WikiLeaks’ 10 Most Damning Clinton Emails that Prove Mainstr

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https://wikileaks.org/podesta-emails/emailid/5621

Re: HRC feedback

From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
CC: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Date: 2015-05-21 17:11
Subject: Re: HRC feedback

Got it.

On Thursday, May 21, 2015, Huma Abedin <[email protected]> wrote:

> not suggesting no q and a at all
> maybe just having a straight message event and take questions from real
> people
> doing an avail on the second day when shes out getting ice cream or doing
> house parties so that shes not stepping on her own message

> On Thu, May 21, 2015 at 9:55 AM, John Podesta <[email protected]
> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');>> wrote:
>
>> If she thinks we can get to Labor Day without taking press questions, I
>> think that's suicidal. We have to find some mechanism to let the stream out
>> of the pressure cooker.

>> On Thursday, May 21, 2015, Jennifer Palmieri <
>> [email protected]
>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');>> wrote:
>>
>>> That all sounds good, will have today,
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>> > On May 21, 2015, at 7:35 AM, Robby Mook <[email protected]>
>>> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > Very helpful--thank you!
>>> > Kristina and Jen, let's try to address this stuff in the Q3 memo and
>>> > use that as a platform to discuss w her.
>>> > Huma, should we go ahead and book a time to discuss new finance sched
>>> > (just us staff).

>>> >> On May 21, 2015, at 1:17 AM, Huma Abedin <[email protected]>
>>> wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >> She raised the following with me before the speech call but didn't
>>> >> raise with entire group so sending just to you for discussion.
>>> >> She wants to re-think events during and post launch with money and
>>> >> press being her 2 big issues:
>>> >> 1. We are looking to add more fundraisers in the last 2 weeks in June
>>> >> to get her to a higher number for this quarter. We mapped out that
>>> >> schedule to share and it is doable, albeit a little crazy.
>>> >> 2. Can we survive not answering questions from press at message
>>> >> events. Her dinkins speech and immigration message broke through
>>> >> because we didn't take questions. Her community banks message got lost
>>> >> because she answered questions about the foundation and emails.
>>> >> Proposal would be:
>>> >> 1. Launch speech followed by targeted small message events in
>>> >> different states. Also Continuing organizing meetings but not
>>> >> necessarily town halls.
>>> >> 2. Series of policy rollouts as currently proposed but either in
>>> >> speeches or small message round tables only.
>>> >> 3. In the fall, starting to do avails at message events, interviews,
>>> >> and q and a with press but having had a series of policy proposals
>>> >> already announced and reported on that she could point to.
>>> >> Just throwing out suggestions that would address her concerns and look
>>> >> forward to discussing.

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Hillary Clinton is facing mounting pressure to hold a press conference
by Oliver Darcy
Sep. 3, 2016

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The pressure is growing on Hillary Clinton to hold a press conference.

In the past two weeks, the Democratic presidential nominee has faced increased scrutiny from critics to take questions at a news conference — something she hasn’t done in 273 days.

“It’s quite Nixonian,” Nomiki Konst, a Democratic strategist and host of “The Filter Radio” on Sirius XM, told Business Insider. “Every candidate wants to control their message … but I think it is incredibly uncommon that a candidate who is running for president has not had a press conference in more than 270 days.”

“The public has a right to know where she stands on issues," added Konst, who supported Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders during the Democratic presidential primaries. "Reporters can’t rely on tweets and press releases and FOIA [Freedom of Information Act] requests to figure out who a candidate is.”

The radio host isn’t alone in her opinion on the matter, which has been seized on by Republican nominee Donald Trump in recent weeks.

New York Times columnist Jim Rutenberg criticized Clinton for her aversion toward the press in a searing piece on Sunday, and CNN senior media correspondent Brian Stelter has not been shy when offering his opinion.

“She is acting in some ways as if she is already president,” Stelter said in a recent CNN appearance. “By not acknowledging the importance of a press conference, the uniqueness of a press conference — it makes me wonder how accessible she’d be in the White House as president.”

Clinton and her supporters have pushed back against calls for her to take part in a news conference.

“Stay tuned. There will be a lot of different opportunities for me to talk to the press,” the Democratic candidate recently told CNN host Anderson Cooper when asked about the issue.

The campaign, which did not return requests for comment for this story, frequently cites a figure that asserts Clinton has granted more than 350 interviews this year.

Moreover, Clinton has found other ways to engage with voters. Her campaign recently launched a podcast and has a presence on nearly every social-media platform.

Holly Shulman, a former spokeswoman for the Democratic National Committee, told Business Insider that technology has changed the way candidates run for office and suggested there was less of a need to lean on the press to disseminate a message.

“Campaigns have changed,” she said, noting that candidates can now reach voters directly through social media. “[T]his type of direct engagement has a much bigger impact on voters' decisions.”

Michael Trujillo, former senior adviser to Ready for Hillary, a super PAC created with the purpose of drafting Clinton's candidacy, echoed much of that sentiment. He characterized a press conference as an “archaic device” and said Clinton is instead using better mediums to get her message out.

“Every four years presidential campaigns evolve,” he told Business Insider. “And they start getting their message to the public ways in different ways.”

Trujillo suggested reporters “evolve on how they interact” with the campaign instead of “being married” to “a tradition that has no bearing to how campaigns are effectively run nowadays.”

But Trump has continued to spotlight Clinton’s refusal to take questions from the media in an open setting.

In recent weeks, the New York businessman’s campaign has sent out an email each morning reminding reporters exactly how many days it has been since “hiding Hillary” last held a press conference.

The Republican National Committee has doubled down on such calls and released a statement Friday also noting how many days had passed since Clinton “faced members of the media in an environment not carefully controlled by her campaign.”

