Last Friday Nicholas Fondacaro presented us with Hillary Clinton's unintentionally hilarious response to a John Harwood email question by claiming, "“I've been the most transparent public official in modern times, as far as I know.” However, when one checks the CNBC page "16 questions for Hillary Clinton," both the question and the laughable answer are gone despite the fact that it was the most notable thing to come out of the interview. Weird but things get even weirder when we check the transcript for another email question that Harwood seems to reluctantly ask. The transcript edited out portions of Harwood's question to make it appear that he is less lame and apologetic than he actually was.
First let us look at the edited transcript followed by the video and what he really asked. The part edited out of the transcript will be highlighted in bold:
JOHN HARWOOD: Last question, and it's about what led to the email problem. A lot of people think the reason that happened was that your guard is up after a very long time in public life. Is it possible that you've accumulated so much scar tissue that makes it difficult for you to lead effectively, interact effectively with people on the other side?
And now the full pathetic reality which was made a bit more palatable thanks to selective editing of the above transcript.
JOHN HARWOOD: Last question. It's not about email but it's about what led to email. A lot of people think your guard is up after a very long time in public life. You say they have been coming after you forever. A lot of scar tissue there. Is it possible that you've accumulated so much scar tissue back and forth with political opponents that has you girding for it all the time that makes it difficult for you to lead effectively, interact effectively with people on the other side?
"It's not about email" but luckily that bit of discounting apologia for daring to bring up the dreaded topic was edited out to make Harwood appear firmer. The excuses from Harwood about the reason for Hillary's email problem such as "they have been coming after you forever" and how she has had to endure the "back and forth with political opponents that has you girding for it all the time" has also been thankfully sent down the transcript memory hole.
The next time CNBC's Joe Kernen confronts Harwood about his willingness to ask tough questions while interviewing Hillary, I hope Joe asks a question such as this: "John, are you a comic book version of a liberal TV interviewer who is reluctant to ask tough questions of people such as Hillary Clinton?"
