Patterico's Pontifications

9/9/2015

Shocker: Hillary’s Apology Motivated by Focus Groups

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 7:11 pm



It takes a while for this New York Times piece to get to the good stuff — nine paragraphs, in fact — but it finally gets to it:

Last week, Mrs. Clinton’s aides showed a video of that news conference to a New Hampshire focus group of independents and Democrats, according to a Democrat briefed on the focus group whose account was confirmed by a person in her campaign. Participants said they wanted to hear more from Mrs. Clinton about the issue.

The focus group also showed that the email issue was drowning out nearly everything else that Mrs. Clinton was hoping to communicate to voters — something Mrs. Clinton and her husband have complained about to friends.

Privately, some of Mrs. Clinton’s allies have drawn comparisons between her resistance to using the word “mistake” over the email server and her similar reluctance to say she had erred in voting as a senator to support the invasion of Iraq. That vote dogged her in the 2008 presidential primary, but Mrs. Clinton resisted calling it a mistake, despite entreaties from many liberals and some of her own aides.

Wondering why she wasn’t apologizing last week, but is apologizing this week? Wonder no more.

P.S. After Hillary apologized for not separating her work and personal email — and putting the classified email on a private server vulnerable to hacking — Whoopi Goldberg defends Hillary, saying she doesn’t blame Hillary for splitting her work email and personal email. What with all those hackers out there.

41 Responses to “Shocker: Hillary’s Apology Motivated by Focus Groups”

  1. She has “empathetically” insisted for months she has nothing to apologize for.

    Patterico (3cc0c1)

  2. Nixon should have used focus groups. And they called HIM “tricky”!

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  3. well, Ms. “Rape Rape” would be an SME on “hacks”…

    and if hackers were an issue of concern, why not use a government system, which is supposed to be more robust, than a private one, especially since, if *it* got hacked, you would be immune for blame, since you’re not responsible for securing it.

    this is just moar bovine excreta to try and shield Grandmonster Cankles from her illegal acts.

    redc1c4 (b340a6)

  4. Well, that certainly explains why she apologized on the Ellen Show and followed it up with a little, I dunno, dancing with the crowd. Because nothing says straight-up, law-abiding candidate like a hip-hop Hillary.

    Dana (86e864)

  5. No, red, Whoopie is telling an outright lie. L-i-e. She’s telling MSNBC’s viewers, all three of them, that Hillary split her personal email and work email when in fact she did the opposite. She put her work email in her personal server. It’s standard MO for the MFM — its’ how the corksoakers put out lie after lie after lie till the LIVs don’t know what to believe and don’t care either.

    nk (dbc370)

  6. If Whoopi doesn’t blame Hillary, whom does she blame for causing the national security threat posed by classified information on Hillary’s personal email account?

    aunursa (be35b6)

  7. From my post yesterday:

    Apparently her pollsters have concluded that her earlier insistence that she did nothing wrong coupled with her breezy insouciance in the face of potentially criminal acts are political poison (a judgement confirmed by having lost nearly one-third of her support among Democrats since April).

    Always trust content from — nah, just kidding.

    And as for Whoopi, isn’t it a relief that only vital national security intel was hacked instead of something super important like the financing schemes of the Clinton Foundation or her top secret yoga routine?

    JVW (ba78f9)

  8. Earlier she was sorry for causing confusion.

    AZ Bob (34bb80)

  9. The focus group didn’t buy it.

    AZ Bob (34bb80)

  10. I’m looking forward to the soon to be released hacked naked pics from Whoopi’s private account.

    Well. Sort of.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  11. Looks like papertiger’s account has been hacked.

    Gazzer (46b071)

  12. Hillary just isn’t likeable, and likeability is the key to winning the presidency. Sure, she’ll get the ideological and identity vote (in the general election–she appears to be losing the ideological vote to Sanders in the primary), but how is she going to win the swing voters?

    norcal (0655fc)

  13. If Whoopi doesn’t blame Hillary, whom does she blame for causing the national security threat posed by classified information on Hillary’s personal email account?

    Going by what I hear on NPR, the national security issues don’t exist.

    Not quite off topic, but…http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/09/exclusive-50-spies-say-isis-intelligence-was-cooked.html

    Of course, the Great Leader will get only the information he wants to hear.

    kishnevi (31ba4e)

  14. Good God, who gives two sh*ts what that nitwit Whoopi Goldberg thinks!?!?

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  15. Haiku, she actually has a large fan base of LIVs. And that’s the problem.

    John Hitchcock (81341d)

  16. 9. The focus group didn’t buy it.

    AZ Bob (34bb80) — 9/9/2015 @ 8:23 pm

    Who is the real Hillary!?

    The one who keeps getting focus grouped.

    Steve57 (210fd1)

  17. No, red, Whoopie is telling an outright lie.

    no… really? well douse me in lye water and call me lutfisk.

    😎

    redc1c4 (a6e73d)

  18. lutfisk

    Let me guess. Norwegian.

    Steve57 (210fd1)

  19. the email issue was drowning out nearly everything else that Mrs. Clinton was hoping to communicate to voters

    The email is not drowning out her message; she has no message. She is simply blathering inanities!

    Patricia (5fc097)

  20. If you stick to the truth it’s a lot easier to keep your story straight.

    Pro tip.

    Steve57 (210fd1)

  21. Also, it takes a 13 foot Hamilton Standard propeller to convert 2,000 horsepower into airspeed.

    Steve57 (210fd1)

  22. #18: that’s Resident 3V1L…i just live with her.

    and i don’t eat lutfisk…

    😎

    redc1c4 (2b3c9e)

  23. I lied about the prop. There have been serious advances in propeller
    technology.

    http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=11296

    Navy’s NP2000 Propeller Completes Flight Testing

    Well, OK, I didn’t really lie.

