Rep. Adam Schiff (D., Calif.) told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Thursday that he was concerned about Hillary Clinton’s honesty and trustworthiness poll numbers.
Tapper said that, according to a new Suffolk University/USA Today poll, 59 percent of likely voters do not think Clinton is honest or trustworthy, which is "almost identical to the not honest, not trustworthy numbers of Donald Trump."
"Are you concerned about this, and do you think there is anything she can do to turn that around?" Tapper asked.
"You know, I am concerned about it because I think as president, it means that they’re going to continue attacking her from the first day," Schiff said.
He added that these numbers are going to make it difficult for Clinton during the early parts of her administration.
"But, if she is successful, I think those numbers are going to make it difficult in the sense that she may not get the same honeymoon that other presidents get early in their administration," Schiff said.
He then said that the Republican Party has been "successful" in trying to "tear down" Clinton during her presidential run.
"But, I think what they do reflect, Jake, is that ever since she left the job of secretary of state, where she was widely revered by Democrats and Republicans alike, and she became a potential candidate for president, there has been a concerted and, I think, quite successful effort by the GOP to tear her down," Schiff said.
He added that he did not think he or Tapper would have fared well either if they were attacked with the same amount of resources that were aimed at Clinton.
"Some of that fall [in polls] is inevitable," Schiff said.