MSNBC: Even Hillary’s most loyal supporters have ‘intense concerns’ about the email scandal
When scandal engulfs a Democrat, the [leftwing] press doesn’t like to spend too much time on it. If they report it at all, it tends to be presented as below-the-fold stuff that vanishes when reporters lose interest or decide to spare the subject. The Clintons have spent a lifetime counting on this.
Usually, it works. With rare exceptions – a certain blue dress comes to mind – the press has always shortened the lifespan of Clinton scandals to the benefit of the former first family. They’re trying to do it again in the case of Hillary’s secret email server.
According to the press, “no one cares about this story.” It’s not “moving the needle” in terms of polling. The email fiasco hasn’t done a thing to change the fact that Hillary is “still the Democrats number one potential candidate.” They’re ready to move on.
Unfortunately, it looks like voters – including the Hillary faithful – aren’t interested in moving with them.
On MSNBC’s Morning Joe, senior political analyst Mark Halperin revealed the results of a focus group he’d conducted in New Hampshire. Everyone in the room was a Democrat, and they have “intense concerns” about the email scandal.
As Halperin says:
“The people you saw there were mostly strong Hillary supporters. Their knowledge of and intense concern about what she did with her emails was quite striking. They said she should have an independent person look at her server. What she did was not just politically bad – they were really troubled.
…Still strong supporters, but it does put a lie to the notion that people aren’t paying attention and they’re not concerned about it. Even strong supporters of her in New Hampshire are really concerned about it.”
Of course, no one should try to claim that this focus group indicates lefties have any qualms about casting a ballot for Hillary Clinton. If you’re the kind of person who’s comfortable describing yourself as a “strong supporter” of Hillary Clinton, your tolerance for corruption is already hard wired into your DNA. You’d probably vote for Carlos Danger as long as the party still lets him put a “D” after his name.
That said, the fact that Hillary’s own supporters are so concerned about the email scandal is telling in a couple of other ways.
First, it shows an utter lack of faith in the strength of their presumptive nominee. Democrats may not be particularly worried about Hillary’s honesty, but it’s clear that they have serious fears about her strength as a candidate. Since she’s eventually going to have to answer some tough questions about the server, this problem will get worse before it gets better.
Second, you can safely assume that – if the faithful are willing to voice these concerns – it’s going to be a much bigger problem for independents and undecideds who have no personal stake in a Clinton candidacy. If it’s troubling to Hillary’s base, it’s a good bet that it’s even more off-putting for people who hadn’t already granted her their support.
