Declaring that she’s the victim of a “vast right-wing conspiracy” hasn’t historically been a winning line for Hillary Clinton, but her campaign is convinced that it will give her a boost in the 2016 election — so much so, that it’s the theme of her first national TV ad. The spot, which will begin airing Tuesday on MSNBC and CNN, focuses on House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s Benghazi gaffe last week. “Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right?” McCarthy says in the clip from Fox News. “But we put together a Benghazi special committee. What are her numbers today?”
The remark could be interpreted to mean that the committee turned up legitimate, damning information about Clinton, but it was widely taken as an admission that the committee only exists for political purposes. That’s the message Clinton is hoping to hammer home before the first Democratic debate on October 13, and her testimony before the committee on October 22. “The Republicans have spent millions attacking Hillary because she’s fighting for everything they oppose. From affordable health care to equal pay, she’ll never stop fighting for you, and Republicans know it,” the ad’s narrator says over footage of Clinton addressing a crowd.
McCarthy is expected to become the next speaker of the House when elections are held to replace John Boehner at the end of the month, though being the guy who handed Clinton an easy attack ad probably won’t help his case.
