WASHINGTON – The Wikileaks nightmare for the Hillary Clinton campaign just kept growing on Thursday with the release of the sixth batch of emails from campaign manager John Podesta, on a day that showed a post-debate bounce propelling GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump back into the lead, by two points.
She has repeatedly insisted Trump does not have the temperament to be president, but, in the latest Wikileaks revelation, Clinton insiders appeared concerned over keeping her own temper under control, as she began to respond to her exploding private server and email scandal last year.
One Clinton ally even joked she should beat up a staffer to let off steam before speaking to the press.
Clinton adviser Neera Tanden emailed Podesta on Sept. 4, 2015, expressing her concern that, “Apologies are like her Achilles heel. But she didn’t seem like a b–ch in the interview,” after an interview with NBC’s Andrea Mitchell in which Clinton partially apologized for using a private email server, while still defending the practice.
Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, then added what appeared to be a quip conceding Clinton’s volatile temper, noting, “She gets into a rhythm when there’s tons of interviews. But I definitely recommend having her beat up a punching bag (or a staffer but that is unpleasant) before she goes on. She really needs to exorcise the injustice of it all.”
Podesta seemed to share concerns about her temper, writing to Tanden, “She was good. Question is can we keep same mood through 20 interviews.”
That’s when Tanden jokingly suggested having her beat up a staffer.
Podesta replied, “Press takeaway was the whine of but ‘she really didn’t apologize to the American people.’ I am beginning to think Trump is on to something,” implying not apologizing for her email scandal might actually be effective.
Tandeen didn’t want Podesta to even consider not apologizing. Her full reply:
“Everyone wants her to apologize. And she should. Apologies are like her Achilles heel. But she didn’t seem like a b–ch in the interview. And she said the word sorry. She will get to a full apology in a few interviews.”
Podesta appeared to agree that an apology was the way to go, and seemed to hope Clinton herself would see the need for it, writing, “I mean what is really the big deal to say I made a mistake with not having two emails and I’m sorry.”
Email denial
As for the emails themselves, another leak on Thursday revealed a top Clinton aide pushed a strategy to completely deny what was, in fact, true: that she had sent classified information through her private email system.
In reviewing a proposed statement for the public, on Aug. 22, 2015, Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon wrote an email to Clinton communications director Jennifer Palmieri that was circulated among many campaign aides that read, in part:
“This line – ‘This process of looking backwards to see if something should have been classified at the time is fine’ – is problematic. We should not think it is fine to find something that ‘should have been classified at the time.’ Our position is that no such material exists, else it could be said she mishandled classified info. We need to clarify to make clear we mean that it is fine to perform redactions today, but in doing so it doesnt mean that the material was classified at the time it was sent.”
Fallon emphasized the strategy would be complete denial (“Our position is that no such material exists”) because, otherwise, Clinton would be guilty of breaking the law (“else it could be said she mishandled classified info”).
Indeed, after news broke of the private email system she used to conduct official business as secretary of state, Clinton initially insisted she had sent no emails with classified information.
Then she changed her position and claimed none of the emails were marked classified at the time.
She ended up claiming she’d sent no emails that were marked classified at the top of the page. That was after FBI Director James Comey revealed she had sent and received several emails marked confidential in the body of the texts.
While Fallon’s email was sent in August of 2015, in April of that year an archive of Clinton’s server had been wiped clean with software called BleachBit, even though tens of thousands of her missing emails were under congressional subpoena.
Cordial relations
In another email released Thursday, members of Clinton’s staff discussed her friendliness with Loretta Lynch, who, as attorney general, would later decline to pursue criminal charges against the former secretary of state for her mishandling of classified information.
The emails in the chain from March 16, 2015, discussed whether Clinton should endorse Lynch’s nomination to head the Justice Department.
Top Clinton aide Huma Abedin wrote, “She knows Loretta. Not an extremely close relationship and don’t remember last time they connected.”
But Abedin also added, “Regardless, definitely a cordial relationship.”
Abedin, vice chair of the Clinton campaign, suggested tweeting an endorsement.
As attorney general, Lynch infamously met with Bill Clinton on her Justice Department airplane on a tarmac in Phoenix on June 27, just days before FBI Director Bill Comey announced on July 5, that the government would not pursue criminal charges against Hillary.
This week, a source told Fox News that decision went against the judgment of all of the more than 100 FBI agents and analysts, and six Justice Department attorneys, investigating the case.
“No trial level attorney agreed, no agent working the case agreed, with the decision not to prosecute – it was a top-down decision,” said the source.
