Republicans aren’t pulling any punches, as a Bill Clinton T-shirt with the word ‘Rape’ in fat lettering goes on sale at the Republican National Convention. Behind the design are none other than Trump adviser Roger Stone and Infowars’ Alex Jones.
The design features a photograph of a smiling Clinton, and is a nod to the blue-and-red ‘Hope’ posters we saw from the Obama campaign back in 2008. But it is only the latest in a line of controversial designs by the former Nixon cabinet member Stone and conspiracy-theory pundit Jones.
Thursday’s unveiling at the RNC was greeted by a crowd of about a dozen, whom ended up buying the T-shirts. However, attendees were also offered other designs displayed by street vendors around Cleveland that day. In one, Donald Trump punches Hillary Clinton in the face, while another has her behind bars. There’s also one with the inscription ‘Life’s a bitch. Don’t vote for one’, complete with Hillary’s recent battle-cry face.
Various buttons were also available.
The Republicans don’t seem to think perpetuating the image of Trump’s misogyny could negatively impact the campaign, because, according to witnesses, the T-shirts and buttons were seen being worn by delegates at the convention center.
Of course, if there was anyone who could offset the potentially-negative impact, it was Ivanka Trump. The presidential candidate’s daughter surprised everyone when she took the stage and appeared to carry a markedly different tone to her father, promoting his policies toward women in a manner many associate with the Democrats.
READ MORE: Champion of women? Ivanka attempts liberal sales pitch of Trump
Ivanka read her speech to the cheers of a crowd holding up banners reading ‘Women for Trump’. In fact, the younger Trump’s measured presentation of her father’s policies on maternity leave and closing the wage gap sounded so progressive that apparent Democrat voters on Twitter flocked to question “if she knows where she is.”