In an unusual turn of events, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was “very disappointed” that Jimmy Kimmel failed to ask her about UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects) during an appearance on his late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! last November.
The reason? She had practiced her answer on the topic beforehand, according to an internal Clinton campaign email made public by WikiLeaks.
“She was charming, got lots of laughs and worked in a lot of message,” Hillary for America Deputy Communications Director Kristina Schake told Clinton Campaign Chairman John Podesta in a November 2015 email.
“He didn’t end up asking her about UFOs! She was very disappointed,” Schake added. “She practiced UAPs (Unexplained Aerial Phenomena) for five minutes beforehand.”
According to an article posted by Daniel Nussbaum on the Breitbart.com website, the candidate “predicted she would beat her husband and former President Bill Clinton if the two were running against each other in an election, among other discussion topics.”
When asked by Podesta how the appearance went, Schake described the taping as “fine but not a home run.”
“We had lots of issues with the development of it today,” Schake wrote. “Her interview was the best part of the show. She’s getting really good at this format -- she’s relaxed, confident, works in message and has fun.”
Kimmel eventually broached the topic of UFOs when Clinton revisited the ABC program in late March.
“I would like us to go into those [UFO] files and, hopefully, make as much of that public as possible,” she stated. “If there’s nothing there, let’s tell people there’s nothing there.”
Clinton has appeared on Kimmel several times since launching her presidential candidacy, most recently in late August, when she dismissed questions about her health and stamina by opening a pickle jar.
According to Lauren Gambino in an item posted on The Guardian website, Clinton referred to claims that she has major health problems as “part of the wacky strategy” meant to target voters.
“I don’t know why they are saying this,” Clinton stated during the show. “I think … it absolutely makes no sense. And I don’t go around questioning Donald Trump’s health. I mean, as far as I can tell, he’s healthy as a horse.”
As Breitbart Senior Investigative Reporter Aaron Klein noted:
Amid the hoopla surrounding Hillary Clinton’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and a certain pickle jar, it may be instructive to recall that, as Breitbart News first reported, a draft media policy memo requested by Clinton recommended that she utilize “specialty media,” including late-night shows, to get across her messages and help shape opinions.
This is not to draw implications regarding her health or the pickle jar stunt, but to spotlight Clinton’s continued bypassing of the traditional news media in favor of occasional late-night appearances.
Included in the list of “specialty media” were such programs as Oprah, Ellen and ABC's The View, where she could “amplify and deliver messages that advance policymaking.”
“The line between daytime talk shows and hard news becomes more and more blurred as headlines in one realm make headlines in the other,” wrote Jin Chon in a three-page memo dated January 18, 2009. Chon served as the spokesman for specialty media for Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign.
The memo, originally marked as a draft, was also contained in a February 5, 2009, email Chon sent to top Clinton aide Huma Abedin.
In the missive, Chon highlighted the importance of specialty media and late-night talk shows as opposed to more political news outlets.
The memo also singled out Ellen DeGeneres as “a big supporter of Hillary Clinton” who is "willing to use her platform to help promote the agenda of the new Secretary of State."
Chon also promoted entertainment news shows like Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, EXTRA and Inside Edition.
“Together, these shows reach an audience of 25 million viewers every day,” the campaign staffer noted. “Working with these outlets can help shape Americans’ opinion of foreign policy and provide a human face to the issues that the State Department is promoting.”
In another incident, David Martosko -- U.S. political editor for the Daily Mail website -- declared: “Let them eat chocolate!”
While reporters tried to ask the Democratic candidate questions during a campaign stop the day after she delivered a “blistering anti-Trump speech,” Martosko noted, “Clinton dodged questions from 'cooperative' reporters by offering them free sweets.”
“They are so wonderful, so cooperative, so hard-working. They deserve a piece of chocolate,” she said.
“One reporter who piped up that it seemed to be a good time for a Q-and-A was met with laughter,” Martosko added.
Obviously, Clinton treats reporters who try to ask important questions far differently than those who solicit her views on such vital things as UFOs and pickle jars.
