Keller @ Large: Panel Talks Trump, Clinton In Primaries
BOSTON (CBS) -- On Tuesday night, Indiana voters could all but seal the deal for Donald Trump in the GOP primary race, while Bernie Sanders is up against it on the Democratic side against Hillary Clinton.
Freelance writer Joanna Weiss and veteran political consultant and analyst Charlie Manning sat down with WBZ political analyst Jon Keller to discuss the presidential primary race--while there still is one.
Keller asked Weiss and Manning about Donald Trump's recent comments that Hillary Clinton wouldn't be getting as much support if she were a man. Weiss said it was like handing Clinton an issue "on a silver platter."
"First of all, she was a U.S. Senator and Secretary of State, I think she's got some credentials that justify her existence in this race and her rise to this point." said Weiss. "Trump does have a problem with women voters--his core is the white guy."
But Manning disagreed, saying Trump was simply going against his opponent's strength.
"You always want to go against your opponent's strength," said Manning. "Basically, the rationale for Hillary's campaign is, 'elect the first woman.' Remember, one of her big supporters said there's a special place in hell for any woman who doesn't support Hillary Clinton. So, you go absolutely to that strength and get people to start thinking about it. And it also plays into the President Obama thing--did he get elected as the first African-American because he was African-American, or qualified?"
Keller asked the panel about the potential for Trump to so infuriate female and African-American voters to the point where they may turn out in bigger numbers for Clinton than they otherwise would have.
"[Hillary] talks about equal pay for women in jobs," said Manning. "The two payrolls that she's controlled in an executive position--her U.S. Senate payroll and the payroll at the Department of State--how did women get paid there? Much lower than men...there's going to be issues here, and it's a good way for Trump to go."
"But there will be also issues that work to her advantage," said Weiss. "Paid family leave, which is actually a crossover issue ... is big for her. Reproductive rights, still up on the agenda. Last time around, the GOP had a lot of trouble with some rogue statements about reproductive rights. I think Hillary Clinton has a lot more in her arsenal now."
The panel also talked about whether or not Hillary should focus on Trump or try to garner support from Bernie Sanders supporters--and whether those who were previously "feeling the bern" might come out to the polls for Trump.