Dems’ latest Trump attack backfires as frequent critics refuse to play along

What happened: Democrats and media outlets said Trump suggested Iran should "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego, based on remarks at a Nebraska rally. Several frequent Trump critics and the White House rejected that characterization. Key numbers: Rally held Monday; 13 million Californians live in LA and San Diego counties, per Xavier Becerra. Why it matters: Journalists including CNN's Daniel Dale and Aaron Blake said the "small price to pay" line referred to war costs, not an attack. The White House called the criticism "not rooted in reality.

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