- In their fear of a possible campaign against Hillary Clinton and in their rush to take her out, Republican politicians and operatives have more fully coalesced Democrats around Secretary Clinton. Democrats are rallying around Hillary and coming together to put Hillary Clinton in the White House.
- By continuing to engage on this manufactured controversy, Republican politicians are doing what they don’t intend to do: create a united Democratic party. Democrats are rallying with Hillary for the future of our nation and against partisan attacks for personal gain.
- Democrats know that Hillary Clinton time and time again has been put through the wringer by right-wing operatives and has been resilient, not faltered and only strengthened in the face of such attacks. Hillary Clinton is coming out of these false attacks even stronger than before.
- The latest poll numbers show the extent to which Democrats have fully coalesced around Hillary Clinton, proving that the manufactured email controversy has only strengthened her support.
- A new CNN/ORC poll conducted March 13-15 shows that 89% of Democrats said they would be proud to have Hillary Clinton as president. Hillary Clinton has double-digit leads in head-to-head matchups against all of the potential Republican contenders polled.
- According to CNN, Hillary Clinton’s “prospects in 2016 appear largely unchanged compared to polls conducted before news broke about her use of a personal email.”
- It’s not just Democrats who think the email controversy hasn’t affected Hillary Clinton, the majority of Americans agree. According to a new CBS poll, “Most Americans (65 percent) say their opinion of Clinton has not changed in the wake of the email controversy.”
BACKGROUND: DEMOCRATS UNITE ON HILLARY CLINTON’S EMAILS
Democrats rally with Hillary Clinton to stop false attacks. Here are just a few examples:
Pelosi: “I think we’re going to just see the ongoing attempt to investigate Hillary Clinton…whether it’s her e-mails or it’s her hair or whatever it happens to be.” “I think we’re going to just see the ongoing attempt to investigate Hillary Clinton, whatever the subject. Whether it’s her e-mails or it’s her hair or whatever it happens to be. So that’s what I’m concerned about, is just the politicization of an issue.” [CSPAN3, 3/19/15]
Pelosi: “I have a concern that this isn’t really about emails. It’s a partisan investigation.” “I have a concern that this isn’t really about e-mails. It’s about a partisan investigation by a select committee that has spent millions of dollars, produced nothing.” [CSPAN3, 3/19/15]
David Brock: “This poll shows that the so-called scandal has had no political consequence and the public doesn’t believe it is a factor.” “Yeah, I think what this poll shows is a couple things. One the public has looked at it and case closed. This poll shows that the so-called scandal has had no political consequence and the public doesn’t believe it is a factor. Secondly it shows that Democrats are rallying behind Hillary Clinton. If anything, her support is solidified in this poll. Democrats know she’s the most formidable candidate they could field. And they also know the stakes are so high in this election that it is too important to pay attention to a sideshow like this. And three, I think it shows that the issue is not working for Jeb Bush. He’s tried to make an issue of this. He’s actually down a bit in support in the Republican primaries since the last CNN poll. His unfavorable are high. And it’s not working for him in the Republican primary.” [MSNBC’s The Ed Show, 3/18/15]
Schumer: “There have been several investigations by the committees and others. They have come up with zeros and they just keep adding.” “Clinton, a potential presidential candidate and former senator from New York, used her personal email address from her own private server as secretary of state, which has some critics asking whether she deleted relevant messages or failed to provide some to the House Select Committee on Benghazi. ‘There have been several investigations by the committees and others,’ Schumer said. ‘They have come up with zeros and they just keep adding. I think at the end of the day this will be regarded as a slight hiccup; a little bump in the road six months from now.’” [Newsday, 3/8/15]
Feinstein: “I thought she answered the questions, people asked her questions, she did not break any law.” “‘I thought she answered the questions, people asked her questions, she did not break any law,’ Feinstein said Tuesday, after Clinton’s press conference. ‘I don’t know what else she can do.’” [NBC News, 3/11/15]
Feinstein: “I think the important thing was that she stepped forward and talked to people and I think people will be reassured listening to it.” “I think the important thing was that she stepped forward and talked to people and I think people will be reassured listening to it. Now, I know this is look, the most popular political figure in the country right now and there is an effort from an opposition party to demean and diminish her any way they can. I think most people agree that personal emails should be private material. I mean if I have an email with my husband, I’m not an administrative official, but if I were, should I disclose that? I don’t think so.” [Hardball with Chris Matthews, MSNBC, 3/11/15]
