Democrats Pounce on Kelly Ayotte’s Comment About Trump as Role Model
Can one comment cost the GOP the Senate majority?
The GOP has recently gained momentum in its race to keep the majority in the Senate, but a slip of the tongue from incumbent Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) could bring everything down.
During her debate with her opponent Gov. Maggie Hassan, Ayotte told the moderator she considers GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump a role model:
“I think that certainly there are many role models that we have and I believe he can serve as president, and so absolutely I would do that,” she said awkwardly.
Democrats wasted no time jumping on her comments and using it to their advantage. It may just work
The Hill reported:
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee released a digital ad Tuesday that simply contains unedited footage of the moment, while liberal star Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) issued a stream of tweets ripping Ayotte.
“Think about it: @realDonaldTrump calls Latinos rapists, African Americans thugs, & women fat pigs, & Kelly Ayotte thinks he’s a role model,” Warren wrote in one of the tweets.
“You can’t walk this back. … [You] can’t support @realDonaldTrump’s agenda, say you’re voting for him, then pretend to shake your finger,” she added in another message.
Hassan scheduled a press call on Tuesday about the comment. She then released a web ad “featuring Ayotte’s response and juxtaposing it with Trump comments imitating a handicapped reporter, referring to a woman’s ‘fat, ugly face’ and describing Fox News’ Megyn Kelly as having ‘blood coming out of her wherever.'”
Ayotte attempted to walk back her answer:
“I misspoke tonight,” Ms. Ayotte said in a statement several hours later. “While I would hope all of our children would aspire to be president, neither Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton have set a good example, and I wouldn’t hold up either of them as role models for my kids.”
Pollster’s analyzed Ayotte’s comments, but said her debate answer and the retreat damaged her chances:
“I assume this question we’re going to hear a lot more of in Senate debates, and Kelly Ayotte created the textbook on how not to answer,” said Democratic pollster Geoffrey Garin.
Democratic pollster Celinda Lake said it was “the unqualified nature of it and her tone” that made Ayotte’s comment truly damaging. “It’s like, ‘What are you talking about, sister?'” she said.
Of course the media jumped on the other GOP senate candidates fighting for their political life:
“The simple answer is no” and neither is Clinton, Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., who’s not endorsed Trump, told reporters in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. “Let’s just say the vulgarity and gratuitous insults of people. This is not exactly the way I encourage my kids to behave.”
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., also facing re-election, stopped short of labeling Trump a role model. Blunt “believes Missourians should choose their own role models,” said campaign spokesman Burson Snyder.
And Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., said, “I, like many Americans, take issue with some of the rhetoric and actions that have come from both him and Hillary Clinton, and neither are people I’d hold up as exemplary role models.”
GOP strategist told RealClearPolitics that these senate candidates must distance themselves as far away from Trump as they can. This is why only a week ago the GOP gained more confidence that it could maintain its majority since Republicans noticed that voters have separated the Senate candidates from Trump. All the optimism led the Senate Leadership Fund to move more money into these senate campaigns, including Ayotte.
That was last week. New polls show:
In Pennsylvania, a poll released Tuesday from Monmouth University found GOP Sen. Pat Toomey and Democrat Katie McGinty tied at 46 percent despite a 10-point lead in the state for Clinton over Trump.
A separate poll released Tuesday by Franklin & Marshall showed Toomey trailing McGinty by 6 points and Trump trailing Clinton by 9 points.
In North Carolina, GOP Sen. Richard Burr has not managed to pull ahead of former state Rep. Deborah Ross (D), frustrating Republicans in Washington who wonder if he’s working as hard as he can.
An Elon University poll published Tuesday showed Clinton opening up a 6-point lead over Trump in North Carolina after a survey from two weeks ago showed them in a dead heat. Tuesday’s poll also showed Burr and Ross tied at 43 percent.
The Democrats only need to gain five seats in the Senate to regain majority, four if Hillary wins.
