Meg Whitman made her debut on the campaign trail as Hillary Clinton’s most vocal Republican supporter at a Tuesday event in Denver and didn’t mention Donald Trump’s name once.
The Hewlett-Packard executive and former California gubernatorial candidate declared she is “all in” for Clinton. And she made clear in her remarks at Union Station that she doesn’t think Trump is qualified to be president, repeatedly mentioning “temperament” as an important factor.
“If you are a lifelong Republican, it’s hard to come across (the partisan divide),” she said. “But I decided that this year it was clear to me that Secretary Clinton’s temperament, leadership experience and commitment to America’s foundational values make her the far better choice for president.”
The softer tone contrasted with her eye-catching remarks about Trump at a private event in June, in which she compared him to Hitler and Mussolini, and earlier this month when she announced her support for Clinton and called Trump “a dishonest demagogue.”
In an interview after the event, Whitman said she wanted business leaders in the room to know why she is supporting Clinton and why she believes the former secretary of state is better for business. Through the primary, Whitman said she was “against Trump,” and now on the economy, she supports Clinton.
“I do not feel confident with his business record,” she said of Trump. “He has gone bankrupt four times. Usually in business the sign of success is not having to declare bankruptcy four times.”
Asked why Republicans should trust the Democratic candidate, Whitman acknowledged the questions about the e-mail server and Clinton Foundation are an issue.
“I think you have to decide what you think is the best choice for president,” she said. “My view on the e-mail thing: She said she made a mistake, she wishes she hadn’t done it — listen, we all make mistakes. … I got comfortable with that element of her personality and her rationale for being president.”
Clinton is the first Democrat for president that Whitman endorsed. She supported Al Gore in 2000 and has donated to various other Democratic politicians in recent years.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper introduced Whitman and suggested her endorsement of Clinton is “one of the most significant moments” in the effort to recruit support across the aisle.
“The business community has really turned out in force, again and again” for Clinton, he said. “It’s not surprising. … There’s not much of a choice between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. What’s perplexing for some of us is there are still some business people out there who haven’t followed through on that.”
The visit comes as the Clinton campaign feels confident in its chances in Colorado. The campaign and a supporter super PAC removed all commitments to buy television advertising in the state.
Meanwhile, Trump announced his first TV ad buy in the state as part of a larger $10 million effort. It’s unclear whether the TV ad will make a difference in Colorado, as the size of the buy has not been announced.
