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

advertisement

(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

[nomobull]

FOfor those using the bush does it defense,think about it. lokk at what a great job he has done as president. do you want a candidate that follows his lead? as for the it's always been done argument the status quo sucks. and if the others are doing it. they are just as wrong and should recieve equal outrage dem or repub. and maybe if she had made her positions clearer maybe she would be cut a little slack .

[williamg]

Hillary backers are starting to sound like the Bushies. How can you defend this silly (yet bothering) behavior?

[kj593]

Apparently she REALLY means it this time. She promises not to get caught planting questions at another campaign event ever again.

[bokamaru]

It's dishonest when Bush loads up his "townhall" meetings with Bushies who've signed a loyalty waiver.
It's dishonest when they put a phony reporter in the White House press room to ask softball questions (Gannon).
It's dishonest for FEMA to hold phony press conferences.
It's dishonest for Mrs. Clinton to have planted questions.
The truth should always matter.

[pacificoceanpark]

OK, let me sum up all the comments on this post.

Hillary's boot lickers: "It's Ok everyone does it"

Sane people: "I dont want another dishonest president"

[coonce]

It should not be 'OK' to do this -- just because the OTHER SIDE or OTHER GUY/GAL does it.

It's no different then having the questions for a test BEFORE the test is taken. It's plain WRONG. I don't care WHO does it.

Coonsey's View
Political Blog and Forum
http://www.freewebs.com/coonsey/

[Purcy]

I'd make a contribution to any democratic candidate who 'planted' questions which were actually meaningful and would provide voters with real valid information as to where the candidate stands about a number if issues. Would that be okay to do? If so, maybe we should all kick in and ask some really important and relevant questions. What do you think?

[JaneaneTheAcerbicGoblin]

The Clintons love co-opting the GOP agenda and their tactics like planting questions. Honestly, this shit has probably happened long before modern times, but in times past, they were more clever about it....

[truthyguy]

Let me guess the spin by the Clinton campaign:
- Clinton did not personally know about any of the prearranged questions or authorize them. In fact these are only a few questions among the 100s - no, make that 1000s - no make that millions of questions Clinton answers every day. And this type of thing has never happened before and the campaign has taken steps to see it never happens again, and has dealt with the staffers responsible for this - and by "this" I mean GETTING CAUGHT!

[williamg]

The same people who are upset when Bush does these types of things are now ok with it. What hypocrites!

[phoenix1964]

Fema=George Bush=Hillary. more of the same.

[esl]

Well, kiss my grits. Who cares besides Arianna and the writers at Huffington Post.

[Pantelleria01]

The History of the World (Summary)
This kind of thing has been done since the beginning of time in every campaign for every office from high to low in the history of this world.

Where do reporter's get their "questions" I sometimes wonder? in the MSM, the questions, while not planted in this way, do seem "emplanted" into the dogmatic posture of the networks, So many MSM questions are mirrors of the hype put out every day.

I think what we need are great questions, planted or otherwise. I would accept a brilliant planted question over the "ah-duh" type of questions most reporters ask.

[Berce]

Big Deal! My vote is for her.

[aicon]

Who cares? They probably all do it to an extent. Stop focussing on trivial BS!! report the real stuff.

check this one out... no adverstisers. no corporate interests
http://www.therealnews.com/web/index.php