During a speech Monday to the National Guard of the United States, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump accused his Democratic counterpart of attacking, slandering, smearing and demeaning his supporters.
“Our support comes from every part of America, and every walk of life,” he said. “We have the support of cops and soldiers, carpenters and welders, the young and the old, and millions of working class families who just want a better future.
“These were the people Hillary Clinton so viciously demonized. These were among the countless Americans that Hillary Clinton called deplorable, irredeemable and un-American. She called these patriotic men and women every vile name in the book—she called them racist, sexist, xenophobic, and Islamaphobic.
“She called them a ‘basket of deplorables’ in both a speech and an interview. She divides people into baskets as though they were objects, not human beings.”
Trump said Clinton’s comments, made at a “high-dollar fundraiser in Wall Street,” allowed her wealthy donors to have a good laugh. But, he pointed out, that laughter was at the expense of the people who “pave the roads she drives on, paint the buildings she speaks in, and keep the lights on in her auditorium.”
“Hillary Clinton is an insider, supported by powerful insiders, attacking Americans who have no political power,” he said. “Hillary Clinton spoke with hatred and derision for the people who make this country run. She spoke with contempt for the people who thanklessly follow the rules, pay their taxes and scratch out a living for their families.
“While Hillary Clinton lives a sequestered life behind gates and walls and guards, she mocks and demeans hardworking Americans who only want their own families to enjoy a fraction of the security enjoyed by our politicians.
“After months of hiding from the press, Hillary Clinton has revealed her true thoughts. She revealed herself to be a person who looks down on the proud citizens of our country as subjects for her to rule over.”
Trump also noted the tactic isn’t a new one for Clinton, nor was it new for Democrats. Her remarks were “lengthy, planned and prepared,” and constituted the “most explicit attack on the American voter ever spoken by a majority party presidential nominee.”
“Clinton was using a very deliberate page from the Democratic Playbook—smearing someone with one of those names in order to scare them out of voting for change,” he said. “She just took it to a whole new level by applying it to tens of millions of people.”
During his speech, Trump also touched on the needs of the National Guard and how his administration would ensure they have the resources they need to do the job Americans ask of them. That meant equipping America’s citizen-soldiers with the “best, modern, state-of-the-art equipment in the world.”
“The National Guard is often the first and the last line of defense for our people,” he said. “You are there when the hurricanes and floods and tornadoes strike. You are there to protect civilians in times of unrest. You are there to respond to every natural disaster. You deserve a government that recognizes and honors your contribution, and that ensures you have the resources you need to get the job done.
“In a Trump Administration, the National Guard will always have a direct line to the Oval Office. You will have an administration that never loses sight of the vital contribution you make each and every day. You will have a president who supports, promotes and speaks up for the National Guard at every turn.
“The members of the National Guard have sacrificed life and limb for our freedom, our safety and our country. We will never forget our heroes, their families and the ones they’ve left behind. Our gratitude is everlasting.
“We will protect those who protect us.”
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