This clip of Hillary Clinton is going viral on social media. Why? Just watch:
Painful new @AmericaRising @vine - the whole video we pulled it from is @HillaryClinton unenthused to meet supporters http://t.co/3CucEgpXTi
— Shoshana Weissmann (@senatorshoshana) June 1, 2015In this Vine-length snippet, Hillary uncomfortably instructs supporters requesting her signature to "go to the end of the line." The optics aren't great, with the candidate appearing cold and put-upon by her own fans. The conservative opposition research group America Rising -- which does much invaluable work -- began circulating the video, captured by one of their "trackers." When I wondered about context on Twitter, one of the organization's representatives was kind enough to email me the full 17-minute video, which I've since examined. As I suspected, the added context casts the awkward exchange in a far less damaging light. Hillary emerges from the building and slowly makes her way down the line of well-wishers, taking photographs, shaking hands, and making small talk. She's not a natural politician, and many of the interactions feel stilted and perfunctory, but it's nothing out of the ordinary. When people start asking her to sign items (books, photographs, even baseballs), Hillary seems to make a snap decision that she'll accommodate their requests, but not until she's made it all the way through the crowd. Hence, the "end of the line" request.
Sure enough, the last four-or-so minutes of the complete video features Hillary Clinton dutifully autographing paraphernalia for all comers, asking questions like, "want me to make it out to you?" Mrs. Clinton appears ill at ease and not especially eager to stick around throughout much of this extended rope line-style interaction, but the short sound-byte contained in the tweet above isn't representative of her attitude or actions. She's slightly uncomfortable and less than enthusiastic; she isn't hostile or rude. Hillary Clinton's imperious, arrogant, unaccountable attitude, evasiveness and "ungainly glide" leaves much to be desired. She should be held to account for her indefensible email secrecy, her family's hugely problematic "slush fund" finances, her nakedly pandering flip-flops, and her weak record as Secretary of State. In other words, there's plenty of fodder to launch legitimate attacks and ask pointed questions. Opponents shouldn't waste their time with this out-of-context encounter, which I'll go ahead and label a manufactured 'outrage.' There's much less to it than meets the eye. I'll leave you with this video of David Ignatius slamming Hillary's "monarch in waiting routine" on MSNBC, via the Free Beacon:
By the way, credit is due to the America Rising team for proactively offering up the entire video, even though they may not share my conclusion.