Cardin: “She was complying, she stated, with the laws of the time. She has made a complete disclosure..I think she has done everything that she can do.” SUSAN SWAIN, HOST: We started with politics, I want to end there. Did Sec. Clinton’s press conference this week settle any questions you might have, or do you still have some remaining questions about her emails? SEN. BEN CARDIN, (D-MD): Senator Clinton said that she made available all of the government related business that was done on her email account. I don’t know what else she can do. She was complying, as she stated, with all the laws of the time. She has made a complete disclosure. The proper information will be made available to the public. I think she has done everything that she can do. [CSPAN, 3/15/15]
Boxer: “It’s becoming a harassment of the person who followed the letter and the spirit of the law.” “‘Colin Powell said he destroyed all of his emails, not one Republican has said a thing — not a thing,’ Boxer said. ‘At some point the American people are going to turn around and say, ‘Now it’s becoming a harassment of the person who followed the letter and the spirit of the law.’ And when that happens they’ll back down. Until then, they won’t back down.’” [The Hill, 3/11/15]
Boxer: “This whole thing is unbelievable. They’re going after Hillary Clinton because they know she’s exciting the public and we have just got to get past this because you could talk all day.” SEN. BOXER: we’re not talking about that because we all know this is politics. We’re talking about why it is we can’t get anything done many the senate and why 47 republicans did the unthinkable and embolden the right wing hard liners by sending that letter. We know what’s happening here. You said it in the best way possible, but you left one thing out. The republicans are obsessed with our president. They are out to get him and make sure he doesn’t have a legacy. As we see this economy really booming and the fight against ISIL going better, all they want to do is hurt him and they are now turning their attention to the person they fear the most in 2016, Hillary Clinton. She has and no doubt about it followed the rules, followed the rules, followed the law. I find it interesting the Republican Party is turning into the e-mail police. At some point the American people are going to get scared of that. I want to know Rand Paul — he’s a friend of mine. He’s a colleague of mine. We sit on the foreign relations committee. Chairman Gowdy, he’s the head of a very important committee. He, Rand Paul, myself, we all sat in highly classified meetings. Did they ever write a classified e-mail to someone? Why don’t they turn over their personal servers? This whole thing is unbelievable. They’re going after Hillary Clinton because they know she’s exciting the public and we have just got to get past this because you could talk all day. I’m not interested to know, as much as i love to know about Hillary’s grandchild, how many times the grandchild ate in a day and all the rest of the things i know she must have been communicating with Chelsea. This is ridiculous. >> [MSNBC’sThe Ed Show, 3/11/15]
Whitehouse: “She used the wrong e-mail account — duh-dah! It’s ridiculous. I’m not indulging this bizarre fetish.” “Some Clinton defenders said the media scrutiny on the e-mails story has been unfair to her. ‘She used the wrong e-mail account — duh-dah! It’s ridiculous,’ said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.). ‘I’m not indulging this bizarre fetish.’ Asked if he had doubts about Clinton’s political standing, Whitehouse said: ‘No. This is totally artificial. You guys have lost your minds on this.’” [Washington Post, 3/11/15]
Whitehouse said the attention to Clinton’s emails was “the biggest non-issue ever.” “Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse agreed, calling the attention to Clinton’s emails ‘the biggest non-issue ever.’ The Rhode Island Democrat ridiculed reporters for even asking about the Republicans’ motives. ‘You guys are laughable,’ he said.” [The Hill, 3/11/15]
Murphy: “The inevitable attacks on Hillary Clinton were going to come whether it was this spring or this summer or this fall. We better all get used to the fact that she’s going to get attacked and attacked mercilessly.” “Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said the Clintons are polarizing figures no matter what they do, and said he ‘fundamentally’ believes the former secretary of State acted on the level. ‘The inevitable attacks on Hillary Clinton were going to come whether it was this spring or this summer or this fall,’ Murphy said. ‘We better all get used to the fact that she’s going to get attacked and attacked mercilessly … I just think this is a fact of life for being Hillary Clinton.’” [The Hill, 3/11/15]
