Hillary Clinton's longtime adviser and spokesman Nick Merrill castigated Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg on Friday night for criticizing Clinton in a profile piece.
In a Washington Post Magazine profile piece titled, "Could Pete Buttigieg Become the First Millennial President?," the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, reflected on the 2016 election and noted Donald Trump was able to tap into genuine concerns and worries about the economy.
"Donald Trump got elected because, in his twisted way, he pointed out the huge troubles in our economy and our democracy," Buttigieg says. "At least he didn’t go around saying that America was already great, like Hillary did."
Clinton repeated the line about America already being "great" several times throughout her failed campaign.
Merrill fired back on Twitter, saying Buttigieg's criticism is "indefensible" and Clinton "ran on a belief in this country & the most progressive platform in modern political history. Trump ran on pessimism, racism, false promises, & vitriol."
"Interpret that how you want, but there are 66,000,000 people who disagree. Good luck," Merrill tweeted.
This is indefensible. @HillaryClinton ran on a belief in this country & the most progressive platform in modern political history. Trump ran on pessimism, racism, false promises, & vitriol. Interpret that how you want, but there are 66,000,000 people who disagree. Good luck. https://t.co/N3yRgHPVDL
— Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) March 30, 2019
While Buttigieg endorsed Clinton after her nomination in 2016, he said that he could tell there was very little enthusiasm for her campaign, reflecting on a Union Hall event he organized for her campaign in South Bend.
"We need a bigger scope of ambition for people to rally around." Buttigieg said. "Change is something we need to face with clear eyes. It’s scary, but it’s also exciting."
Buttigieg is the second Democrat that Merrill has gone after on Twitter this week. He pushed back against Peter Daou, a former Clinton adviser, on Thursday for saying that Clinton's campaign "failed to see early on that the election was already half over by mid-2015, with the attacks on the Clinton Foundation."
"Respectfully, the best place to be in an election cycle is an armchair. Tell me a time when you overcame "swiftboating" & I’ll let you resume insulting the people that worked their hearts out against unprecedented odds to elect the first woman president," Merrill tweeted. "Until then, knock it off."
Respectfully, the best place to be in an election cycle is an armchair. Tell me a time when you overcame 'swiftboating" & I’ll let you resume insulting the people that worked their hearts out against unprecedented odds to elect the first woman president. Until then, knock it off. https://t.co/39ARzB5tHM
— Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) March 28, 2019