Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway defends Trump's use of Bill Clinton's female accusers

Kellyanne Conway defends Donald Trump using Bill Clinton female accusers — (Image credit: Twitter/@CNN)

Donald Trump and his closest advisers decided to implement their new "scorched earth" campaign strategy on Friday night, right after the appearance of the hot-mic recording of Trump bragging about forcibly kissing and groping women, reports Monica Langley at The Wall Street Journal. The plan is to "keep up a relentless assault" on Hillary Clinton "with the intention of keeping some of her supporters home on Election Day" and get his base to the polls.

Before an unshackled Trump started attacking fellow Republicans on Tuesday, the GOP nominee trotted out three women who accuse former President Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct — Paula Jones, Juanita Broaddrick, and Kathleen Willey — and a fourth, Kathy Shelton, whose rapist was represented by Hillary Clinton, featuring them at an event before Sunday night's debate and then bringing them in to attend the debate. These four women will be part of Trump's ugly sprint to the finish line, and CNN's Anderson Cooper asked Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway why on Tuesday night. She said the point was "to remind people who Hillary Rodham Clinton actually is."

"What's relevant about this to Hillary Clinton is very simple: It's the way she treated these women after the fact," Conway said. "It is the way she blamed and shamed the women." Conway pointed Cooper to a "terrific" New York Times article (that doesn't really support Kelly's argument), then turned to the Shelton case. "Donald Trump has made this very front-and-center, and we've covered this a lot," Cooper said. "My question is, do you believe that's going to depress Democratic vote, and clearly you do, because you believe this is a strategy that's wise to pursue." "So I believe that voters should know who Hillary Clinton is," Conway shot back, "and I'll let them decide if it's enough to stay home or come to the polls."

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You can watch the interview, including where Cooper stumps Conway on Trump's financial settlements, below. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.