A Frank Luntz CBS focus group of 18 women expressed strong and generally distasteful opinions for presumptive 2016 presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in a segment airing Friday on This Morning.
The group of six Republicans, six Democrats and six independents included defenders of both candidates, but negative statements pervaded.
Asked by Luntz for one word or phrase to describe Trump, one woman called him a "patriot," but others said "clown show," "hate monger," "idiot," and "crude with narcissistic personality disorder."
"I think he's divisive as a strategy to get attention," one defender of Trump said. "I don't think he could have come this far if he didn't use that strategy to get people to listen to him ... I think he has a very strong personality, and I think he tells the truth, and a lot of people can't handle the truth."
Another focus group member wanted to know what exactly Trump's truth was, pointing out his history of flipping positions. Another said he incited violence, while one woman added in a rueful tone, "he gets me upset."
Clinton didn't fare much better when Luntz asked for people to describe her.
Women in the back row called her "opportunist," "liar," "deceiver," and "corrupt."
The same lady who hit Trump for flip-flopping on his political views wondered how the country had likely settled on these two as the top presidential contenders.
"I look at them and I say in a country of over 330 million people, these are the best we could find? That is the bottom line! It's not acceptable," she said, as others murmured agreement.
The polls back her up: Both Clinton and Trump have historically high unfavorability ratings with the public. Nevertheless, Trump has essentially wrapped up the Republican nomination as the only remaining candidate, and Clinton holds a significant Democratic delegate lead over challenger Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.).