Liberal Los Angeles Times columnist Robin Abcarian gushed in a book review that Hillary Clinton’s new memoir was the “richly detailed and compelling chronicle” of a “policy wonk.”
But in an interview for the Times video channel on Thursday, she was blunt about the attacks over her ludicrous, counter-factual “dead broke” comments to Diane Sawyer. “Is it fair?” asked troubled interviewer Ann Simmons. “Yeah, I think it’s totally fair,” said Abcarian. Her answer was “completely tone deaf.” (Video below)
ABCARIAN: It is just completely tone-deaf for a multi-millionaire presidential candidate, or former First Lady, or former Secretary of State, who’s married to a former President, to claim in way, shape or form that she was having trouble coming up with money for mortgages, or her child’s college education. These are people who – at the moment she left the White House, she had an $8 million contract for a memoir. Her husband was going out and making hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars per speech. I mean, you cannot complain about money if you’re in that kind of situation. Or you will be hammered over the head with it, as she has been, joyfully by Republicans.
Abcarian said the same thing in a column posted Tuesday with the headline "Thud," which began:
Here is an iron-clad rule of American politics: If you are a millionaire with multiple houses, never, under any circumstances, discuss your financial struggles. You don’t have any financial struggles....
It is surprising that a politician of Hillary Clinton’s long experience would allow herself to become defensive about getting rich, that she hadn't prepared a more polished answer to inevitable questions about outlandish speaking fees.
The polished answer was not that she and Bill have “struggled.” The polished answer was that she and Bill have been blessed with a fantastic life and they are grateful for all the opportunities that have come their way. "And we pay all our taxes!"
