Hillary Clinton is so disdainful of the press that since she declared her candidacy on April 12, The New York Times complained she has answered just seven questions from reporters. Even from reporters who love her. So the Times created a feature publishing questions they would ask Mrs. Clinton if “we had the opportunity.”
At their “First Draft” blog, Clinton beat reporter Amy Chozick wrote that on Tuesday in Las Vegas, Mrs. Clinton “laid out an extensive and ambitious plan to overhaul the nation’s immigration system” – in other words, she accepted Obama’s policy and insisted on going much further. Chozick laid out what they would like to ask:
“President Obama said his executive action on immigration went as far as the law will allow. You say you would go beyond what he did. How could you stretch the law further than the president of your own party and his Justice Department says it can go?”
That’s a decent question – meaning of course, Hillary would rather punt. She’s the Ray Guy of presidential candidates.
Actually, the seven-questions count originated with National Journal magazine, which now counts eight questions. This is not to say Mrs. Clinton’s dodgy answers were pleasing to reporters or voters. Take the last four:
Question 5: In an interview for print (no transcript has been made available), The Washington Post apparently asked a question about "her campaign finance agenda" April 14.
Clinton: "We do have a plan. We have a plan for my plan. ... I'm going to be rolling out a lot of my policies. ... Stay tuned."Question 6: Also from the Post, when asked about the role of Priorities USA Action will play in the 2016 election:
Clinton: "I don't know."Question 7 [the eight-second interview captured by our Kyle Drennen]: "Secretary Clinton, hi, how are you, I'm Kristen with NBC News. You lost Iowa in 2008. How do you win this time? What's your strategy?" - NBC in LeClaire, Iowa, on April 14.
Clinton: "I'm having a great time, can't look forward any more than I am."Question 8: "Secretary Clinton, what do you think the importance of the Iowa Caucus will be in the passed and in the upcoming election?" - Des Moines Register in Mount Vernon, Iowa, on April 14.
Clinton: "I think it's important because it's the first contest and I'm looking forward to getting prepared for it next February."
Notice that all eight questions are in the first three days of her campaign, and none in the last 24 days.
