Hillary Clinton, as I have said, is one of those people who are not self-aware. She proved this in her remarks Tuesday, during a speech she gave on the second of the Clinton Global Initiative Meeting held in New York City.
The two-day conference included a panel entitled “Journalism in the Frontlines: Protecting Freedom of the Press as a Support to All Human Rights.” Clinton spoke after the panelists had their roundtable. She discussed the threats that journalists face both abroad and at home, and how we have a responsibility to defend their right to ask and report questions.
Clinton presented herself as a staunch advocate of journalists and the First Amendment and spoke about the dangers that the press faced at times during her tenure as Secretary of State for then-President Barack Obama.
She couldn’t resist ranting about how American journalists are constantly attacked by people who, according to her, want to “create alternative facts” to support false narratives.
She also said that “we have a real war against truth, facts and reason”, while calling for people to “do their duty” to defend “free and honest reporting, to keep us all informed, and to hold institutions accountable.”
She continued, “You cannot have a democratic system if there are no people who report on the actions of leaders.”
You can watch a clip here (or listen to the entire speech starting around 1:04 hours):
We’re in the midst of a real war on truth, facts, and reason. Assaults on the free press have to be taken seriously.
Thanks @jrezaian, @DanaPerino, @jodieginsberg, @almarlatour, and @InternewsJeanne for taking on this important topic at #CGI2023. pic.twitter.com/K16SyJgQgS
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 19, 2023
When I first watched this clip, I was struck by the fact that she had no shame at all. She has done so much to undermine journalism in her years as a national political power player, not only as First Lady of the United States in the 1990s but also as a Senator in the early 2000s and as Secretary. The first thing I thought when I watched that clip was that this woman had absolutely no shame considering everything she’s done to undermine the institution of journalism over her decades as a power player in national politics, not just as First Lady in the 1990s but also Senator in early 2000s, as Sec.
It wasn’t just me who thought that:
Hillary Clinton warns the U.S. is fighting a “war on truth”. @CharlesHurt: “The Clintons, both of them, were blessed with an extraordinary degree of not having any shame whatsoever.” pic.twitter.com/dV3vnhj7iq
— The Bottom Line (@BottomLineFBN) September 19, 2023
Hillary Clinton wanted to drone kill Julian Assange and created a private server in order to circumvent foia requests from the press. https://t.co/cjdA0EAoNb
— a newsman (@a_newsman) September 19, 2023
Another Twitter user noted: “This is a very rich statement coming from the woman who paid for the Steele dossier …” to be distributed.
Hillary Clinton will also be reminded of the fact that she kept journalists behind a rope like cattle in her 2016 campaign for president, a practice started by the Clintons in 1992.
Reporters following Hillary Clinton dragged behind an actual ropeline pic.twitter.com/0dPKTT2KpW
— Liz Kreutz (@LizKreutzNews) July 4, 2015
Clinton and her closest associates have been known to maintain lists of journalists, rating them according to their friendliness and avoiding those they believe will not give them favorable coverage. For example, the New York Times Maggie Haberman, who was working for Politico, was one such reporter.
This is not respecting the freedom of the media; it’s pure manipulation. Fair enough, it’s not just her. But for her to act as if she was a paragon in terms of media transparency is laughable.
While I am all for defending the First Amendment, and the press against unfair attacks, that does not mean reporters are exempt from criticism and being called out. They have earned most of the criticisms they’ve received.
It’s unlikely that this will change, given that the problems are only getting worse.
It doesn’t matter who was on stage, I would have been fine with that. But Hillary Clinton behind the microphone on this particular occasion, it was too much. Stop with the revisionism. Hillary Clinton is about as credible when she speaks on press freedoms, as Bill Clinton is when he speaks on being faithful to your spouse.