Fox said it had verified the source’s identity and role in the case.
The New York Times has reported that, if she wins the presidency, Clinton plans to keep Lynch as attorney general.
‘Failing to connect with voters’
Intense concern over Hillary’s disconnect with the public and her emotional detachment were the subject of another email chain.
Steve Hildebrand, former deputy national campaign director for Barack Obama, emailed Podesta on Jan. 19, 2016, “Hillary has got to get away from Washington speak and begin immediately to find an emotional connection to regular Americans.
“She needs to have a greater understanding of what people and families are going through every day,” he added. “And, then she needs to find an emotional connection. This has to turn around now. Her speechwriters, ad writers, communication staff – she and President Clinton – all need to cut Washington rhetoric from their vocabularies and all scripts. She also needs to be bold and not be politically calculating.
“She can win this, but she’s got to find a way to connect with voters and stop worrying about Washington pols and press. The American people want to know if she gets them,” Hildebrand concluded.
He attached another email previously sent to Democratic pollster Joel Benenson that said, “I’m very nervous that she is losing ground,” and, “she should be connecting with voters in a better way. I just don’t think she’s using the right words. The Clintons too often use language that is for Washington insiders and not for the rest of us out here in America.”
He feared, “She is failing to connect with voters – in large part, I believe, because she uses Washington speak,” and advised, “Dump the Washington political speak immediately – including partisan language. Replace it with words that average voters understand.”
Hildebrand implored the Clinton campaign to refrain from personal attacks, saying, “People grew tired of this from the Clintons. It’s not what they want to see. GET A PERSONAL CONNECTION.”
He also advised Clinton to try to understand the problems of everyday Americans: “For what it’s worth – keep her grounded and always thinking about what American families are going through – not what is happening with politicians in Washington.”
Podesta appeared to acknowledge Clinton’s problems relating to normal Americans, and replied, “Thanks Steve. I am generally trying to get us aiming in the same direction.”
Bill’s million-dollar birthday
Also revealed Thursday, the Islamist government of the Persian Gulf state Qatar gave $1 million to the Clinton Foundation for Bill Clinton’s birthday in 2011, right in the middle of his wife’s term as secretary of state (from 2009 to 2013).
That information was disclosed in an email sent to a number of Clinton aides from Ami Desai, director of foreign policy for the Clinton Foundation, dated April 16, 2012.
Desai passed along word that the Qataris asked to meet with the former president in person, writing, “Would like to see WJC (Bill Clinton) ‘for five minutes’ in NYC, to present $1 million check that Qatar promised for WJC’s birthday in 2011.”
Desai wrote that “Qatar would welcome our suggestions for investments in Haiti – particularly on education and health. They have allocated most of their $20 million but are happy to consider projects we suggest. I’m collecting input from CF (Clinton Foundation) Haiti team.”
As WND has reported, the Clinton Foundation is accused of looting millions from the impoverished nation of Haiti under the guise of providing charity following the devastating 2010 earthquake.
Desai’s email also describes contacts between Clinton Foundation officials and representatives from Brazil, Peru, Malawi and Rwanda.
He said he “pitched” the Clinton Foundation to Brazil’s president “again, and will continue to do so. We agreed to try to arrange a WJC (Clinton)-Rousseff meeting whenever she and he are next in the same city.”
Desai also pitched the Clinton Development Initiative to the ambassadors from Peru and Malawi.
He said the ambassador to Rwanada “asked about attracting more investments/businesses to Rwanda, including mining/natural resources investors. I emphasized CGI as an opportunity for Kagame to engage investors.”
Rwanda cut ties with France in 2006 for three years after a judge called for Rwandan President Paul Kagame to stand trial for possible involvement in the assassination of his predecessor that triggered a wave of genocide in the African nation in 1994.
In his email, Desai wrote, “Ambassador said criticism of Kagame seems to have quieted, partly due to WJC (Clinton) and (Former British Prime Minister Tony) Blair’s unwavering support for Kagame. Ambassador said Kagame and Rwanda very much appreciate WJC’s unflinching support.”
Guest of Soros
One chain of emails disclosed Podesta was invited by far-left billionaire Goerge Soros, financier of numerous radical causes, to be his guest in the Hamptons.
On July 21, 2015, Jacqueline Carozza, Assistant to George and Tamiko Soros, wrote: “Please let me know if you are available to join Mr. and Mrs. Soros one weekend at their residence in Southampton. Weekends that would work well for a visit are August 7th-10th or August 28th-31st.”
