Clinton: Trump pushing GOP field in ‘deeply distressing’ direction

Hillary Clinton said Sunday that the GOP presidential field is taking its cues from Donald Trump in a “deeply distressing” way.

The Democratic front-runner said Trump’s bombastic style was reverberating through the GOP rivals hoping to cut into his lead in the polls.

{mosads}“He’s not the only one saying things that are deeply distressing. A lot of the others are kind of Trump 2,” she said on ABC’s “This Week.” “The Republicans in their presidential nominating process have a lot to answer for.”

With Trump’s lead in the polls lasting far longer than many experts anticipated, Clinton said she would be delighted to run against the businessman for the White House if both are nominated.

“If he gets the nomination, I will be more than happy to campaign against him,” she said.

Clinton laughed at the mere mention of Trump’s name by host George Stephanopoulos, adding, “I’m sorry, I can’t help it.”

She credited Trump’s rise in the polls to his celebrity, and acknowledged that his politically incorrect style can hold a certain appeal among some voters.

“He’s a reality TV star. Tens of millions of people have watched him for more than a decade on TV. He’s part of the celebrity culture, and he will say whatever he wants to say,” she said.