How was the GOP able to demonize Hillary Clinton to the extent they did?

[loyalsister]

52. Secrecy, lies, and, just enough substance

Both Clintons handed everything to them on a silver platter. Big banks have been associated with corruption for a long time. Giving speeches to them then being secretive about them has just enough appearance of corruption to be easily accepted. Then came the email stupidity which again made her appear to be secretive.
When people seem to hide things it raises suspicion. Someone who runs for president should be as transparent as possible and follow every rule to the letter. She was not deliberate in finding out the most transparent ways to handle her official correspondence.
Continuing to be loyal to a known liar also worked against her. "If someone puts up with being lied to they must not have a problem with lying."

Loyalists see it all as unfair, but that's not the point. The wounds from 2008 are still fresh for a lot of people. It didn't take a lot of mining to spin a believable story of corruption at a time when massive corruption had been so recently discovered.