Hillary Clinton’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad answer on whether she’s ever

[HARDCORE]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...ing-the-truth/

The Fix
Hillary Clinton’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad answer on whether she’s ever lied
By Chris Cillizza February 19 at 11:34 AM

CBS's Scott Pelley interviewed Hillary Clinton on Thursday night. One exchange tells you everything you need to know about Clinton's struggles in the Democratic primary race so far and why she continues to be dogged by questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. Here it is:

PELLEY: You know, in ’76, Jimmy Carter famously said, “I will not lie to you.”

CLINTON: Well, I have to tell you I have tried in every way I know how literally from my years as a young lawyer all the way through my time as secretary of state to level with the American people.

PELLEY: You talk about leveling with the American people. Have you always told the truth?

CLINTON: I’ve always tried to. Always. Always.

PELLEY: Some people are gonna call that wiggle room that you just gave yourself.

CLINTON: Well, no, I’ve always tried —

PELLEY: I mean, Jimmy Carter said, “I will never lie to you.”

CLINTON: Well, but, you know, you’re asking me to say, “Have I ever?” I don’t believe I ever have. I don’t believe I ever have. I don’t believe I ever will. I’m gonna do the best I can to level with the American people.

I mean, what? W-H-A-T? "I've always tried to" tell the truth? On what planet is this a good answer for a politician?

The answer, of course, is on no planet. While I am less familiar with politics on Mars than I am with those on Earth, I am pretty sure that being unable to simply say, "Yes, I have always been truthful with the public," would be a problem on the Red Planet, too.

This a double whammy of bad for Clinton.

First, it does nothing at all to quell concerns about her ability to be honest and straightforward. In the New Hampshire exit poll, more than one in three (34 percent) of all Democratic primary voters said that honesty was the most important trait in their decision on which candidate to support. Of that bloc, Bernie Sanders won 92 percent of their votes as compared to just 6 percent for Clinton.

That's broadly in keeping with national polling over the last year, which has consistently shown large majorities of voters voicing skepticism about Clinton's trustworthiness. Her answer to that criticism has, to date, been to blame it on a Republican Party obsessed with her and willing to say or do anything to tarnish her reputation. There's truth in that, but, as the New Hampshire exit numbers suggest, the problem is bigger than just Republicans out to get her.

Second, the answer from Clinton on honesty reinforces a perception that the former secretary of state tries to play with words, giving a heavily couched response when a simple one would — and should — do. You can imagine people rolling their eyes or saying, "Why doesn't she just answer the question?" while watching that painful response by Clinton.

I think I understand why she answered the way she did. She knows she has been in public life for a long time and that she has said lots and lots of things. Because of that, it's possible that at some point in the future, someone will unearth a statement in which it could be construed that she wasn't telling the whole truth. Clinton is protecting against the damage incurred by such a revelation.

But when you have the problems regarding honesty and trustworthiness that Clinton does, the only right answer to Pelley's question is: "Yes, I have always been truthful. Of course." That Clinton didn't give that simple answer suggests she is either (a) unaware of or doubts the depth of voters' concerns with her ability to be honest, or (b) she is so naturally cautious as to get herself in trouble even on a question she has to know is coming.

Either way, Clinton just made things harder for herself with that answer to Pelley.
Chris Cillizza writes “The Fix,” a politics blog for the Washington Post. He also covers the White House.
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http://www.cbsnews.com/news/campaign...ell-the-truth/

CBS News February 18, 2016, 7:19 PM
Hillary Clinton: "I've always tried" to tell the truth

LAS VEGAS -- For Hillary Clinton, these are high roller stakes in Nevada after losing New Hampshire in a landslide and essentially tying in Iowa.

She has decided to stay in Nevada through the caucus on Saturday. CBS News spoke to her at her Las Vegas campaign office.

SCOTT PELLEY:What do you think Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have tapped into? It's a powerful thing.

HILLARY CLINTON:Look, I do think, Scott, people are angry. People feel here government's not working for them. The economy's not working. The political system is not working. But I also see in the eyes of the people I'm meeting with, "Okay, tell me something I can believe. Don't over-promise. Tell me what I can believe you will do for me and my family." And that's what I've tried to do.

PELLEY: Your resume checks almost every box in terms of experience, but that doesn't seem to be what the American people want in this election.

CLINTON:You know, I think at the end of the day, voters understand they are selecting someone to be both president and commander-in-chief. And I'm proud of the experience that I have that will enable me on day one to do all aspects of the job. I know how to go after what Republicans stand for and to defeat them because I believe with all my heart every one of the ones running on the Republican side would be really bad for America.

PELLEY:What's your tax plan? Who gets a tax increase? Who gets a tax cut?

CLINTON:Well, first, I am not raising taxes on the middle class. Period. I'm going after income $5 million or more that I think have too many opportunities to game the system and escape paying the taxes that they should. I'm going after corporations that are gaming the system. I wanna have a sensible corporate tax policy.

PELLEY:Senator Sanders said that he would raise taxes on any family that made $250,000 and above. Is that your level, $250,000?

CLINTON: Well, I've said I will not raise taxes on anybody $250,000 or below. But here's the problem with Senator Sanders' plan. His numbers don't add up. There is no way for him to fulfill the promises he's making without raising taxes on the middle class.

PELLEY:You know, in '76, Jimmy Carter famously said, "I will not lie to you."

CLINTON: Well, I have to tell you I have tried in every way I know how literally from my years as a young lawyer all the way through my time as secretary of state to level with the American people.

PELLEY:You talk about leveling with the American people. Have you always told the truth?

CLINTON:I've always tried to. Always. Always.

PELLEY:Some people are gonna call that wiggle room that you just gave yourself.

CLINTON:Well, no, I've always tried --

PELLEY:I mean, Jimmy Carter said, "I will never lie to you."

CLINTON:Well, but, you know, you're asking me to say, "Have I ever?" I don't believe I ever have. I don't believe I ever have. I don't believe I ever will. I'm gonna do the best I can to level with the American people.

[Boats]

It seems Hillary is stumbling a bit. She learned from her Hubby how to screw things up. Bush is looking better lately. Cruz I don't know. Trump is unpredictable and unstable. Sanders would have a tough time with Congress as most do.

They project great things but really - you can't the a dog of congress and turn in over night into a game player.

They all have too many commitments with their already established cronies. Politics is a dirty business and the we the people put those idiots in there.

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