A Muslim-focused political action committee is warning against the dangers of a President Donald Trump in a 90-second videothat uses the GOP nominee’s own words against him.
The video from Emerge PAC opens with a clip of Trump saying, “I think Islam hates us.” His statement is immediately contrasted with Hillary Clinton’s comments at the final presidential debate when she said, “We are not at war with Islam.”
The video portrays the billionaire as divisive and hostile toward Muslims through clips of him calling for his temporary ban on Muslim immigrants and for the surveillance of “certain mosques.” He is seen several times saying he will “bomb the s--- out of them,” a comment Trump made at a rally in November 2015 in which he talked about bombing the Islamic State and the oil territories it controls.
In contrast, Emerge PAC portrays Clinton as a unifying figure, “a woman who has spent decades fighting for inclusion.” The video features clips of the Democratic candidate praising the Quran, and her relationship with Huma Abedin, a Muslim woman who is her campaign’s vice chair and was a top aide while Clinton served as secretary of state.
The video is not being televised as an ad, but instead is being promoted on social media, through vehicles like sponsored Facebook posts, said Baura Zia, Emerge’s national communications coordinator. Zia says this is the first time the PAC has endorsed a presidential candidate and produced such a video.
Emerge PAC, which advances the causes of Muslim, Arab and South Asian communities, is part of a larger effort by Muslim-Americans to counter Trump, who has repeatedly stoked fears about Muslims as he responded to terrorist attacks. Earlier this month, the first-ever PAC for Muslim women was officially launched with the help of Ghazala Khan, the mother of a fallen soldier whose family has clashed with Trump.