Murphy: “For me, she put the matter to bed yesterday.” “Murphy said a review of Clinton’s server is unnecessary. ‘For me, she put the matter to bed yesterday,’ the Connecticut Democrat said.” [The Hill, 3/11/15]
Stabenow: “She laid things out and followed the rules that were in place at the time.” “Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) added to the chorus of Democrats arguing the attacks are politically motivated. ‘She laid things out and followed the rules that were in place at the time,’ Stabenow said. ‘We’re in the middle of a presidential campaign, so the opposition is going to raise question after question after question,’ she said. ‘It’s not because it’s Hillary Clinton, it’s because it’s a Democrat running, and whoever it is, is going to have all kinds of negative charges.’” [The Hill, 3/11/15]
Clyburn said he was angry about what he viewed as “a lot of piling on” over Mrs. Clinton’s emails. Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, who was neutral in the 2008 Democratic primary but openly critical of former President Clinton for invoking the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson‘s two primary wins there, was angry about what he viewed as ‘a lot of piling on’ over Mrs. Clinton’s emails. Mr. Clyburn pointed to a ‘toxic’ political climate and that he said is ‘a lot of ‘hit Hillary if you can.’‘ That sentiment was repeated by a number of Democrats.” [First Draft, New York Times, 3/12/15]
Cleaver saw subversive motives in the stories about Mrs. Clinton’s email use. “Representative Emanuel Cleaver II of Missouri saw subversive motives in the stories about Mrs. Clinton’s email use. For many, he said, the ‘frenzy’ is ‘aimed at trying to get an unwise Democrat to announce that he or she is going to challenge the secretary.’ ‘There is no challenge, and people need to get over it,’ Mr. Cleaver said.” [First Draft, New York Times, 3/12/15]
Schiff: “This committee has long since departed from being a committee about Benghazi. It’s now a special investigation of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.”Rep. Adam Schiff, said regarding the issue of Sec. Clinton’s use of a private email address while at the State Department, “What does this have to do with Benghazi? And the answer is, absolutely nothing. This committee has long since departed from being a committee about Benghazi. It’s now a special investigation of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.” [Fox News, 3/15/15]
Cummings: “As far as I am aware, no other Cabinet secretary in history has ever called for the release of his or her emails — in their entirety and throughout his or her tenure.” “The top Democrat on the House Select Committee on Benghazi is praising former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for announcing that she wants messages from her personal email accounts to be made public. ‘As far as I am aware, no other Cabinet secretary in history has ever called for the release of his or her emails — in their entirety and throughout his or her tenure,’ Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said in a statement on Thursday. ‘I commend Secretary Clinton’s decision …’” [The Hill, 3/5/15]
Loretta Sanchez: “She’s not trying to hide anything.” “Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) said that Clinton has been aboveboard and that the controversy will quickly fade. ‘She’s not trying to hide anything,’ Sanchez said.” [Washington Post, 3/8/15]
The Hill: “Congressional Democrats are circling the wagons around former secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the face of escalating attacks from Republicans over her use of a personal email account in the Obama administration.” “Congressional Democrats are circling the wagons around former secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the face of escalating attacks from Republicans over her use of a personal email account in the Obama administration. Democrats say Clinton broke no laws, and accused Republicans of drumming up flimsy charges for the sole purpose of undermining her likely run for the White House in 2016.” [The Hill,3/11/15]
Albright: “She said it [her official e-mails] would be available to the American public and she’s open to questions about it.” “‘I thought she really did explain it, and she did say that she was sorry that she hadn’t actually done two instruments,’ Albright said — that is, that Clinton hadn’t used a BlackBerry with an official government e-mail address and a separate smartphone for personal messages. Albright, who describes Clinton as a friend, says the issue essentially is settled: ‘She said it [her official e-mails] would be available to the American public and she’s open to questions about it.’” [USA Today, 3/11/15]
