Rather than show contrition or explain his reasoning, Trump, during an event to promote the opening of his new hotel in Washington, D.C., delivered a terse statement accusing Clinton of fomenting the “birther” conspiracy and taking credit for putting it to rest.
Democrats were incensed, and Clinton now has an opportunity to use that anger to energize her base.
That matters because Clinton’s drop in the polls corresponds directly to a significant diminishing of enthusiasm among registered Democrats. Recent surveys show them less likely to vote than just a few weeks ago.
Reminding Democrats of Trump’s role in fanning “birtherism” could motivate them to re-engage with Clinton, while also hurting the Republican nominee’s ability to appeal to suburban swing voters.
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