According to Chris Matthews during live Super Tuesday coverage, the Republicans will turn their “hate” of Barack Obama on Hillary Clinton with “no limit to what [Donald Trump] will say about her,” should the businessman be the nominee. Speaking of the GOP, the MSNBC host warned, “They can certainly build the Republican hatred that is already there for Obama, direct that now to Hillary Clinton.”
Matthews added, “So, it's going to be a campaign of directed hate against her with any charge fair game.” He seemed appalled at Trump’s “direct shots against Hillary Clinton,” “calling her a criminal, basically is what he did tonight. I mean, there is no limit to what he will say about her.” Matthews bemoaned a "the beginning of a long, dirty campaign between now and November."
In a magnanimous gesture, the host allowed that neither Clinton nor Trump is “perfect.”
See transcript below:
Place for Politics 2016
3/1/16
12:04am ET (3/2/16 in east coast)BRIAN WILLIAMS: What just happened?
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Well, what just happened is the general election has begun. I think if you watched Hillary Clinton tonight, you watched her wrap it up. I think if you watched Trump, he thought he wrapped it up at least. He may have done that. His direct shots against Hillary Clinton are the beginning of a long, dirty campaign between now and November, calling her a criminal, basically is what he did tonight. I mean, there is no limit now to what he will say about her. And I think that is the Republican Party, that their best strength in getting him nominated, elected, rather, is her. And her best argument for getting elected President is him.
And that is the nature of American politics today. The only way you can win now if you are those two is to make the other person a villain, the Darth Vader of the campaign. And that’s the way it’s gonna be. So, think of a very dirty, negative campaign. It’s coming. Because neither one of these people are perfect. Neither one of them can get the country inspired enough but they can certainly build the Republican hatred that is already there for Obama, direct that now to Hillary Clinton. So, it’s going to be a campaign of directed hate against her with any charge fair game.
