On Sunday, the political panel on CNN’s State of the Union with Jake Tapper blasted the Clinton campaign for the horrible optics of Mrs. Clinton use of a moving rope line to separate herself from the media during a 4th of July parade in New Hampshire.
CNN’s S.E. Cupp called the image “humiliating” and scolded the media who choose to “abide by Hillary Clinton’s rules of journalism” rather than force the candidate to answer their questions.
Cupp argued that instead of blaming Hillary Clinton for the moving rope line she choose to “blame reporters who put up with this. The second they decide we're not doing this anymore. We're not going to cover your glossy events the way you want it, then she'll be forced to change this behavior.”
CNN reporter Jeff Zeleny briefly defended Clinton because “she also has Secret Service protection. So, it's very common for reporters to follow the rules” before he conceded the optics were terrible for the Democrat:
I think this though -- the criticism is directed at the Clinton campaign on this...For trying to wrap her in bubble wrap this entire campaign and not let her actually associate with real people. That's where the criticism on this...I think goes not to the reporters.
The criticism of Mrs. Clinton’s treatment of the press continued with Carol Lee of the Wall Street Journal noting that her relationship with the media has always been hostile:
The relationship between the Clinton campaign and the press is just hostile on both sides. And it's early for that...It's like we're how many months out. And if it's that hostile now, reporters are being penned off like farm animals, then you know, where is it going to go?
Not to be outdone, CNN’s Van Jones, who himself is a fan of Mrs. Clinton, called this the “worst visual metaphor. Before you could say she's not talking to reporters but you can't cover not talking. You can show this image over and over again and it's awful.”
As the segment concluded, Cupp suggested that Clinton’s moving rope line could end up being her Michael Dukakis tank moment, an image that will stay with voters up until the 2016 election:
I predict that like the Michael Dukakis tank moment which was so sort of visually emblematic of his failing campaign this will actually be a lasting image that she will have to combat going forward.
See relevant transcript below.
CNN’s State of the Union with Jake Tapper
July 5, 2015
JAKE TAPPER: I want to bring up one other thing having to do with Hillary Clinton that I know you're eager to talk about, S.E. which is she tried to walk in a parade yesterday in New Hampshire and I think we have some photographs of this. To cordon off the press, they were put in this moving rope line, a la a veal pen and this is obviously making a lot of waves on social media. Although I have to say, S.E. see a lot of Republicans loving it because they hate us more than they hate her.
S.E. CUPP: Well, I mean, this is humiliating. This is humiliating for reporters who have to abide by Hillary Clinton's rules of journalism. And it's not just this. I mean, the entire campaign, she has, you know, kept them at a distance. She barely answers questions. There's all these rules. And actually I don't blame her. I blame reporters who put up with this. The second they decide we're not doing this anymore. We're not going to cover your glossy events the way you want it, then she'll be forced to change this behavior.
JEFF ZELENY: To a point you're right. But she also has Secret Service protection. So, it's very common for reporters to follow the rules. I think this though -- the criticism is directed at the Clinton campaign on this.
CUPP: Yes.
ZELENY: For trying to wrap her in bubble wrap this entire campaign and not let her actually associate with real people. That's where the criticism on this...
CUPP: Terrible.
TAPPER: Carol.
CAROL LEE: The relationship between the Clinton campaign and the press is just hostile on both sides. And it's early for that.
TAPPER: Yes.
LEE: It's like we're how many months out. And if it's that hostile now, reporters are being penned off like farm animals, then you know, where is it going to go?
VAN JONES: I love Hillary Clinton but this is the worst visual metaphor. Before you could say she's not talking to reporters but you can't cover not talking. You can show this image over and over again and it's awful.CUPP: And I predict that like the Michael Dukakis tank moment which was so sort of visually emblematic of his failing campaign this will actually be a lasting image that she will have to combat going forward.
