Under fire as usual, Clinton ramps up her trust campaign

FILE - In this June 7, 2016, file photo, former President Bill Clinton, left, stands on stage with his wife, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, after she spoke during a presidential primary election night rally in New York. His popularity among Democrats is off the charts, he's a fundraising powerhouse and his administration is hailed by many as a high-water mark of economic prosperity. Without question, one of the key assets in Hillary Clinton's second campaign for the White House is her husband, Bill. And yet, there are still times when the former president can step in it. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File) FILE - In this June 7, 2016, file photo, former President Bill Clinton, left, stands on stage with his wife, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, after she spoke during a presidential primary election night rally in New York. His popularity among Democrats is off the charts, he's a fundraising powerhouse and his administration is hailed by many as a high-water mark of economic prosperity. Without question, one of the key assets in Hillary Clinton's second campaign for the White House is her husband, Bill. And yet, there are still times when the former president can step in it. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

By Associated Press July 4, 2016 5 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Clinton trust campaign is turning to powerful advocates, chief among them President Barack Obama, to vouch for the Democratic candidate shadowed by an FBI investigation on the brink of her presidential nomination.

Clinton herself acknowledges that she has “work to do” to earn the trust of voters after nearly four decades in public life as she faces Republican Donald Trump in the general election. And she’s called in help from advocates to attest to her “good heart,” as Sen. Elizabeth Warren put it – whatever the results of the FBI probe into Clinton’s private email server while she was secretary of state.

On Sunday’s news shows, Sen. Sherrod Brown, R-Ohio, and Labor Secretary Tom Perez – both potential running mates for the Democratic ticket – explicitly talked about Clinton and trust.

On Tuesday, Obama is set to join Clinton in a campaign event in battleground North Carolina meant to personalize the “I trust Hillary” theme. It’s the president’s first appearance with his former secretary of state during the 2016 campaign. Vice President Joe Biden will reinforce the message Friday in his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, with Clinton at his side.

“Trust” is on the lips of Democrats because it’s a remarkable vulnerability that persists for Clinton, despite and because of her decades of public life. And the timing of her credibility campaign is no accident.