Hawaii Rep. and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard is Hillary Clinton's chosen target in the 2020 Democratic primary. Clinton, who lost to President Trump in the 2016 general election, accused Gabbard of being Russia's preferred candidate last month. Gabbard, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, reacted in a video message on Twitter rejecting Clinton's "elitism" and putting the spotlight on her interventionist foreign policy record.
Gabbard continued her diatribe during her appearance on "The View" Wednesday. Clinton's foreign policy agenda has "resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of her brothers and sisters in uniform," she charged at one point.
Presidential candidate @TulsiGabbard on @TheView today: "Rather than actually debate me on the issues, she (Hillary Clinton) and others are resorting to these smear-tactic campaigns, seeking to undermine me, smear my character, and sending a message to anyone who dissents." pic.twitter.com/p8UJDtJTYF
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) November 6, 2019
"It's offensive to me as a soldier, as an American, as a member of Congress, as a veteran and frankly as a woman to be so demeaned in such a way," she said of Hillary's accusation.
But it wasn't just Hillary against whom Gabbard had to play defense. "The View" co-host Joy Behar recently accused Gabbard of being a "useful idiot," and the congresswoman boldly repeated Behar's words as she sat right next to her.
“I want to start with something I think is also important about facts because recently on your show here some of you have accused me being a traitor to my country, a Russian asset, a Trojan horse or a useful idiot, I think is the term that you used, which basically means that I am naive or lack intelligence,” Gabbard said at the top of their discussion.
Behar did not apologize or backtrack in the slightest. Instead, she told her audience that Gabbard has picked up some controversial endorsements and for some reason keeps agreeing to appear on politically conservative programs.
The co-host was also skeptical of Gabbard's charges about Clinton.
"What's your evidence of that?" Behar asked of Clinton's foreign policy.
"Are you serious?" Gabbard responded. "I served in the war in Iraq that she championed."
"Throughout her career Hillary has led with a foreign policy of interventionism, and being the world's police, going and toppling dictators in other countries that has caused such destruction and loss of life. I'm running for president to change that," she continued.
If there's a silver lining for Gabbard, it's that these very public controversies seem to be benefitting her in the polls. She's just qualified for the November debate.
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