This morning, Donald Trump published an open letter signed by 88 retired military leaders endorsing his candidacy for president, citing an “urgently needed opportunity to make a long-overdue course correction in our national security posture and policy.”
Then the Trump campaign flew to Virginia Beach, where Trump sat down with Retired Lt. General Michael Flynn – once on Trump’s vice presidential shortlist – to discuss issues facing veterans. Being home to several military bases, Virginia Beach was no doubt a good stage for Trump to have that conversation.
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton and her allies are pushing back on Trump, with millions in ad buys reiterating Trump’s disparaging remarks against John McCain and Khizr Khan and framing Trump to be dangerous and “unfit” to be commander in chief.
The ad rotates between images of retired and disabled veterans. For example, as Trump says on the TV screen that John McCain “wasn’t a war hero because he was captured,” we see an elderly man with a retired Navy Seal hat on, then a younger man with a prosthetic leg sitting with his family.
“Donald Trump compared his sacrifices, to the sacrifices of two parents who lost their son in war,” a newscaster says, referring to Trump’s public spat with the gold star Khan family. The camera then pans to a woman sitting on the couch, next to a picture of a young soldier in uniform. The camera zooms in on her necklace – two dog tags with her son’s face on them.
Clinton and Trump have been sparring over commander in chief chops for weeks, but most polls of active military personnel show that most of those in the U.S. Armed Forces aren’t confident in either candidate. While Trump has a bit of an edge over Clinton when it comes to handling terrorism, the tables are turned when it comes to overall foreign policy.
But then again, a recent (non-scientific) survey of 3,500 of active duty and retired military personnel found that the Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson out performed both Trump and Clinton.
So, it looks like they both have some work to do.
Then the Trump campaign flew to Virginia Beach, where Trump sat down with Retired Lt. General Michael Flynn – once on Trump’s vice presidential shortlist – to discuss issues facing veterans. Being home to several military bases, Virginia Beach was no doubt a good stage for Trump to have that conversation.
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton and her allies are pushing back on Trump, with millions in ad buys reiterating Trump’s disparaging remarks against John McCain and Khizr Khan and framing Trump to be dangerous and “unfit” to be commander in chief.
Sacrifice
Hillary Clinton’s new ad, “Sacrifice,” is similar to another ad recently released by her super PAC, Priorities USA, titled “Watching.” In both ads, we see voters watching various TV screens as Donald Trump makes insults, which the person watching could take personally. Her new ad uses the same technique, only focused specifically on veterans and military personnel.The ad rotates between images of retired and disabled veterans. For example, as Trump says on the TV screen that John McCain “wasn’t a war hero because he was captured,” we see an elderly man with a retired Navy Seal hat on, then a younger man with a prosthetic leg sitting with his family.
“Donald Trump compared his sacrifices, to the sacrifices of two parents who lost their son in war,” a newscaster says, referring to Trump’s public spat with the gold star Khan family. The camera then pans to a woman sitting on the couch, next to a picture of a young soldier in uniform. The camera zooms in on her necklace – two dog tags with her son’s face on them.
Clinton: ‘Our veterans deserve better’
Clinton’s ads come just one day before NBC’s Matt Lauer will moderate a “Commander in Chief Forum” with both Clinton and Trump attending. The event will be held at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York, and hosted by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. The audience will be made up of veterans and active service members.Clinton and Trump have been sparring over commander in chief chops for weeks, but most polls of active military personnel show that most of those in the U.S. Armed Forces aren’t confident in either candidate. While Trump has a bit of an edge over Clinton when it comes to handling terrorism, the tables are turned when it comes to overall foreign policy.
But then again, a recent (non-scientific) survey of 3,500 of active duty and retired military personnel found that the Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson out performed both Trump and Clinton.
So, it looks like they both have some work to do.