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Comments
Trump certainly presents a target rich environment, but there isn’t a Republican dead, alive, or yet to be born that the Dems can find acceptable as a role model.
If Hillary is a role model, Trump is a saint.
True…enough.
But that isn’t the question. The question is about whether either of these Collectivist pukes can be held up by anybody as a “role model”.
Americans hate them both, and about equally. It’s going to be a bumpy four years…maybe less…
I find Hillary deplorable and do hate what she has been involved with that has been detrimental to this nation, without getting into her personal issues. Trump uses mockery, ridicule, and anger in a way that is not helpful to his cause. It also places his supporters at a disadvantage. I dislike this about him, even exasperated that he might be more aiding Hillary than helping himself. So, while I’m beside myself that in shooting himself in the foot he’s frustrating the h*ll out of some of us who would like to be enthused about Team Trump, I can’t say that I hate him.
Trump uses mockery, ridicule, and anger in a way that is not helpful to his cause. It also places his supporters at a disadvantage.
And yet it’s hateful hitlery’s supporters starting almost all of the violence.
They should always be arrested and tried. Maybe that will slow them down on their voter intimidation tactics.
I don’t recall hateful hitlery telling her supporters not to use violence against the Trump supporters.
The issue of violence at rallies is one thing. How Trump present himself to the general public is another matter. It’s difficult for me to believe that a man os his background and experience has never heard the expression “win the battle, yet lose the war.”
Trump seems to want to win every little skirmish or battle that comes his way. By engaging in each and ever one of them, he takes on a persona that repels any number of people. I’ve spoken with people who know more about his behavior than his policies. Others think Hillary is terrible, yet are grasping for something, nearly anything, for why they ought to vote for Trump. However, he seems oblivious of such persons.
Perhaps, the way he acts and interacts in the private sector works for him. However, when he steps onto the national stage, with those lines blurred and also meaning international stage as well, it just won’t do. As one person remarked, “You wouldn’t think you would have to tell this to a man of Trump’s age.”
As for Hillary, I could care less about what she says to whom. What I most earnestly care about is what the man who stands between her and the Oval Office does.
DieJustHappy, mate you need to get over yourself. It really doesn’t matter what Trump says as the media will twist and turn it to their own advantage.
Trump says “violent illegals will be deported” the media reports “Trump hates Latinos”.
I cannot wait for Trump to be sworn in next January just so I can watch the heads of the collective left explode all outrageously outragety!
mailman,
I beg to differ. To me how he presents himself is just as important as what he says. He has, for whatever reason(s), made Hillary’s and the MSM’s job all the easier.
Mike Pence is a case in point, which Trump could very well learn from should he be willing. Today, after having ready various blogs and spoken with a dozen or so persons (some who are very hesitant to vote for Trump), a common theme emerged. Pence was admired for the way he conducted himself in some quite trying circumstances. True, the MSM did there “twisting” of the debate. However, the one thing they couldn’t change was the way Pence conducted himself. The same can’t be said of Trump, unfortunately.
As to celebrating in January, I dunno. We’ve had the contentious times during the present administration. My hopes were that a President and a Congress would work to end this. I don’t see that happening regardless of whether it’s Hillary or Trump. We’ve deep-seeded problems and vitriolic rhetoric doesn’t help any stretch.
So for Trump it’s merely distasteful personal style and not his lifetime of cheating and screwing other people?
As opposed to, oh I dunno…allowing Americans to be butchered in cold blood, destroying the life of a child to get a pedophile off, destroying the lives of rape victims, diverting HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS in charitable donations to their own nefarious ends…yeah…its funny how you liberals are only too happy to look the other way when it comes to Clintons very REAL and very dangerous short comings.
Ill take Trumps supposed business indiscretions any day over the very real damage the Clinton family crime syndicate has done to real humans and America.
The phrase ‘role-model’ is triggering to liberals when used to describe a Republican. It triggers them to immediately go find the absolute worst thing the target said (which in Trump’s case is easy) and promptly claim that what the Republican really meant is they want to be exactly identical to it.
