A top Republican National Committee official says the FBI’s new review of Hillary Clinton’s emails will only reinforce voters’ concerns that she is not trustworthy.
“I think it is going to continue to reinforce the narrative about Secretary Clinton. That’s not a healthy one,” Sean Spicer, RNC communications director and chief strategist, told the audience at the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service’s “Campaign 2016: The Home Stretch” on Friday.
Spicer spoke alongside the communications chief for the Democratic National Committee just as news broke that the FBI was reviewing new emails that were “pertinent” to their probe into Clinton.
{mosads}The stunning news threatens to shake up the presidential race between Clinton and GOP nominee Donald Trump with just 11 days until Election Day.
Spicer also said the investigation looming over the last days of the race could make many Democrats reluctant to campaign with Clinton.
“You talk about some of the consternation that has occurred on our side. I mean, it is very hard to go out and say ‘we’re going to campaign with Hillary tomorrow’ when you know the questions are going to be asked, like ‘hey, what’s up with this investigation?’” he said.
“So I don’t think it is obviously something they’re very excited to hear.”
Spicer also joked about the news coming on a Friday afternoon.
“It is kind of astonishing that Friday’s are like the FBI’s day for big announcements and its long weekends. They have this thing about weekends these days,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to next Friday.”
DNC Communications Director Adam Hodge fired back, referencing the release earlier this month of a tape in which Trump talks about kissing and groping women without their consent.
“Right, you never know what video you’re guy could be in,” he said.
The panel with Spicer and Hodge was moderated by RealClearPolitics associate editor and columnist A.B. Stoddard.
Hodge downplayed the effect of the FBI news and said the focus remained on getting Clinton supporters to the polls.
“I think it is too early to tell what is going to come of the news that just broke today,” he said. “I think the thing we can be most focused on is we know who our core voters are, we know what it takes to get them to the polls, and we are going to execute that.”
But Spicer said the FBI decision would be a “net positive politically speaking” for the Republican Party.
“Any time that you’re in politics and you’re kind of in the headline as ‘opens FBI investigation,’ it’s not like ‘opens party’ or ‘opens headquarters.’ Those are the headlines you want, right?” Spicer said.
“Whether it’s headquarters or whether it is mouth, but ‘opens FBI investigation’ is not a good headline.”