Former President Bill Clinton believes Trump voters were particularly vulnerable to false claims, or fake news, because they felt economically trapped in their rural communities.
“In the last election, in the counties that Hillary carried, you find 64 percent of America’s GDP. In the more numerous, rural counties carried by President Trump, you find 36 percent of the GDP, even though the median income of a Trump voter was higher. What does that tell you?” Clinton told a crowd gathered at Georgetown University Monday afternoon.
Clinton said he believes President Donald Trump rose to power by feeding off the American people’s anger and resentment towards those in Washington, but that the same strategy might not play well in the 2020 election cycle.
“Which works better in economics, politics, and social policy: addition or subtraction, multiplication or division? You can win more elections in the short run when people are mad with subtraction and division, but it’s a lousy way to run a railroad,” Clinton said in explaining his thinking.