Donald Trump attacks Clinton
Are Bill Clinton’s past issues ‘fair game’ for Republican candidates to criticize?
He’s wearing a very expensive suit. Maybe he does not have a platform that extends deeper than the first link in a Google search, but his assortment of red and blue ties is remarkable.
Clinton — Trump has no reservations attacking Bill Clinton over past sexual issues. Google Images
He’s spent half of his unfairly granted airtime backtracking on boorish comments made in the other half. During the televised FOX News debate, he waited patiently for Megyn Kelly to finish listing the crude, childish names he has called women in the past for his chance to crack, “Only Rosie O’Donnell,” to uproarious laughter from the crowd. He’s the comedian candidate.
It is unsurprising Donald Trump plans to use Bill Clinton’s past sexual transgressions against Hillary Clinton as the race progresses — it provides ammunition that can very easily be turned into a punchline. Affairs are funnier than ISIS.
Trump seems to be the candidate most eager to unleash his fury upon Hillary Clinton by flinging harsh words about her husband’s presidential misbehavior, but his campaign has been characterized all along by entertainment, not substance.
Trump is correct that the indiscretions of the former president are “fair game.” Bill Clinton is a public figure, and to his misfortune, that leaves the full array of his mistakes vulnerable to the biting wit of Trump.
Republican candidate Carly Fiorina agrees, conceding in an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash that it is more than fair to use Bill Clinton’s misdeeds as campaign material. She continues to explain that discussing such matters is permissible but not the most effective method of combating the Democratic Party.
“The way to defeat Hillary Clinton is to go after her track record, her lack of accomplishment,” Fiorina said.
Democratic hopeful Bernie Sanders agrees, stating his opinion that the presidential race merits more substantial content than memoirs of an unfaithful husband.
“I think we’ve got more important things to worry about in this country than Bill Clinton’s sex life,” Sanders said.
As far as the lineup of other 2016 White House hopefuls is concerned, using the marital-offense argument would devalue the content of their campaigns. As far as Trump is concerned, this content aligns perfectly with his current, seemingly successful jokester strategy.
Character reflects future leadership. A man so restless to use mud-slinging techniques to win an election is one who would use it just as readily from a seat in the Oval Office.
Making crude and insulting comments about others in the public eye does not make you a man of poor integrity, but it necessitates a lower standing on the scale.
Supporting abortion when it suits you, and then changing your tune to pacify an audience does not make you a man of poor integrity — but it too necessitates a lower standing.
Refusing to acknowledge a higher authority — yet claiming religion — does not make you a man of poor integrity, but it is a factor that pushes someone further still down the scale.
These components and numerous others have culminated to condemn Trump to the position he now occupies amongst men at the lowest end of the scale of morality.
No matter. His suit really is very nice.
Garber is an opinion writer.