CNN Anchors Tapper and King POUND Trump Ahead of Nikki Haley Rally: ‘Brutal Smear Machine’ With ‘No Basic Standards of Decency’

CNN anchors Jake Tapper and John King casually torpedoed ex-President Donald Trump as a “brutal” smear merchant who “has a problem with strong women” ahead of Nikki Haley’s first campaign rally.

Haley announced her candidacy for president Tuesday with a bio-heavy campaign video that noted Haley’s upbringing in a segregated city by Indian immigrant parents, while also criticizing her political opponents for their focus on racial issues.

On Wednesday morning’s edition of CNN’s At This Hour, Tapper and King anchored the hour that would include Haley’s first campaign rally from Charleston, South Carolina. While analyst David Chalian talked about messaging strategy, Tapper and King torched Trump while wondering how Haley would deal with the former president:

DAVID CHALIAN: Watch how she navigates the red meat part where she has to throw some stuff out there for the base and keep them enthused and engaged, but also in really reaching out, thinking about that general election audience this far in advance, even though the primary comes first. Can she frame a message that can be consistent all the way through? That’s something to watch for.

JAKE TAPPER: And John King, Nikki Haley so far has avoided any serious criticism from Donald Trump except for the fact that she had previously said she wouldn’t run if he was running. She obviously has gone back against that. But Donald Trump runs a fairly brutal smear machine that does not rely upon facts or even basic standards of decency. Nikki Haley’s been through a lot and South Carolina is a rough and tumble state, but I suspect they’re girding for some really ugly attacks from the Trump people.

JOHN KING: And so one of the advantages of getting in is you test him early on and if he directs the ire at her. Again, Donald Trump has a problem with strong women. We’ve just watched it play out throughout his career. So it could actually, if she handles it right, turn out to be an asset for her, get her more of that attention Abby’s talking about. You get in early and he is, his only statement so far to Kaitlan Collins was I wish her well. That won’t last very long.

Watch above via CNN’s At This Hour.