Keller: Campaign More Worried About Trump University Case Than Vet Donations
BOSTON (CBS) -- Was a news conference held by Republican Party presidential nominee Donald Trump Tuesday to address concerns about his donations to veterans just a smoke screen to divert attention away from another issue?
WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller called the event "clever politics."
"Because it upstaged a potentially more damaging story that's unfolding later today in California," Keller said, "the release of documents in a lawsuit that claims Trump bilked thousands of people out of money they paid to attend real estate investment seminars under the heading of Trump University."
That suit alleges that people who paid up to $35,000 for seminars from the now-defunct organization, which was not accredited as a school, got defrauded.
Keller said he thought that concerns over the veterans donations had been cleared up, and that the story would no longer hurt Trump.
"The money has been spent," said Keller. "Did he brag prematurely about the money raised? Yes he did. Did his organization struggle to get the story straight? Yes, but the money has now been sent, and that's pretty much the end of the story."
But Keller noted that Trump also went after the federal judge overseeing the Trump University case during the Tuesday press conference, as he has been doing recently.
"The judge has been very unfair, has not done a good job, has not been a very good judge," said Trump Tuesday. "I will win the Trump University case, I already am as far as I'm concerned."
Keller said the fact that Trump again attacked the judge shows his campaign is more worried about that case than the donation concerns.
"This is highly unusual, for someone to attack a federal judge this way," said Keller. "Legal experts say he could be opening himself up to contempt of court charges. But the fact that he would do it indicates he places high importance on that story and the way it's unfolding. I think they're more worried about that than the stuff with the veterans."
Keller added that, if there was any takeaway for the average voter after Trump's press conference, it was that Trump hates the media. He attacked several journalists personally during the event, and criticized the press for investigating his donations.
"On behalf of the vets, the press should be ashamed of themselves," Trump said. "Instead of being like, 'Thank you very much, Mr. Trump,' or 'Trump did a good job,' everyone is saying, 'Who got it? Who got it? Who got it? And you (the press) make me look very bad."
Keller said Trump's media hatred reflects the views of voters.
"It's a sure-fire winner, because poll after poll shows the media is held in very low esteem," said Keller. "And I think that's why Donald Trump goes there."