“Clinton owes the American people explanations on a number of issues,” the statement said.

And it’s not just partisan groups applying such pressure onto Clinton.

Alex Howard, a senior analyst at the Sunshine Foundation, a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization that promotes transparency in government, told Business Insider in a statement that simply granting one-on-one interviews with journalists is not enough.

“Regular press conferences are an essential part of the accountability we expect of the president of the United States and the presidential candidates who aspire to the highest office in the country,” Howard said.

He added: “Sitting down for hundreds of interviews, including in-depth interviews with national reporters on the campaign trail, can and does inform voters about a candidate's views, but it is not a replacement.”

It's unclear if such a press conference is on the horizon, but Brian Fallon, the campaign’s top spokesman, seemed to acknowledge the importance of one on Friday. He promised ABC News that if elected, “Hillary Clinton will hold press conferences.”

“But the frequency of them is something that would just play out as time went on," he said.

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‘Hey Guys!’: Clinton Greets Media After More Than 270 Days Since Holding a Press Conference
by Mike Opelka
September 5, 2016

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Labor Day marks the unofficial kick off of the last leg of the 2106 race for the White House. The day started with both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton boarding campaign planes headed to rallies in key battleground states.

In Clinton’s case, Monday marked the first time the Democratic nominee invited members of the press to fly alongside her in the her new campaign airliner.

Before taking off, Clinton wandered back to the section where the journalists were seated to “welcome” them.

“Hey guys,” Clinton said with a smile, as she stood at the entrance to the press area. “Welcome to our big plane. It’s so exciting.”

An off-camera questioner asked Clinton, “What do you think?”

“I think it’s pretty cool, don’t you?” she said, before leaning in and stressing, “You’re supposed to say, ‘Yes!'”

A smattering of laughter was heard from the reporters and then Clinton added, with what appeared to be a tinge of sarcasm, “I am so happy to have of you here with me.”

“I’ve been just waiting for this moment,” she quipped.

Some members of the entourage lobbed a couple of light questions to the candidate, asking how her Labor Day weekend was. Clinton responded, “It was good, really good. Yeah, we had a good time.”

Clinton gave a shout-out to one reporter she recognized named Mark. However, her longest interaction with the crew in the back of the plane was with a campaign staffer named Arun.

When asked if she had a Labor Day comment, Clinton replied, “I definitely do. … If you want more Happy Labor Days, you know who to vote for.”

CNN followed up the report highlighting the fact that Clinton has not had a full press conference since last December.

Watch the exchange between Clinton and the press corps.

[admin]

Hillary Clinton's Streak of 275 Days Without a 'Press Conference' Has Ended (Cough Cough)
by Kyle Becker
Independent Journal Review
September, 2016

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It had been 275 days since Hillary Clinton had held a press conference. On Monday, that streak was ended by reporters invited to meet Clinton for a “meet and greet” aboard her new private plane.

Aboard the plane, the reporters held a 25-minute Q&A sesh and referred to it as a “press conference.”

Independent Journal Review's Justin Green earlier detailed the soft ball nature of the questioning, including the following questions:

• “Have you missed us?”
• “Are you ready?”
• “What do you think?”
• “How does it feel compared to 2008?”
• “Is it great to have all of us with you?”
• “How was your Labor Day weekend?”
• “Do you have a Labor Day message?”

There were moments at the “press conference” when the questioning took on the appearance of campaign coaching. In particular, there was a question about whether health “conspiracy theories” were “sexist”:

Liz Goodwin ✔ @lizcgoodwin
She also addressed conspiracy theories about her health
3:22 PM - 5 Sep 2016

“Hmmm,” Hillary Clinton replied to the suggestion.

Of course, numerous presidential candidates have had their health questioned before an election, including Ronald Reagan, John McCain, and Donald Trump.

It is also highly ironic that during the very same event, journalists who had discussed “conspiracy theories” about Hillary Clinton's health were witness to a coughing fit.



Awkward.

This “press conference” at times smacked more like a campaign strategy session and less like adversarial questioning of the former Madame Secretary at a time of increasing scrutiny and declining poll numbers. Last week, it was reported by the Washington Post that a record number of Americans now “dislike” Hillary Clinton.

The press doesn't do itself any favors by throwing in its lot with any presidential candidate, but this is especially true regarding especially unpopular ones like Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Nonetheless, reporters aboard Hillary Clinton's plane were called out for their beaming reception of the presidential candidate.

Jason C. @CounterMoonbat
This is from Hillary's plane, and those aren't reporters, they're fans.
2:47 PM - 5 Sep 2016

Let's zoom in on NBC's Andrea Mitchell:

5 Sep
Jason C. @CounterMoonbat
This is from Hillary's plane, and those aren't reporters, they're fans. pic.twitter.com/FPHuLGEzDZ

Jesse Kelly @JesseKellyDC
@CounterMoonbat That's how I look at a meat-lovers pizza pic.twitter.com/W91saabh4h
2:49 PM - 5 Sep 2016

And more reporters:

5 Sep
Jesse Kelly @JesseKellyDC
@CounterMoonbat That's how I look at a meat-lovers pizza pic.twitter.com/W91saabh4h

Eric @Ericb1980
@JesseKellyDC @CuffyMeh @CounterMoonbat "totes ok, we work WITH you!!!" pic.twitter.com/9NKe5XszSf
2:53 PM - 5 Sep 2016

It's one thing to be cordial and courteous at a “meet and greet,” but it's quite another thing to unilaterally declare an end to a presidential candidate's unsightly streak of avoiding “press conferences.” If the press wants to end that streak, then it needs to get Hillary Clinton at a podium and make sure that she's not able to avoid the sniper fire.