According to ABC analyst Matthew Dowd, Republicans shouldn't "go overboard" on news that Hillary Clinton sent classified information via e-mails from her private server. Dowd appeared on Good Morning America, Monday, to lecture: "If I were the Republicans, I would let that go. Part of the problem they have is if they go overboard on it."
Dowd conceded, "The history of the Clintons is much or what happens with them is not some GOP conspiracy or the media conspiracy. It's self-inflicted wounds that she's going to have to deal with." However, he added that Republicans should "just allow that trust factor to exist and let the voters decide on it."
On Saturday, CBS News political director John Dickerson suggested Clinton would be helped if Republicans "overplay" their hand: "It's not necessarily a forgone conclusion for Secretary Clinton that all this increased scrutiny will hurt her if her opponents overplay their hand."
On Sunday, Dickerson discussed Clinton's upcoming testimony on Benghazi. He wondered if Republicans will "go over the top, and that she'll be able to use that” to her advantage."
In 2014, Dowd demanded Republicans to just give up on repealing ObamaCare.
A transcript of the July 27 GMA segment, which aired at 7:06am ET, is below:
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: The race for president now. Your voice, your vote. And new polls show Donald Trump solidifying his place at the top of the field, ahead of Jeb Bush and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, even after those remarks about Senator John McCain's war record. ABC's political analyst Matthew Dowd is here. And, Matt, so Trump is showing some staying power. That CNN poll shows the majority of Republicans him want him to stay in the race. So, what is he tapping into here?
MATTHEW DOWD: I think there's first two things. The first, which I think has been a mainstream in our country's history, which is a sense of anger and frustration. There's a group of voters out there who are very angry. That has often led to great reforms in our country. Civil rights, even Robin covering the Special Olympics. Much of that started with anger. It has to be vented, though, in a constructive, not a destructive way. But I think the anger exists. The second thing is, that there's a bunch of Republicans that want straight talk. It's one that we have a candidate that got derailed because of a closed bridge who was a straight talker. The question becomes for Donald Trump, does he burn too many bridges and no longer survive in this? But he is in it to stay. There's no doubt about that.
STEPHANOPOULOS: No question about that. Going to complicate the debate for everyone else. Meantime, new questions about Hillary Clinton's e-mails. Government investigators find that several of them were actually classified.
DOWD: Yeah, I think Hillary is going to have an ongoing problem. She walks into this race. She was very popular before she got in. As soon as she walks in, there's a trust problem, much of which is self-inflicted. The history of the Clintons is much or what happens with them is not some GOP conspiracy or the media conspiracy. It's self-inflicted wounds that she's going to have to deal with. If I were the Republicans, I would let that go. Part of the problem they have is if they go over board on it. Some of the things that Mike Huckabee said. They should just allow that trust factor to exist and let the voters decide on it.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Okay, Matt Dowd. Thanks very much.
