Hillary Clinton Goes All John Oliver In AC

On Wednesday, presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton gave a blistering speech aimed at Donald Trump's dismal business record. To hammer home her attack against Trump's reputation as a premiere business mogul, she chose Atlantic City, New Jersey, where his ventures once dominated the seaside resort town. Standing in the shadows of one of Trump's shuttered casinos, Clinton said "As the people of Atlantic City know better than anyone, Donald Trump cannot do the job for American workers and businesses."

But Clinton was just getting warmed up: from there she listed The Donald's failed casinos in Atlantic City, including the one she was standing in front of, the Trump Plaza. "Now it's abandoned," she said, adding that "You can just make out the word 'Trump' where it used to be written in flashy lights. He had the letters taken down a few years ago. But his presence remains." By the time she really got going, Clinton's speech almost started to feel like a bit from Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, complete with well-documented references and snarky commentary. "The Newark Star-Ledger says he — and I quote — 'excels at ripping people off.' They wrote — again I quote — 'as a result of his narcissistic, destructive risk-taking with other people's money, his casinos posted huge losses while others thrived.'" All that was missing was some snazzy graphic work.

"[When] Trump furniture is made Turkey instead of Lakewood, New Jersey, that matters," Hillary went on to say. "Trump suits are made in Mexico instead of Ashland, Pennsylvania. Trump lamps are made in China, not Altoona, Pennsylvania. If he wants to make America great again, maybe he should start by making things in America again." BOOM.

Perhaps the most cutting remark, though, was reserved for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who was accused of being an attendant to the GOP nominee, to the detriment of his constituents. "If your governor will start doing his job instead of following Donald Trump around, holding his coat, maybe we could really get New Jersey's economy moving again," Clinton said. (This election season hasn't been kind to Christie, and it doesn't look like that's going to change anytime soon.)

Clinton's speech comes amidst the latest iteration of her email scandal. FBI Director James Comey and Attorney General Loretta Lynch have been called to appear in front of Congress to defend the decision not to indict Clinton over her private server, Thursday and next Tuesday, respectively. It's unclear if a well-curated condemnation of Trump's business failings will offer much of a distraction from the hardly-dying-down heat over Clinton's "damn emails." But one thing is clear: Clinton's not afraid to go after Trump with everything she's got, even if it means standing in front of the literal symbols of his failures.

Image: Bustle/Dawn Foster