By Dan Merica CNN
Hillary Clinton’s campaign is looking to change the subject after days of news about a renewed FBI review into emails associated with her private server by launching a concerted attack against Donald Trump’s treatment of women.
Clinton, speaking at a rally here on Tuesday, called Trump a bully and accused him of “assaulting” women, opening up a last-ditch effort to put the spotlight on Trump, not her.
After being introduced by former Miss Universe Alicia Machado at the rally, Clinton cracked a joke about Trump finding fault with her.
“I mean, really,” Clinton said incredulously, “can we just stop for a minute and reflect on the absurdity of Donald Trump finding fault with Miss Universe?”
Machado became a factor in the 2016 election when Clinton brought her up at the first debate, drawing attention to Trump’s treatment of her while he ran the Miss Universe pageant. Trump reportedly called Machado “Miss Housekeeping” and “Miss Piggy” when she gained weight after winning the beauty pageant.
Clinton’s argument against Trump on Tuesday was that he is not someone who would be a role model to boys and girls.
“When I think about what we now know about Donald Trump and what he has been doing for 30 years, he sure had spent a lot of time demeaning, degrading, insulting and assaulting women,” Clinton said. “And I have got to tell you, some of what we have learned, some of this stuff is very upsetting.”
Machado told the audience in Florida that Trump was “overwhelming” and that she was “scared of him.”
“He made fun of me and I didn’t know how to respond. He told me I looked ugly and I was massive. He even called me names,” she said. “Soon, it became a joke. Alicia Machado was the fat Mrs. Universe.”
Clinton’s campaign also unloaded on the Republican presidential nominee in a new ad out Tuesday that features a slew of Trump’s off-color comments about women’s looks, role in the work place and sexuality.
The new Clinton ad — titled “What He Believes” — features white lettering on a black background with ominous music mixed with comments Trump has made about women throughout his life. The ad opens with the slate “He really believes this,” followed by Trump saying, “Putting a wife to work is a very dangerous thing.”
The ad also features a clip from the 2005 “Access Hollywood” video, where Trump casually talks about sexual assault.
“Grab ’em by the p—-. When you are a star, they let you do it. You can do anything,” Trump says in the spot, after the screen says, “He really said this.”
The ad ends with this slate: “Anyone who does what he does is unfit to be president.”
Trump apologized for the remarks heard on the “Access Hollywood” video, but he also used the incident as an opportunity to attack Clinton’s husband.
Clinton’s campaign also looked to change the subject Monday, when they turned to the young girl featured in the iconic 1964 “Daisy” ad in order to question Trump’s ability to handle nuclear weapons.
The ad — which features Monique Luiz, the same actress who at age 3 played “Daisy” in the ad for Lyndon B. Johnson’s campaign — was part of the campaign’s closing argument against the Republican Party’s presidential nominee. The campaign hopes to cast Trump as too reckless and unhinged to be trusted with the country’s nuclear arsenal.
Clinton’s campaign has been forced to deal with new questions about her use of email after the FBI announced Friday that they were looking into emails connected to her private server.
Clinton’s aides have launched an all out offensive against the FBI, calling Director James Comey’s decision to disclose the updated investigation a “blatant double standard.” But to move past it they have also looked to change the subject with stepped up attacks on Trump.
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