Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has been “appealing to the worst instincts of human nature” and that his “demagoguery” is no longer amusing.
“He has been stoking prejudice and paranoia. He’s been really appealing to the worst instincts of human nature,” Mrs. Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential front-runner, said in an interview with MSNBC’s Al Sharpton. “I think it’s dangerous. His demagoguery is no longer amusing.”
Mrs. Clinton said that in the past, Mr. Trump had called her a great senator and a great secretary of state.
“That’s what a demagogue does, right? They say whatever they need to say to try to stir up the passions of people,” she said.
Mr. Trump said he disagrees “a hundred percent” with the notion that he’s stoking prejudice and hatred.
“There’s a lot of animosity on both sides. It’s an amazing thing,” Mr. Trump said Friday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “The level of animosity is incredible, actually.”
Mr. Trump said “she used to call me a genius.”
“I’ve come a long way down, I guess. She was always very nice and everything, but I guess it’s a different world today and, you know, she’s got problems,” he said. “I would always be nice because I was a businessman, a very successful person, and I was nice to everybody regardless. I mean, [that] was my job, to be nice to everybody. I didn’t want to insult people.”
“But now, I’m in a different position, and we have to tell the facts the way the facts are,” he said. “So, you know, I’m a little surprised at her tone, but that’s OK. But she’s been surprised at my tone, also.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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