    Steve57 (210fd1)

  24. Big horsepower. Big prop.

    Steve57 (210fd1)

  25. goldberg could use a facelift, try john [horseface] kerry’s dr.
    Were Luntzes dunces the focus group?

    mg (31009b)

  26. OT: CA State Assembly votes to legalize assisted suicide, during National Suicide Prevention Week.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  27. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Hillary Clinton’s apologizing for her use of a private email server is insufficient for her to wipe the slate clean with voters, suggesting she may have to drop out of the race.

    She broke the law. If you shoot somebody, you can’t just say you are sorry,” the New York real estate mogul told ABC News today just before addressing a crowd of anti-Iran deal and Tea Party activists on Capitol Hill.

    happyfeet (831175)

  28. Gee, you’d think the focus groups would’ve said “don’t lie your butt off for months on end and then offer a faux apology.”

    “Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Hillary Clinton’s apologizing for her use of a private email server is insufficient for her to wipe the slate clean with voters, suggesting she may have to drop out of the race.”

    Even the slowest turtle eventually crosses the finish line. ‘Course, saying “she may have to drop out” is pretty lightweight for a guy who insists he tells it like it is, but then, Hillary is a close personal friend of his.

    tops116 (d094f8)

  29. i think it seems like a substantial enough criticism but yeah it seems like it just came out of the blue

    happyfeet (831175)

  30. re #26: did they time this on purpose?

    seeRpea (29f8a9)

  31. our politicians here in #Failifornia aren’t smart enough to time anything.

    they just stumble along doing stupid 5hit all day, every day. it was just the luck of the draw.

    redc1c4 (b340a6)

  32. Kali has more than it’s share of luck, red.

    That’s why I left.

    And Texas, I didn’t bring Kali voting habits with me.

    Steve57 (a36142)

  33. I never had Kali voting habits.

    Steve57 (a36142)

  34. red, you really need to get out of that place.

    http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/09/09/san-francisco-mission-district-rentals-bunkbeds-vinyasa-homes-project/

    Inside San Francisco’s Newest Rentals, Bunkbeds For $1,800 A Month

    I remember when you could get a studio apartment for $2500 a month.

    And wouldn’t pay that.

    This will probably turn out not to be true. Not as a general rule. But still. It rings true.

    Steve57 (a36142)

  35. Funny thing is, I don’t recall any great outcry for Granny McPantSuit to apologize. What I do hear is the insistence that Herself! come clean and tell us straight up exactly why she put the public record and national security secrets on he private email. Until she does that, this “apology” crap is just unwanted noise.

    champ (56cd04)

  36. Focus groups, that’s just so spontaneous.

    Tanny O'Haley (c674c7)

  37. Schindler explains:

    https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-federalist-radio-hour/id983782306?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

    http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2697/cromwell-john-philip.php

    For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commander of a Submarine Coordinated Attack Group with Flag in the U.S.S. Sculpin, during the 9th War Patrol of that vessel in enemy-controlled waters off Truk Island, 19 November 1943. Undertaking this patrol prior to the launching of our first large-scale offensive in the Pacific, Capt. Cromwell, alone of the entire Task Group, possessed secret intelligence information of our submarine strategy and tactics, scheduled Fleet movements and specific attack plans. Constantly vigilant and precise in carrying out his secret orders, he moved his underseas flotilla inexorably forward despite savage opposition and established a line of submarines to southeastward of the main Japanese stronghold at Truk. Cool and undaunted as the submarine, rocked and battered by Japanese depth charges, sustained terrific battle damage and sank to an excessive depth, he authorized the Sculpin to surface and engage the enemy in a gunfight, thereby providing an opportunity for the crew to abandon ship. Determined to sacrifice himself rather than risk capture and subsequent danger of revealing plans under Japanese torture or use of drugs, he stoically remained aboard the mortally wounded vessel as she plunged to her death. Preserving the security of his mission, at the cost of his own life, he had served his country as he had served the Navy, with deep integrity and an uncompromising devotion to duty. His great moral courage in the face of certain death adds new luster to the traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

    Men and women have died for the information Hillary! put out on the internet.

    Steve57 (a36142)

  38. When Bill asked Hillary for her hand in marriage, she ran it by a focus group first, to see if it was a good move.

    Really, does this woman (?) have any independent thoughts?

    The snarky Dana (f6a568)

  39. Really, does this woman (?) have any independent thoughts?

    Obviously nobody’s picking out her clothes for her or they’d be fired. #PantSuitLady dresses like a blind dyke.

    Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie (f4eb27)

  40. Somebody is on the case.

    …Lawyers who represent clients in national security cases say it’s highly unusual for a private attorney to be given permission to hold classified records.

    “If one of us tried to do this, we’d have our clearance yanked that very day and have a search warrant served on us and something different happened here,” said Brown’s attorney Kel McClanahan. “Not only agree did [State] allow him to maintain these records, but it’s unclear if they even pushed back. … We decided somebody needs to get to the bottom of what exactly happened here. What is it: favoritism or did David Kendall somehow satisify some requirement that others of us never even knew to aim for?”…

    Read more: http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2015/09/lawsuit-asks-how-clinton-lawyer-got-ok-to-store-classified-info-213425#ixzz3lObpUXO8

    I raised this issue before. I certainly hope lawyer Kendall is in legal jeopardy.

    Had I tried to convert my UNCLAS emails to personal use, as did Hillary!, I know for a fact that at the very least the DoJ would have said I was unfit for any further
    government employment.

    Steve57 (a36142)


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