Sen. Claire McCaskill (D., Mo.) acknowledged Thursday that the FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server has been damaging to her poll numbers.
McCaskill, an avid Clinton supporter, appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe and discussed the presumptive Democratic nominee’s long-running issues with trust. Clinton has been plagued by low poll numbers saying that voters view her as dishonest and untrustworthy. A new New York Times/CBS News poll found that 67 percent of voters do not find Clinton to be honest.
Co-host Mike Brzezinski asked McCaskill how Clinton might be able to recover from these low numbers.
"How is she going to climb out of this low point? I know you can discount polls and approval ratings, but you’ve got to look at them in light of the [FBI Director James] Comey statements. How does she prove to the American people that she can be trusted?" Brzezinski asked.
McCaskill did not deny Clinton’s email scandal has been a major contributor to her low poll numbers.
"Well, I think clearly the email story is damaging for her in that she made a mistake," McCaskill said.
McCaskill tried to justify Clinton’s actions, stressing that she understands her mistake and that she was not charged with mishandling classified material on her private server while at the State Department.
"She has acknowledged that mistake, and she has said it was a mistake. And Comey, while he said a lot of things, he also said that dozens and dozens of FBI investigators and law enforcement professionals had unamiously agreed that she has not broken any laws," McCaskill said.
Brzezinski then cut off McCaskill, saying, "No, no. I totally understand you on that, but it’s more where peoples’ minds are. And I think that’s a difference, not whether or not she broke the law."
Since Comey testified to the House Oversight Committee on the FBI probe into Clinton’s emails, House Republicans have asked the Justice Department to investigate whether or not Clinton lied to Congress during her testimony last year.