Republican: I view Mother Theresa as a role-model.
Liberal: Mother Theresa once failed to tip a waiter! That means you’re one of those Anti-Tippers!
Republican: Wait a minute!
Liberal: Too late! We have a hurricane to weep and wail about, you Anti-Tipper!
They’d probably find a way to work Tip O’Neill into that sorry scam.
Republicans must come back with truisms about democrats. Ayotte could have honestly said “compared to the un-indicted co-conspirator, he is a role model” But it is too bad NH did not replace her with a real conservative.
Never apologize to inflamed liberals and SJW’s.
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2016/08/vox-day/sjw-attack-survival-guide/
They will treat it as an admission of guilt. Unlike rational people. And they will gang up on you.
Lol. I get flack around here for linking to facts presented at liberal sources (not only lib sources, they just happen to be on top of a google search, by never mind). You are linking to Lew Rockwell’s *opinion.
The Republicans seem to be fantasizing that they have a future without Trump. So they are planning on losing the Presidency—which is fine with them, they didn’t want Trump at the start of the campaign and they don’t want him now—but still being in control of the Legislature.
This is a fantasy because control of the Legislature won’t be enough to save them.
Control of the Legislature hasn’t been enough for them to restrain Obama. And Obama is a creampuff; lazy and easily diverted by his own delusions of grandeur. In comparison, Hillary is genuinely vicious—a traitor, a thief, and an all-around gangster. She will do an even more thorough job than the casual and feckless Obama at perverting the Executive machinery (DOJ, FBI, ATF, EPA, INS, FCC, IRS, etc, etc) into Progressive enforcement agencies. After an appointment or two (which, I predict, the Senate will prove unable to stop) she’ll have perverted the Federal courts to the same end. What few laws we still have which limit corruption of elections will disappear, and the fix will be in to cement the Progressives into all elected offices forever. The American Experiment will be over.
Which party has a numerical majority in Congress will be a mere detail in the closing act.
“I misspoke tonight,” Ms. Ayotte said in a statement several hours later.
She appears to be untrainable. The play is particularly annoying because it’s so obvious. Say something—anything—and the attack weasels pounce, even if there’s nothing to pounce on; they’ll attack trivia the same way they’d attack something important. Then, Catastrophic Error #1: the target apologizes and takes a step back, hoping to defuse a ticking nothingburger which might blow up anyway. They attack again; another apology, another step backwards. It doesn’t take too many of those to end up on the ropes; and then they’re helpless, and just have to stand there, taking a pounding from midgets. The lesson; if you don’t step back, the midgets can’t corner you. The refs may penalize you on points, but the paying audience will know who’s winning and who’s just pretending. And it’s the audience which votes on the winner.
Stop apologizing. Stop retreating. And stop pretending that you can win without the Presidency.
You mean the Republicans have no future without Trump?
That reminds me of a Mayakovsky poem:
“We say Lenin,
but mean
The Party.
We say
The Party,
but mean Lenin.”
But seriously, Trump was never a Republican before he decided to run for President.
Heart the downclicks! Did I misquote Mayakovsky or does it not apply to the quote above?
She needs to grow a backbone and tell the Dems to go get you know what. She could have also pointed out the number of rapes a certain someones husband has been accused of and how the Democrats should be mindful of this before projecting their own hatred on to her.
Sadly, she is just another spineless politician incapable of thinking for herself.
Mailman
Donelle T-wamp, pubescent school girl, just can’t keep it shut…
http://twitchy.com/sd-3133/2016/10/05/humility-donald-trump-congratulates-the-true-star-of-the-vpdebate/
Sad.
Really, very, very sad.
Sad.
Maureen Dawd put it best. She’s such a ball buster:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/02/opinion/sunday/girl-talk-at-trump-tower.html
And Trump, he’s an all-American Alfa… or something.
Just an observation.
