CLEVELAND – Hillary Clinton on Wednesday laughed off any suggestion that Donald Trump is finally pivoting and becoming “more responsible” amid a controversial campaign shakeup, arguing that the Republican nominee is the same person he’s been since he launched his presidential bid.
“I think it’s fair to say Donald Trump has shown us who he is. He can hire and fire anybody he wants from his campaign,” she said, referring to the Trump team’s newest additions: Stephen Bannon and Kellyanne Conway.
“They can make him read new words from a teleprompter but he is still the same man who insults Gold Star families, demeans women, mocks people with disabilities and thinks he knows more about ISIS than our generals,” Clinton told the crowd at John Marshall High School.
“There is no new Donald Trump. This is it,” she added.
Clinton often uses a Maya Angelou quote to describe Trump on the trail: “When someone shows you who they are, believe them.”
On Wednesday, she argued that Trump has already done that and there’s little chance he will change his ways before November.
She also deployed a now-staple stump line in which she asks supporters to talk to their friends who might be considering voting for Trump. “Friends don’t let friends vote for Trump,” she said.
For the past week, Clinton has been using the Olympic Games in Rio to slam her opponent. Noting what city she was campaigning in, she also mentioned the reigning NBA champions to hit Trump for saying “we don’t win anymore” at the Republican National Convention last month.
“Tell that to the Cavaliers. Tell that to our Olympic athletes who are cleaning up in Rio!” she said to cheers.
