Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has portrayed Republican rival Donald Trump as unfit to oversee the U.S. economy, declaring his “reckless” policies would “throw us back into recession” and boost unemployment.
Speaking in the key battleground state of Ohio, Clinton attacked Trump’s business record as an indication of how he would manage the world’s largest economy.
“Just like he shouldn’t have his hands on the button, he shouldn’t have his hands on our economy,” Clinton said in remarks at an alternative high school in Columbus, Ohio
Clinton cited multiple bankruptcies and lawsuits alleging fraud against his for-profit educational venture Trump University. "This is not normal behavior. We can't let him roll the dice with our children's futures," she said.
Lawsuits
Clinton also alleged 3,500 lawsuits have been filed against the Republican presidential hopeful in the past 30 years, many of which she said were filed "by ordinary Americans and small business who never got paid, not because he couldn't pay them, but because he could stiff them."
Clinton mentioned a report issued Monday by Moody’s Analytics that was written by a former adviser of one of Trump’s fellow Republicans, Senator John McCain. The report predicted Trump’s economic proposals would trigger a recession and the loss of 3.5 million jobs in his first term alone.
With her latest attack on Trump, Clinton hopes to convince voters she would be a better steward of the economy. Several recent polls have found that the majority of likely voters favor Trump on economic issues.
A Gallup survey conducted this month found that Trump leads Clinton by 10 points on who to trust on the economy, and by seven points on the issue of employment. And a Bloomberg Politics poll issued last week showed 55 percent of those surveyed thought Trump was more knowledgeable about how to create jobs.
Working-class voters
Campaign officials say Clinton’s speech is part of a strategy to disqualify Trump on the economy and to counter his success in winning the support of working-class voters in swing states such as Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Clinton’s speech, aides say, is also designed to capture support from supporters of Democratic opponent Bernie Sanders, a Senator from the Northeastern state of Vermont.
The campaigns of the two Democratic candidates are discussing key economic issues, such as free college tuition and expanding Medicare and Social Security, that may be incorporated into the Democratic Party platform at the convention in Philadelphia next month.
Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, quickly responded to his Democratic opponent.
On his Twitter account, Trump said "Hillary Clinton's open borders immigration policies will drive down wages for all Americans, and make everyone less safe." And "Hillary Clinton surged the trade deficit with China 40 percent as secretary of state, costing Americans millions of jobs."
Trump has previously said he would be more effective than Clinton in managing the economy. Citing his business acumen, Trump has said he is the best candidate to strengthen the economy and negotiate with other nations.
Trump has criticized Clinton for supporting past trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which he also said had cost the U.S. “millions of jobs.”
Clinton has previously said she would renegotiate parts of NAFTA and has expressed opposition to TPP, which she supported as secretary of state.
Clinton’s latest address follows one she delivered on June 2 in San Diego on national security.