Something about the headline struck me. A very common complaint, often made here at LI, about how the liberal/MS media cover stories that are objectively bad for Democrats has been that they deflect by focusing on behavior of Republicans in response to the objective fact or event – ‘Republicans pounce…’ ‘Republicans use…’ ‘Republicans (insert pejorative here)…’
I think LI should avoid that same sort of framing and just deal with the facts of the matter. It’s a given that Democrats would ‘pounce’ at a Republican gaffe. That’s not the story – the story is what Ayotte said and then walked back.
YMMV
I don’t see it. I see a story about Ayotte being criticized for her [lukewarm] support of Donald Trump and he question about The Donald possibly hurting the downballot candidates in general. The downballot fallout was a concern all along., and it remains a relevant issue to address. I think most Americans understand that Trump is not a Republican in any kind of conventional understanding. Most GOP incumbents are probably safe.
I find this all to be quite disgusting.
Ask Charles Barkley if Trump should be a role model.
Nevertheless.
Trump has a lot of things that are bad about him. He’s a womanizer. Well that’s true, but he doesn’t rape and harass women like another ex President. He lives an ostentatious life style, but it is money he earned. What is more he made his money the old fashioned way he built things, rather then playing with financial instruments creating bubble’s that hurt the common people.
He didn’t pay taxes. Why? Because lost money. Instead of squirreling money away he spent it trying to build more stuff. Stuff which was good for him but also good for New York. Some of these things didn’t work out. Queen Isabella took a risk with the crown jewels too.
After he suffered major setbacks, he didn’t give up. He came back.
While he may not have been a good husband, take a look at his children. Compare them to, for example, the Hiltons. seems like he did something right as a father.
What is more. Let us take a look at one of the most obvious things.
Trump isn’t ahead by magic. He has made at least ten times more campaign appearances then Hillary. He made more then any candidate out there. Even much younger candidates. On a tighter budget. In modern times a greater percentage of the population has seen him in person than any other candidate.
So yes he has his bad points but he also has good points. If parents want to point out ways he can be a role mdoel certainly they can.
Some reading material for those interested as summarizing is near impossible.
http://amgreatness.com/2016/10/03/case-conservative-case/
http://amgreatness.com/2016/09/17/an-interview-with-decius/
This was more or less the essay that started this conversation: http://www.claremont.org/crb/basicpage/the-flight-93-election/
Ridiculous. “Conservatives don’t have the balls to do this-conservatives don’t have the balls to do that” –all coming from the people who undermined conservative candidacy this year only to vote for a liberal bullshitter.
This is not a Flight 93 election. Neither Trum nor Hillary should be president, neither is good for the country, but one will be elected. We will have to take them out, one by one. If Trump is elected, he will be replaced with a liberal on the D ticket in 2020. If Hillary is elected, she can be replaced by a conservative on the GOP ticket. For this reason alone, Hillary presidency is a better long term outcome.
In a short term, if Trump is elected, he will be opposed by well-organized liberals with whom he wants to make a deal anyway. Republicans will be divided and not able to form a viable opposition conservative movement. Hillary, on the other hand, we can oppose.
Show some spine conservatives, do not vote for the tangerine statist.
“Hillary, on the other hand, we can oppose.”
The complete fool. Like Obama has been opposed?
You, declaring you will vote for Hillary, because it will be good for conservatism. That’s the ticket. Worked so well with Obama.
Kook.
Cook here: The congress didn’t pass the budget that Obama would veto anyway. The idea was to wait until the 2016 election so we can get our president.
On the other hand, we saw the birth of an intelligent populist movement, lower chamber, upper chamber, governorships, state legislatures controlled by the GOP, Dems effectively wiped out, so much so that they had to get Hillary as a presidential candidate. The only person who can lose to her is Trump.
” The congress didn’t pass the budget that Obama would veto anyway.”
You’re out of your mind. Congress has done nothing to oppose Obama. Some plan you have in mind. Give the left 8 years of everything they ask for in the hopes that maybe you can win in 2016. Pull the other one…
You have no idea what you are prattling on about.