CNN earned their moniker as the Clinton News Network on Thursday as they awaited the highly anticipated speech to be delivered by Chelsea Clinton at the Democratic National Convention. The America’s Choice 2016 panel gushed as they reminisced about Chelsea and were awe struck by her transformation from an “awkward little girl” to “a remarkable young woman.” “I sort of feel like all of us are kind of god parents of Chelsea,” stated Bill Press.
For CNN Chief Political Analyst Gloria Borger there was timeless image of Chelsea she couldn’t get out of her head. “Do you remember that picture with them on the White House lawn and Chelsea standing,” she remembered and talked about it glowingly, “It sort of sticks out in my mind.” Host Anderson Cooper remembered it as well:
BORGER: Chelsea holding her father's hand and her mother's hand after the Lewinski—
ANDERSON COOPER: Heading toward a helicopter.
BORGER: --heading toward that helicopter between them.
John King, CNN’s Chief National Correspondent, told his own personal story about meeting Chelsea early in the Bill Clinton years:
I remember Chelsea as an awkward little girl when he was moving out of the mansion in Arkansas. She was there when they did a tour when he was moving out of the mansion as president-elect. And she was a sweet awkward little girl. I think she had braces. Now to see the poise she has…
Chelsea Clinton, whatever your politics is an amazingly poised, accomplished young woman. They should get some credit for that I guess is the point I’m trying to make.
In a rather embarrassing moment in King’s story, he admitted that Chelsea had grown up around stories of her father’s infidelities. “I'll tell you a story the Clinton campaign probably would not like me to tell,” King began. “On Super Bowl Sunday 1992, the day of the 60 Minutes interview about Monica Lewinski— I mean Gennifer Flowers,” King blurted out, “I’m sorry. About Gennifer Flowers.” King later remarked that, “Chelsea was in the White House when the Monica Lewinsky thing happened.”
King went on to gush about how Hillary wanted to be there for Chelsea when the interview actually aired. “But they [Bill and Hillary] embraced on the tarmac. And she went home to Arkansas because she said, “I need to be with Chelsea when this interview airs.” Chelsea was a month shy of her 12th birthday at that time.”
Transcript below:
CNN
The Situation Room
July 28, 2016
6:06:21 PMJOHN KING: They have a long relationship. And Chelsea Clinton, even as a child, has been with them through the ups and downs of politics. Both their politics. I'll tell you a story the Clinton campaign probably would not like me to tell. On Super Bowl Sunday 1992, the day of the 60 Minutes interview about Monica Lewinski— I mean Gennifer Flowers. I’m sorry. About Gennifer Flowers. Where Hillary Clinton said, “I'm no Tammy Wynette standing by my man.” It was a game changer in the election at the time when people thought Governor Clinton would have to drop out of the race.
I worked for the Associated Press then and I had an interview with them as soon as the 60 Minutes interview finished. I began an interview with them and we went down the elevator—it was the Ritz-Carlton, it’s a different hotel name now in Boston—and then a car ride out to Logan Airport with the Clintons. When we got to the airport, he was going back to New Hampshire to campaign. And I stayed with him. But they embraced on the tarmac. And she went home to Arkansas because she said, “I need to be with Chelsea when this interview airs.” Chelsea was a month shy of her 12th birthday at that time.
MICHAEL SMERCONISH: Wow.
KING: And so, she – They have been through this— Chelsea was in the White House when the Monica Lewinsky thing happened. And Chelsea has grown. I remember Chelsea as an awkward little girl when he was moving out of the mansion in Arkansas. She was there when they did a tour when he was moving out of the mansion as president-elect. And she was a sweet awkward little girl. I think she had braces. Now to see the poise she has. I mean, we talked about Donald Trump's children and some ways how you judge people is how their children turned out. Chelsea Clinton, whatever your politics is an amazingly poised, accomplished young woman. They should get some credit for that I guess is the point I’m trying to make.
SMERCONSIH: Can I say? In a campaign like this, you provided very few moments for a mulligan. Very few moments where you get to wipe the slate clean and allow people to take a fresh look. The announcement is up with of those phases. Tonight is very important. It's one of those milestone. The debates will provide yet another opportunity. So, I think that Chelsea setting up mom's speech, and by all accounts this has gone well so far, puts her on the platform in way she needs to be to now try to explain where she, she meaning Hillary, seeks to take the country. That’s what she's got to do to night. She’s got to offer a plan because the status quo, as has been said here, is not enough.
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GLORIA BORGER: Do you remember that picture with them on the White House lawn and Chelsea standing. It sort of sticks out in my mind. Chelsea holding her father's hand and her mother's hand after the Lewinski—
ANDERSON COOPER: Heading toward a helicopter.
BORGER: --heading toward that helicopter between them.
BILL PRESS: I sort of feel like all of us are kind of god parents of Chelsea. Because she has grown up, you now, under our eyes, seen so much of her. It’s been remarkable. She's a remarkable young woman.
