Klobuchar Criticizes Trump In Iowa For Exploiting 'Divides'
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) -- Sen. Amy Klobuchar is spending time in Iowa this weekend talking about what unites and divides the country, her third visit to the Hawkeye state since launching her campaign just over a month ago.
Before going door-to-door in Waterloo, Senator Klobuchar addressed the growing tension in America, and said the sense of community is slipping away. She suggested President Donald Trump is part of the problem.
"It's fracturing because he literally tries to find divides where there don't need to be divides," she said. "He tries to find divides where we should have unity, and that is not the Iowa way."
The Senator's focus on Iowa comes as the 2020 field of White House hopefuls grows, most recently with the announced intentions of Beto O'Rourke. There are now 13 candidates running for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Klobuchar is still an unknown in Iowa, testing the theory that a neighboring state might be more friendly territory for her. There has been a slight decline from December in the share who say they don't know enough about her to have an opinion — 41 percent now versus 54 percent then. That change is about evenly distributed between favorable and unfavorable ratings of her, though Iowa Democrats are more positive (43 percent favorable) than negative (15 percent unfavorable) toward her overall.
Klobuchar's campaign says her grasp of rural issues and ability to win in non-urban areas will appeal to Iowa Democrats, who are looking for a nominee with the coattails to help candidates further down on the ballot return the GOP-controlled state Legislature to split government.
They also say Klobuchar will earn support from a wide range of caucus goers, including women and those looking for a "realist" and someone who can work with Republicans to get things done.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
