I think this is a fiction spread by people who don't want to acknowledge that America was literally founded on racism and people loved it so much they tried to found a second country out of America because they were afraid their freedom of racism was going to be restricted. Like, this theory imagines that American white nationalism sprang up sui generis in the last eight years rather than being so powerful that it literally took over half the country 150 years ago.
I have more on this but I'm on my phone.
However I understand why Hillary doesn't necessarily want to mount that argument right now. I can see Cybit's pivot towards whiteness happening, though.
I mean, I get what you're saying. But, at the same time, there's something to be said for not alienating people...even if they deserve it. Like, yes, if you are supporting Trump you're either for white nationalism or you're ambivalent towards it. Neither is morally acceptable, and both deserve condemnation. And, ya, these people should be called out on it.
But, at the same time, I think there's something to be said for taking a tactful, thoughtful approach in explaining to these people why it's not okay to blame "the other" for their problem. Immediately throwing words like racist/sexist/homophobic/bigot no matter how well they earned them, no matter how accurate they are, no matter how much they deserve them...is not the way to win an election.
Should it be the way? ABSOLUTELY. Do I find it uncomfortable that we have to toe this line? ABSOLUTELY.
But, at the end of the day, I want to win. I think acknowledging people's pain (when it's actual pain and not just bigotry) and explaining to them how "Yes, you have fallen through the cracks. But blaming women, Muslims, and Immigrants is NOT the way to solve it" is a preferable path to saying "You feel this way? You're a white nationalist. Go away."