What's more sexist: Donald Trump saying "schlonged" to describe the way Hillary Clinton lost in 2008, or Hillary herself orchestrating a campaign to discredit and destroy women, including Monica Lewinsky, whose "bimbo eruptions" threatened Bill and Hillary's hold on power?
According to Al Sharpton on today's Morning Joe, Trump's offense is the graver. Sharpton suggests that Hillary's attack on Monica Lewinsky should be understood as a woman "dealing with someone who was in an indiscretion with her husband." Sharpton thus paints a picture of poor Hillary, the wronged woman, fighting her rival for the affections of her husband. As Trump said of Hillary playing the woman card: "give me a break."
Sharpton's comments came in the context of a discussion of Hillary having accused Trump of "a penchant for sexism" and Trump using the same term to fire back, warning Hillary that she "has to be careful."
Note: when Sharpton suggested it was unfair of Trump to use a husband's indiscretions against his wife, Nicolle Wallace, to her credit, spoke up to say that Trump is suggesting he would use the way Hillary "piled on" Monica, and the words she used against her. For example, Hillary reportedly called Monica “a narcissistic loony toon.”
CHRIS JANSING: Republican front runner Donald Trump is warning Hillary Clinton he will not hesitate to attack former President Bill Clinton's past if the former Secretary of State continues to accuse him of sexism. Trump was responding to Hillary Clinton's comments on the tone on his campaign and the use of a vulgar reference while campaigning last week.
HILLARY CLINTON: [in a Des Moines Register interview] This is not the first time he's demonstrated a penchant for sexism. And so, I'm not sure again, anybody's surprised. This keeps pushing the envelope.
JANSING: So here's a big surprise, Trump came back at Clinton tweeting quote, "Hillary Clinton has announced that she is letting her husband out to campaign but HE'S DEMONSTRATED A PENCHANT FOR SEXISM, so inappropriate!" He added this about Bill Clinton yesterday.
DONALD TRUMP: I think he is fair game because his presidency was really considered to be very troubled to put it mildly because of all the things she's talking to me about. She's mentioning sexism. I turned her exact words against her from that standpoint. She's got to be careful. It's got to be fair. And we all have to fight fairly and for the good of the country, for the good of the people and everybody. She's playing the woman's card, and it's like, give me a break.
. . .AL SHARPTON: I think the mistake he may be making is he may energize Clinton's base. A lot of us have been saying there's no real energy with Clinton. I think for him to say in effect I'll say what I want about women and bring up your husband. Not even you, your husband's indiscretion might be the thing that gets a lot of Democrats and a lot of independents saying now wait a minute are we saying now that all the things you are saying which has caused this whole problem with women, you're going to continue to say and your defense is going to be your opponent if he is in the general election, your opponent's husband had a discretion [sic] 20 years ago. That's your defense? I think it's a really a stretch.
NICOLLE WALLACE: I think Trump's point though is Hillary piled on to Monica Lewinsky. I think what Trump trotted out or promises to trot out are the sorts of things that she said about Lewinsky which actually came out in a Vanity Fair piece just last --
SHARPTON: Yes, but, but, but Hillary dealing with someone who was in an indiscretion with her husband is a lot different than you using terms that are sexist yourself that had nothing to do with your personal involvement or your personal life.
