Clinton's Planted Question...In 1999

Three days after Hillary Clinton's campaign was forced to admit it had planted a question at an Iowa campaign event, an eagle-eyed tipster noted that this wasn't the first time the former First Lady's camp arranged for a friendly voice to lob a softball question.

In announcing her Senate run in 1999, MSNBC reported that "responding to a planted question at a Teachers Union event [Clinton] made it clear she is in the race for the US Senate."

Clinton's aides reacted to the news of the most recent rigged question by saying "this is not standard policy and will not be repeated again."

Below is the transcript from the 1999 broadcast:

ANNOUNCER: From NBC News, this is THE NEWS WITH BRIAN WILLIAMS.

WILLIAMS: Good evening.

We have a lot to tell you about tonight, beginning with what had become a whisper campaign of late, and it went like this: After what turned into a somewhat disastrous trip to the Middle East and with polls showing she should not run, Hillary Rodham Clinton just might pull out of the race for Senate from New York. Well, today, the first lady, responding to a planted question at a Teachers Union event made it clear she is in the race for the US Senate.

The aggressive Yale-educated lawyer is most certainly in for the fight of her life. But today was about looking ahead to all that she says she plans to do for New York and its residents. Part of today's announcement, however, was somewhat overlooked and that is, the first lady will soon begin living apart from the president. The White House will be without a first lady, while the president's wife moves to New York and runs for office. She does so without the blessing of some New York Democrats. We'll hear from one in just a moment.

First here tonight, NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell on the woman who says she's in it to win it.

Story continues below

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(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREA MITCHELL, NBC CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): Brian, today's events were as carefully choreographed as the New York City Ballet.

(voice-over): Under pressure to either get in or get out, Hillary Clinton finally makes it official by answering a prearranged question from a friendly union leader.

QUESTION: So, is it yes, or is it no?

HILLARY CLINTON, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: I believe that if we work together, we really can make a difference for the children and families of New York. So the answer is yes, I intend to run.

-MSNBC, November 23, 1999, THE NEWS WITH BRIAN WILLIAMS

Comments

[MRb1000]

Well the press let stuff like this pass when yours truly Bush ran for President. This is dealing with conduct and character. I am glad the reporters are looking at everything a candidate says. We went through this years ago. It is about time the press dose its job. This shows she is telling a big whopper!! She said, this is not their practice. She got caught in another lie. Principle is the key here. If she lie about small stuff, what will she lie about in the white house. She needs to through Bills play book in the trash along with that stupid finger wagging. LOL

[mcnairbo]

Oh, oh, OHHHHHHH! God yes Arianna! Give me more Clinton bashing! MORE! Oh god yes!

[beekeeper]

This is JUST WASTED energy. WHO gives a crap? This isn't FEMA where lives were on the line and property lost, this is a Q & A session.

What you morons fail to realize it that no matter the question, Hillary still has to take a stance on it. It isn't as IF she is falsifying intelligence to take us to war.

GET A life.

[Dap]

One thing is absolute...

Hillary Clinton has no comcept of the meaning of "Grace", in any sense of the term.

Make *NO* mistake about that part.

[nevadagirl]

If you have ever been to one of these events, you know that people drone on and on with irrelevant, self-serving questions. God, I heard one guy's entire life story at one of Hillary's campaign events. Campaign stops could go on forever if people are allowed to ask anything they want. Stick to the issues or it turns into an endless meeting, just like the jobs from hell we all hate!

[JoAnnCr]

Interesting observation: In a recent event with Obama here in Iowa, he spoke for a long time, took a few questions. In contrast, John Edwards speaks briefly and answers lots of questions. Edwards also visits the most rural areas in Iowa, more than any other candidate.

[TimmySlagle]

Thrns out this isn't as unique as Clinton would want us to think

"After the event," she said, "I heard another man ... talking about the question he asked, and he said that the campaign had asked him to ask that question."

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/11/13/clinton.planted/index.html

[conservativeoriginalist]

If a candidate is scared to be asked questions by the constituency, how are we to trust them in a crisis when facing Ahmadinejad or any other Hitler wannabe?

Scripting Q&A sessions isn't democratic, its disingenuous and indicative of an aristocratic mentality, where candidates believe they are above interacting with the unwashed masses.

Do you want a self-anointed erudite leading this country? Then continue to vote for the Bush/Clinton dynasty, or any of their like-minded ilk.

[Navy26Yrs]

Well, OK...here's an ass of a rat. That's all I'm giving.

[BernieO]

On yesterday's show Joe Scarborough as much as admitted to doing this when he was running for Congress and said it is a common campaign practice. The White House does it all the time in press conferences. It even used a gay prostitute, Jeff Gannon, in the past to ask puffball questions.
Funny how it is only when Hillary's campaign does it that everyone goes ballistic. Whatever you think of this practice, it is clearly a double standard.

[ellisc007]

I have served on several campaign committes for trustworthy candidates running for local, state wide, and national offices and none of them used this practise. It takes real courage to let voters ask the questions that they choose and in return, give the people real answers. Billary would rather try to hit soft ball questions down the throats of the people.
When she wakes up each morning, she looks in the mirror and asks "who can I fool today!

[GreatFutureForAll]

OK. Since the cat is now out of the bag, I have a confession.

I was sent a plane ticket by the Clinton campaign and told to fly to Iowa and ask Clinton the following questions one day before the primary.

Here are the talking points:

"Mrs. Clinton, if Osama Bin Laden came to Little Rock to challenge you to a duel at the OK Corral, as president would you:

A. Have your secret service team gun him down.

B. Invite him over for dinner and poison his drink, or

C. Grab your Single Action Revolver and take him up on his duel request, then gun him down on network TV in front of a cheering national audience with the song "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling" in the background!!!???"

I was going to fly out to Des Moines in a few weeks. But, I got a call last night from the Clinton campaign to call it off (for some reason...not sure why).

[Boadicea]

my question is, after gaining the Senate seat and working for the state of New York for some years now, what has she done for the children and families there? Anything?

[TimmySlagle]

So let me get this straight, she only planted TWO questins here entire career, and got caught both times?

Please.

Russert was the first journalist to EVER ask her a question, that wasn't straight from the talking points.

[Dap]

Does anyone know when and where the rally will be held the night Saint-a-tor Clinton brings the man on crutch out of the audience to make him walk again and do the jig as he throws his crutch away?

I'd really like to be there for that one.