Ahead of the release of her memoir Hard Choices, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton has been making the rounds to discuss some of the more savory aspects of the book including the assertion that her family was “dead broke” when they left the White House in 2000 and why she deferred to “the experts” when it came to the September 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya. On radio this morning, Glenn struggled to reconcile Clinton’s remarks.
“I guess I can handle the Hillary Clinton stuff now – ease myself into it,” Glenn said. “We have to put good food in our body. Hillary Clinton is not good food. You are what you eat. I don't want to be Hillary Clinton.”
While Clinton has appeared in several interviews on several networks already, they chose to focus on the Diane Sawyer interview that aired Monday night on ABC.
On the issue of Benghazi, Sawyer asked Clinton about the security threat Ambassador Chris Stevens faced. Clinton reiterated that Stevens was at the consulate by “his own choosing,” and refused to classify Benghazi as one of the most dangerous diplomatic posts.
It was important to have diplomatic assets. Were there security threats? Yes, and there are,” Clinton said. “There's a long list of countries where there are security threats to Americans interests.”
When Sawyer asked if the consulate in Benghazi would be in the top 10 most dangerous, Clinton said “maybe in the top upper 10.”
“It wasn't the top five, maybe the top upper 10,” Glenn said disgusted. “This person is such a politician, I can't take it.”
One of the more surprising tidbits to come from Clinton’s book tour is the talking point that she and former President Bill Clinton were somehow “dead broke” upon leaving the White House. Considering, both Clintons command several hundred thousand dollars (minimum) for speaking engagements, and Hillary signed a $8 million book deal upon leaving the White House, her claims are hard to believe. Clinton has, however, doubled down on the claim.
"We came out of the White House not only dead broke, but in debt," Clinton told Sawyer. “We had no money when we got there, and we struggled to, you know, piece together the resources for mortgages, for houses, for Chelsea's education. You know, it was not easy."
“Is that when she and Bill lived in the cardboard box under the bridge,” Pat quipped.
As she explained, Clinton believes it was better to make money through speaking engagements “than getting connected with any one group or company as so many people who leave public life do."
“Please don't tell me about how poor you are,” Glenn said. “’Honey, we're going to have Hamburger Helper. Of course next week, we're going to give that million-dollar speech and I guess we have my $8 million book deal. But we're having Hamburger Helper this week. Nobody knows the trouble we've seen.’”
While there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Clintons using their clout to make money via speeches or anything else, it is utterly disingenuous when you consider the ‘income inequality,’ progressive narrative they preach.
“How disingenuous are these people in general? Here are people who come out and tell us all the time about income inequality… and campaign finance laws. We can't have big money from these corporations influencing these campaigns,” Stu explained. “[Yet] she will sit here for the next year making $200,000 speeches… which she can use, if needed, for her campaign. [The money is] coming directly from corporations… It will go around all the campaign finance laws that they wrote. It will go against all the premises of income and equality they fight for so hard and nobody will say anything. It's infuriating.”
The silver lining in this otherwise infuriating situation? You many recall Clinton tried – and failed – to run for president just six years ago.
“The positive reminder here is, while everyone is telling you this woman is an absolute shoe in into president already, remember the reason she's not our current president is because she is awful,” Stu concluded. “She blew it last time. She could easily blow it again this time. She's not likable.”
Front page image courtesy of the AP