Howard Dean: “This is much ado about nothing… It is very clear this is just more Benghazi, more Republican right-wing nut job stuff and going after all these imaginary scandals.” ALEX WAGNER: The AP lawsuit continues this for one more day during the media cycle. What did you think of Hillary Clinton’s appetite for drama given her performance yesterday? >> HOWARD DEAN: I thought she did a great job yesterday. This is much ado about nothing. I think this whole thing is nonsense. I really do, and I have been through this. It is basically packed journalism. They often get it wrong. I think Trey Gowdy is looking worse and worse by the moment. It is very clear this is just more Benghazi, more Republican right-wing nut job stuff and going after all these imaginary scandals. >> [MSNBC’s MSNBC Live, 3/11/15]
Ed Rendell: “We have senators who sent a letter to a foreign country undermining the president and we’re talking about e-mails? There’s something wrong with the political process.” ALEX WAGNER: There were yoga workouts, details on Chelsea’s wedding. >> ED RENDELL: In retrospect should she have used government e-mail? Yes. we have senators who sent a letter to a foreign country undermining the president and we’re talking about e-mails? There’s something wrong with the political process. >> [MSNBC’s MSNBC Live, 03/10/15]
Pfeiffer, on Sec. Clinton’s use of private emails while at the State Department: “When people go to the polls to vote in the presidential election, I can’t imagine anyone’s going to change their vote because of this.” “Former White House Senior Advisor Dan Pfeiffer describes the Hillary Clinton email scandal as another ‘pimple on the ass of progress,’ quoting his former colleague at the White House David Axelrod. ‘I think this is what David Axelrod referred to as a pimple on the ass of progress,’ Pfeiffer explained in an interview with broadcaster Charlie Rose. ‘Eighteen months from now or 20 months from now, when people go to the polls to vote in the presidential election, I can’t imagine anyone’s going to change their vote because of this.’” [Breitbart, 3/16/15]
Dan Pfeiffer: “It does feel like the political world has sorta lost its mind” over “the Clinton emails.” In a tweet, Pres. Obama’s former senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer said, “It does feel like the political world has sorta lost its mind re the Clinton emails.” [@danpfeiffer, Dan Pfeiffer, Twitter, 3/11/15]
Begala: “The story is one for embalmers.” “Allies and staffers held a call after Clinton’s first news conference in years, where the mood was one of determination to move on, multiple Clinton loyalists said. Clinton herself was eager to get past the controversy after being unenthused with having to answer questions about it in the first place. ‘The story is one for embalmers,’ said longtime Clinton friend and Democratic strategist Paul Begala, reflecting the general view of Clinton’s political orbit that the email question will soon lose its political salience.” [Politico, 3/11/15]
Carville: “All of this is just the same cockamamie stuff that we go through.” ANDREA MITCHELLL: First of all, isn’t it time for Hillary Clinton to speak out? If you were advising her, should she address these issues? >> JAMES CARVILLE: I wouldn’t — I don’t know — I don’t know exactly — it was legal. It wasn’t against regulations. Colin Powell and Jeb Bush did the same thing. But oh, my god, do you remember whitewater? Do you remember foul-gate? Do you remember travel-gate? Do you remember pardon-gate? Do you remember Benghazi? All of this is just the same cockamamie stuff that we go through. ‘The Times’ gets something from right-wing talking points. They print the story. They got to walk the story back. And the chin scratchers go oh, my god. The story’s not right, but it says something larger about the Clintons. This is never going to end. We’ve lived with this for 20 years. We’ll live with it for the rest of the campaign. It’s all about nothing. That’s my view of the whole thing. >> [MSNBC’s NOW With Alex Wagner, 3/09/15]
Jimmy Williams: “They’re piling on to this and making it a faux scandal when it’s not a scandal at all. If her last name were not Clinton, we would not be having this conversation. I guarantee you.” REV. SHARPTON: Jimmy, how did she do today? >> JIMMY WILLIAMS: She didn’t hurt herself, I don’t think, but again here’s what we know. Republicans hate her because she’s a Clinton, and they’re never going to love he. We know that’s a fact of life, just like the sun comes up, and goes down at the end of the day. The problem is why is there a double standard? I don’t know why it is that Scott Walker, Rick Perry, Jeb Bush all use private e-mails, and yes, I get they’re all like, you know, governors of their states, but if you’re going too hold Hillary Clinton to this standard, then everyone else should be, too, especially if they’ve held elected office. I’m not hearing that. I’m also not hearing it from the media on the left, either. They’re piling on to this and making it a faux scandal when in fact, it’s not a scandal at all. If her last name were not Clinton, we would not be having this conversation. I guarantee you. >> [MSNBC’s PoliticsNation with Al Sharpton, 3/11/15]