in his campaign. But Manafort won’t have the same authority he once did: According to anonymous aides who spoke with The Washington Post, Wednesday’s changes leave Manafort with a “diminished” role, “due to Trump’s unhappiness and restlessness in recent weeks over his drop in the polls and reports over lagging organization in several key states”.
Since then, he has faced a barrage of criticism from Republicans over his campaign style and his refusal to stick to a policy message.
He came under fire for his prolonged feud with the Muslim family of a USA soldier who was killed in the line of duty in Iraq and for his unfounded accusation that President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were co-founders of the ISIS terrorist group.
And in June, he fired campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and replaced him with Paul Manafort in anticipation of a pivot for the general election that never occurred.
Trump has long resisted pleas from fellow Republicans to overhaul the flame-throwing approach on the campaign trail that powered his surge to the top of the GOP field in the primary season.
Another sworn foe of Trump, Bill Kristol of National Review, said the Trump campaign was descending “even lower into the gutter” by involving Bannon and the recently ousted Fox News chief Roger Ailes. She suggested that they sought to protect Lewandowski and Trump. “He keeps telling us who he is, it is time we believe him”.
“She is knowledgeable, and she is knee-deep in Republican politics”, Ordille said. Everyone talks about, ‘Oh, well you’re going to pivot, you’re going to.’ I don’t want to pivot.
Conway, a longtime Republican strategist and pollster, joined Trump’s campaign earlier this year as a senior adviser and quickly earned Trump’s trust. Instead of working to broaden his appeal, Trump has largely hewed to the large rallies and attention-grabbing comments that appealed to the Republican Party base. “This race is going to be close in the end, but he does need to tighten up his performance”.
Conway first met Trump in 2006, when she was on the condo board of Trump Tower in New York City. She said she doesn’t like Trump’s habit of calling rivals and critics crude names.
Conway has worked to improve the Republican Party’s standing with women voters and to push back on the Democratic accusations that Republicans are waging a “war on women”.
Manafort said in the campaign press release that the new staffers would “undoubtedly help take the campaign to new levels of success”. Manafort denied any impropriety in a statement on Monday. “He has also discussed the possibility of launching a “mini-media conglomerate” outside of his existing TV-production business, Trump Productions LLC”.
What is their relationship with Trump?
Trump was scheduled to receive an intelligence briefing on Wednesday afternoon from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, a US government source said. “I am committed to doing whatever it takes to win this election, and ultimately become president”, he said.
Advertisement
Intelligence officials brief the nominees on foreign policy and national security issues but do not disclose ultra-sensitive information about ongoing US undercover spy operations, or about the identities of intelligence sources and methods.
