On Thursday's New Day on CNN, as a panel discussed the Republican National Convention, CNN political commentator Errol Louis suggested that "angry" convention crowds and their "mob chant" could put Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton "back in her sweet spot" so that she can argue that she is preferable in the White House in contrast with the "craziness" on the other side.
For her part, CNN correspondent Maeve Reston declared that the conventon so far is appealing to the "Fox News crowd" by focusing on issues like Benghazi.
At about 6:11 a.m. ET, after recalling that presidential nominating conventions usually try to reach a "broader audience of voters," she added:
There haven't been a lot of, you know, bridges to the women who are unsure about his temperament and people who, you know, were undecided. It's been very, you know, Benghazi, heavily focused on the kind of arguments that work with the, you know, with the Fox News crowd. And so that's a lost opportunity.
After co-host Chris Cuomo declared that the GOP convention represents "muscular resistance" with "angry" people that he is unsure Democrats will be able to counterbalance, Louis predicted the "angry mob" could help Clinton: Louis:
When they get the anger up to the level that it starts to go off the rails, I sense a repeat of a pattern that usually works to Hillary Clinton's advantage, which is to say, "They're crazy, they're over the top," you know, it's one thing to say you don't like the foreign policy decisions that I've made.
It's one thing to say that you don't like the alliances that I've made or how I've done trade deals or anything like that. And it's quite another thing to say she belongs in prison. And to say that in a sort of angry mob chant, right?
After CNN political analyst David Gregory injected, "Roman gladiator kind of way," Louis added:
Yeah, so, you know, I mean, and it puts her back in her sweet spot where she can say, "Hey, you may not like me, and I know I'm not perfect, but look at that craziness, and that's not something we can afford to have in the White House."
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Thursday, July 21, New Day on CNN:
6:11 a.m. ET
MAEVE RESTON: It's been so fascinating watching this convention because usually this is a time, a reset time where you move beyond the Republican primary voter and start to speak to that broader audience of voters. And that's going to be what's really interesting listening to Donald Trump tonight. I don't think that we've heard that at this convention. There haven't been a lot of, you know, bridges to the women who are unsure about his temperament and people who, you know, were undecided. It's been very, you know, Benghazi, heavily focused on the kind of arguments that work with the, you know, with the Fox News crowd. And so that's a lost opportunity.
CHRIS CUOMO: But I think that it could easily branch out. This is muscular resistance, Errol. That's what we're seeing on this floor. People are angry, they're fed up, and that emotion has been heavily discounted to everyone's disadvantage who make that mistake. And I don't know what the Democrats have to match that energy.
ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I mean, you know, we'll find out in a few days in Philadelphia, but, I mean, look, when they get the anger up to the level that it starts to go off the rails, I sense a repeat of a pattern that usually works to Hillary Clinton's advantage, which is to say, "They're crazy, they're over the top," you know, it's one thing to say you don't like the foreign policy decisions that I've made. It's one thing to say that you don't like the alliances that I've made or how I've done trade deals or anything like that. And it's quite another thing to say she belongs in prison. And to say that in a sort of angry mob chant, right?
DAVID GREGORY, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Roman gladiator kind of way.
LOUIS: Yeah, so, you know, I mean, and it puts her back in her sweet spot where she can say, "Hey, you may not like me, and I know I'm not perfect, but look at that craziness, and that's not something we can afford to have in the White House."
