Hillary Clinton Follows in FEMA's Fake Footsteps

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

After a November 6 speech at a biodiesel plant in Iowa, Senator Hillary Clinton took questions. But "some of the questions from the audience were planned in advance," reports Patrick Caldwell. Grinnell College student Muriel Gallo-Chasanoff said that "one of the senior [Clinton campaign] staffers told me what" to ask. She said that "staffers prompted Clinton to call on her and another [person] who had been approached before the event." Gallo-Chasanoff's question was: "As a young person, I'm worried about the long-term effects of global warming. How does your plan combat climate change?" Clinton responded: "You know, I find as I travel around Iowa that it's usually young people that ask me about global warming." A campaign spokesperson told FOX News, "A member of our staff did discuss a possible question. ... However, Senator Clinton did not know which questions she was calling on during the event. This is not standard policy and will not be repeated." In related news, CBS has obtained a picture "of the now infamous fake FEMA press conference held during the California wildfires." The press gallery seats are occupied by "high-level agency employees."

Main Source: 
Scarlet and Black (Grinnell College newspaper, Grinnell, Iowa), November 9, 2007
Topics: 
Journalism
Climate Change
Ethics
Fake TV News
Politics
U.S. Government

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Mutternich replied on

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[...]

But reports of question-planting didn't surprise two local campaign-event watchers.

"My reaction when I saw that story was just sort of a chuckle that someone got caught with their hand in the cookie jar," said Steve Varnum, campaign director for PrioritiesNH, which highlights the use of federal tax dollars. "A lot of candidates have their hand in that particular cookie jar. She just happened to get caught." PrioritiesNH has sent staff members or volunteers to 436 candidate events so far this election cycle; they've managed to ask 190 questions.

"Not only I personally but our staff and volunteer bird dogs have come back many times and said something along the lines of 'Wow, they only took questions from their own people,' " Varnum added. Questions that are too well-framed are a tip-off, he said. "Most members of the public who go - the questions are not that smooth and they're not framed that well."

More (including the other local observer) at the link.