Hillary Clinton's "don't ask" policy

As she races through Iowa in the days before next week's caucuses, Hillary Clinton is taking few chances. She tells crowds that it’s their turn to “pick a president,’’ but over the last two days she has not invited them to ask her any questions.

Before the brief Christmas break, the New York senator had been setting aside time after campaign speeches to hear from the audience. Now when she’s done speaking, her theme songs blare from loudspeakers, preventing any kind of public Q&A.

She was no more inviting when a television reporter approached her after a rally on Thursday and asked if she was “moved’’ by Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. Clinton turned away without answering.

Her daughter, Chelsea, had the same reaction when a reporter approached her with a question.

Hillary Clinton’s no-question policy didn’t sit well with some of the Iowans who came to see her speak.

“I was a little bit underwhelmed,’’ said Doug Rohde, 46, as he left a rally at a fire station in Denison. “The message was very generic -- and no questions.’’

Clinton campaign officials said that she may take questions in the coming days. But her focus is on seeing as many voters as possible before the caucuses next Thursday -- and spotlighting the messages she wants to deliver.

Spokespeople for her two main rivals in the Hawkeye State -– John Edwards and Barack Obama -– said the candidates would continue fielding questions as they troll for support.

(UPDATE: For an amusing update, click here.)

-- Peter Nicholas

Comments

[Geoff]

This is the most skillful cunning woman ever to play the political scene since the days of Mata Hari. She plays the crowds like a skilled performer on stage that she is. Anyone wanting anything to do with her as moths attracted to the flame will get burned.
Do not get close to this she-devil or she will pull you down into the depths her awaiting hell for you. Period.

[RON]

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Here are the full legal terms you agree to by using this comment form.

HIllaryou's infamous "No Questions policy.

[Michael Wyland]

This sounds like a real mistake. How long will it take someine to say that she's shutting down Q&A because she was caught planting questions? That this is simply a different form of controlling audience/voter input?

[Edward W. Shepler]

If Democrats are a little unsure of Senator Hillary Clinton's experience factor they should read a recent article (Dec. 26th) by Patrick Healy in the New York Times titled "The Resume Factor: Those 8 Years as First Lady". The article is very revealing and could clear up any of our fears or doubts that surrounds her qualifications vs. Obama's.

[GMHeller]

Why should Hillary have to answer any questions? After all, isn't she the smartest woman in the world?

[Charles]

This is a typical "Clinton" tactic. She definitely doesn't want to give up another "driver's licenses for illegals" comment. Why would she be interested in answering questions from the people she wants to represent? Maybe she doesn't want to represent their interests…

[AllenS]

I'm not sure why asking Hillary any questions is important to anyone. Have you ever heard her answer any questions, without somehow blaming Bush for everything?

[Joe777]

This is the woman who calls Bush/Cheney secretive. Obviously she's afraid of a gaffe and blow the nom. What an amazing comparison between the couragessness of Ms. Bhutto and the cowardly Clinton. Also notice the difference between Ms. Bhutto's charm and charisma and the dull lack of personal charm the Hildebeast has. Remember the "phony soldier" story ,well Hillary is the phony leader/candidate. There's also many disparities between what Hillary is saying now and what's in her book "Living History". Maybe she should have wrote the book herself.

[Ray robison]

First the NY Times questions her "experience" claim and now the LA Times exposes her lack of charisma. Soon they will be handing out ice skates in....well, you know where this is going.

Ray Robison is the author of Both In One Trench: Saddam's Secret Terror Documents

http://www.bothinonetrench.com

[Stanley]

The whole media is definitely against Hillary - with Drudge and other right-wing nuts leading the charge. I have a feeling that they are scared that she will win the presidency, and make them irrelevant much as Bill did when he was the president. So - IGNORE MEDIA REPORTS LIKE THIS ONE - THEY ARE VERY BIASED!!!

[EPinFLA]

You shall be told what you need to know when you need to know it. Do not question Hillary, she is not to be questioned, only obeyed.

[A.C.]

Oh for god's sake...what a non-issue! You've got to be kidding me. This is nothing but a hit piece on Hillary. I would hardly call a couple instances of not staying for question some kind of major freeze out of voters. She has been campaigning for months in Iowa..it's not like she dropped in there yesterday. Did you ever stop to think this might be to avoid some last minute planted questioners by the Obama camp? Or perhaps, more likely, it's simply to save time so she can go to more campaign stops?

[Nick]

This is typical for the Clintons.

[Gary]

If Hilliary's mouth is open, a lie is coming out.

[AST02]

Hillary hates too much.

[Caron Mc Carthy]

No Questions? Hillary Has Never Taken Questions..the only time she appears interested in taking Questions is when she controls the questiions..The press allowed this Format in New York during her Senatorial Races and How many interviews has she really done?

Even the most liberal of my family..from Upper State New York were quite angry with that policy. The Press just Goes along to get along and abides by Her rules!

Her first listening tour was Just that..She Listened but never answered..when will Americans Catch on? When will the press catch on? It appears the press is much slower then the supposed "Uninterested" voters!

[TR]

Everyone knows that Hillary will not take any questions concerning this very important matter because she is waiting to copy and take bits and pieces from what the other candidates are saying about this situation. Also hse has not been propertly prepped by her husband and political backers on what to say. She is somewhere right now in a room memorizing answers to questions that might be asked or btter yet being fed answers to questions that Wolf Blitzer from CNN will ask

Please America WAKE UP!!!

[Jack Coletti Sr]

Hillary has never answered anything that had to do with the truth, What happened to Rose law furm billing recoerds and her bigmoney made on the comoditiy market. Her answers on aappearing before the house comittee and that she couldn't rember anything her mind's in a blender on that one.\Her husbands escapades with other women and she didn't know about that give me a break. She is like her husband Bill Clinton they believe everything they say. They could not tell the truth if iit hit them in the head.
Ther bith cut from the same cloth. One lies and the other swears to it.

[John]

No more questions? That seems silly to me. She can maybe get away with arrogance once she's elected, but she's not president yet.

[Steven Potempa]

What would you expect from a CLINTON. She is just following her husbands tradition of "DON'T ASK , DON'T TELL".

[Cory]

Typical Democrat. Pretends to care about the concerns of people, but in actuality doesn't.

[Jason Kish]

I guess this is what happens when her Q & A cannot be staged with softball questions to canned answers.

[Demo Crat]

Unfortunately for 'We the People', this is all too typical of this candidate. For some reason, she is scared to let teh American People/Voters have enough information to make a solid decision upon (that is unless it is negativity ion her opponents).

[Ken Taylor]

These people that want to see her at these rallies must be liberal lemmings that will drink the Kool-Aid without knowing what they are dying for.
Most intelligent people want to be educated about what their candidate stands for on issues that are dear to them. If just being a face at these rallies is the best she can do why doesn't she just hire some idiots with her picture on posters, it's the same thing. Then again she can send out that sexual pervert husband of hers, if he not in rehab for sexual diviates, to spread her message of socialism and how she can walk on water. GO FIGURE! Hitler had his loyal brigade too that just followed and never questioned.

[Bo]

All fluff...She is a product of a Political party desperate to regain power.

She has zero credentials for being President of the PTA let alone the United States...I can't believe any American would ever consider voting for her.

Wake up People!

Anybody but Billary