Clinton Aides Prompted Queries at Events

NY Times ^ | November 12, 2007 | PATRICK HEALY

[neverdem]

At two campaign events in Iowa this year, aides to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton encouraged audience members to ask her specific questions, a tactic that drew criticism from an opponent for the Democratic presidential nomination and led her yesterday to promise that it would not happen again.

Mrs. Clinton, speaking to reporters in Iowa, said she was unaware that her aides had ever planted questions.

“It was news to me,” said Mrs. Clinton, of New York, “and neither I nor my campaign approve of that, and it will certainly not be tolerated.”

Staff members have been told to avoid doing so in the future, advisers said.

Planting questions with audience members, while not unheard of in political campaigns, is generally avoided because of the embarrassing image it suggests when the tactic becomes public: that a candidate is uncomfortable facing tough questions or campaigning in unpredictable settings.

Iowa’s presidential caucuses are less than two months away, and Mrs. Clinton is in a tight race there with Senator Barack Obama of Illinois and John Edwards, a former senator from North Carolina.

Political analysts said that while planting questions is not the worst sin of a campaign operation, the practice could reinforce negative opinions about Mrs. Clinton.

“The problem for Hillary Clinton is the whole spin that’s going to happen — that she and her campaign are manipulative and scheming and that she is essentially trying to bend the rules to maintain her lead in the polls,” said Steffen W. Schmidt, a political science professor at Iowa State University.

The practice came to light late last week when a student at Grinnell College in Iowa, Muriel Gallo-Chasanoff, told her campus newspaper that a Clinton aide had asked her to pose a question to Mrs. Clinton about global warming...

[The Pack Knight]

Note the stories that circulated throughout the media over the last few days about how participants in the President's meetings with the families of fallen soldiers were screened and their questions vetted.

Does anyone doubt that the Clinton war room had anything to do with that? Hillary wasted no time "working the ref" when she discovered this leak.

[Seaplaner]

"It was news to me... " [lied]... Mrs. Clinton, of New York, “and neither I nor my campaign approve of that, and it will certainly not be tolerated [she lied again, knowing that Saul Alinsky would be so pleased.]

"Fixing" the questions has worked for the Clintons, ever since they had that big 60 Minutes "interview".

They are not about to change this. They will only change how they do the fix.

Now, look for them to identify questioners days in advance, and just import these people to the "question" session for Hillary.

[Holicheese]

“Hillary, would you be willing to pay for Rush Limbaugh’s medical insurance?”

[Doogle]

The practice came to light late last week when a student at Grinnell College in Iowa

...and we as all good Americans are suppose to believe this is the first time this has happened and all the past stories of hildabeast "getting fed softballs" to deflect any difficult questions she can't answer, or won't answer has never happened...even though people have talked about, given examples,and reported it....well shazammm!!..you folks at the NYT are sure smart

[neverdem]

Hillary - flags falling video

How a Business Flop Became Political Force [Hsu]

Maliki Asserts Influx Into Baghdad

Rocket and mortar attacks in Iraq are reported to have fallen to their lowest levels for nearly two years.

From time to time, I’ll ping on noteworthy articles about politics, foreign and military affairs. FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.

[The Grim Freeper]

I do not know why this is being treated like news all the sudden. That the Clinton's have long been know to script their "Town Hall Meetings" is not a secret. I worked for Tandem Computers in Cupertino in the early 90's and when the Clinton's visited in 1992 or 1993, they held one of their Town Hall Meetings on site. All questions were completely vetted and all attendees were absolutely cherry-picked.

One of the girls I worked with was selected to attend. She was a Monica Lewinsky lookalike. Could have been her older sister. She said that Bill Clinton flirted with her and was very friendly. She did not go into detail. I definitely thought of her when troopergate and Lewinsky, etc. unfolded.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

“The problem for Hillary Clinton is the whole spin that’s going to happen — that she and her campaign are manipulative and scheming and that she is essentially trying to bend the rules to maintain her lead in the polls,” said Steffen W. Schmidt, a political science professor at Iowa State University.

It's not "spin", Mr. Schmidt. When it comes to the Clintons, it's FACT!

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Muriel Gallo-Chasanoff
A/K/A Vince Foster II if this goes badly for Queen Hillary.

I used the term, "Arkancide", on this related thread.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

And the indications are that Ms. Gallo-Chasanoff was set up by a SENIOR CAMPAIGN ADVISOR. Maybe Ms. Abedin herself, perhaps?

[Liz]

Heheh-—no doubt.

[theDentist]

Clinton Aides Prompted Queries at Events

Oh, Queries, not Queeries. Got it.

[neverdem]

Maybe Ms. Abedin herself, perhaps?

LOL! Thanks for the link.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

That's worth telling to a reporter.

Same guy who wrote up this story: HILL GETS CORN-FED QUESTION

Or, better yet, write the college student reporter who broke the story in the Grinnell College newspaper.

[Tarpon]

I cannot recall, but doesn’t Ms Bill Clinton have a history of memory loss?

[Elsie]

Planting questions with audience members, while not unheard of which is quite common in ALL 'public assemblies' and in political campaigns, is generally avoided because of the embarrassing image it suggests when the tactic becomes public: that a candidate is uncomfortable facing tough questions or campaigning in unpredictable settings.

[ReleaseTheHounds]

“The problem for Hillary Clinton is the whole spin that’s going to happen — that she and her campaign are manipulative and scheming and that she is essentially trying to bend the rules to maintain her lead in the polls,” said Steffen W. Schmidt, a political science professor at Iowa State University.

Hillary scheming and manipulative??? Say it ain't so!!!

[SunkenCiv]

“It’s news to me” — wonder how many true believers will swallow that garbage? Thanks neverdem.

I saw a bit of Obama on Meet the Press, and he “uhs” a _lot_ to the point of becoming incoherent in his replies.

IOW, that should help him with party stalwarts.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Berosus]

I don't know much about Mr. Spitzer, but I get the impression he's the worst governor New York has had since Lord Cornbury.

[Elsie]

I guess Rudy is not the FIRST to appear in NY in drag!!!