Trump campaign seizes on Gabbard quote about Democratic Party

The Trump campaign on Wednesday promoted a snippet of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) criticizing the Democratic Party.

“Our Democratic Party, unfortunately is not the party that is of, by and for the people,” Gabbard said in the six-second clip that was edited down and tweeted out by the Trump War Room account.

The comment came during a broader point from Gabbard during Wednesday night’s debate about the need to shift U.S. foreign policy and end what she calls “regime change wars.”

“Our Democratic Party, unfortunately, is not the party that is of, by and for the people.” #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/B8Lq8i1NrR

— Trump War Room (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TrumpWarRoom) November 21, 2019

The Trump campaign’s promotion of the clip highlighted the divide between Gabbard and other Democratic primary candidates who have been frustrated by her regular criticisms of the party and her frequent appearances on Fox News opinion shows.

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) tore into Gabbard on those points in direct response to Gabbard’s statement.

“I think it’s unfortunate we have someone on this stage who is attempting to be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States who during the Obama administration spent four years, full time on Fox News criticizing President Obama,” Harris said, “and then spends full time during the course of this campaign again criticizing the Democratic Party.”

Gabbard replied that Harris could not dispute her substantive points and had to resort to what she described as “smears.”