During the Democratic town hall that aired on CNN Wednesday night,
Hillary Clinton completely fell apart onstage when Anderson Cooper asked
her about $675,000 she received for delivering three speeches at
Goldman Sachs.
Throughout the campaign, her opponent Bernie Sanders has criticized Clinton’s
ability to deliver on her promises to crack down on Wall Street after
taking more than $600,000 in speaking fees from Goldman Sachs in a year.
“Was that a mistake? Was that a bad error in judgement?” Anderson asked.
“Well, I dunno,” Clinton said. “That’s what they offered. Every secretary of State that I know has done that.”
Clinton’s remarks during the televised town hall may have given off
the impression that she wasn’t very involved when negotiating speaking
deals, but the truth is, she is actually a heavy-handed negotiator.
The Washington Post reported
that when Clinton agreed to deliver a speech at the University of
California Los Angeles in 2014, she charged the publicly-funded school
$300,000. When school administrators asked for a discounted rate,
Clinton’s handlers informed UCLA that $300,000 was the special, discounted rate for public universities.
They also fussed over what kinds of chairs she would sit in during an
interview, and insisted that the school keep at least two pillows
backstage in case she needed additional support. During a walkthrough
five days before she was scheduled to give her speech, Clinton’s
handlers demanded that the university get a new podium.
If her past behavior towards UCLA was any indication, it’s likely
that Clinton was very involved in negotiating the $675,000 she received
from the Wall Street investment bank.
Clinton will be in three more debates in
the days leading up to the New Hampshire primary, which is a 180-degree
pivot from her previous reluctance to participate in them. Some
speculate that her sudden eagerness is an indication that she is trying
to regain ground in early voting states after slipping in the polls, and
that by debating Bernie Sanders she can boost her profile in New
Hampshire, where she trails him.
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