This isn’t the first time that Hillary Clinton has gone after Donald Trump and his message of division, but it’s the first instance of the Democratic candidate going after him in political ads.
She has a new commercial out, which explicitly celebrates the diversity that New York’s got going on. “No, we don’t all look the same,” Clinton says in voiceover, while the ad shows shots of the New York City subway, the inside of a bodega, and rescue crews working during 9/11. “We don’t all sound the same, either. But when we pull together, we do the biggest things in the world.”
There’s then a flash of a Trump sign as Clinton attacks a policy that sounds a lot like his: “So when some say we can solve America’s problems by building walls, banning people based on their religion, and turning against each other, well, this is New York, and we know better.” At this, a shot of two Muslim women in American flag headscarves dominates the screen, as does a grainy shot of two people fighting in a crowd.
BuzzFeed reports that this ad is airing in New York state for its April 19 primary, and that Clinton will campaign in New York based on the points she’s made in it. Technically, Clinton is still running against Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination, but it’s a smart idea to go after Trump on his home turf, where his supporters would protect him if he shot someone on Fifth Avenue. It’s also a good way to position herself as the one who can beat Trump, since a Trump presidency is something that terrifies many Americans.
(via BuzzFeed)