Hillary Clinton’s question-and-answer sessions with reporters aboard her campaign jet sparked a debate Tuesday about whether the interactions qualified as press conferences.
The Democratic nominee’s refusal to convene a press conference since December of last year had become fodder for her opponents amid a growing controversy over documents from her State Department tenure that hinted at potential impropriety. Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee had begun circulating the number of days since Clinton’s last press conference on a daily basis, reaching 275 days before Clinton’s first attempt to face the media.
After that press availability ended in a coughing fit Monday, reporters weighed whether the event should satisfy calls for Clinton to hold a press conference.
“Clinton denies reporters one of their favorite whines by doing impromptu press conference,” the liberal Daily Kos wrote in a headline Tuesday morning.
“Hillary Clinton’s news conference drought is finally over. Or is it?” read a Washington Post headline.
Critics argued the media interaction did not qualify as a press conference in the traditional sense because the event was not advertised in advance, thereby excluding most members of the press and preventing the reporters who were present from preparing questions.
Reality is candidate controls the conversation when “popping in” on press, because the candidate can leave at any moment.#plane #ropeline
— Ari Melber (@AriMelber) September 5, 2016
That key difference was on display Tuesday, when Clinton declined to answer a question about a CNN poll that showed Trump leading her nationally by 2 points. As a reporter began to ask Clinton her opinion on the poll, Jennifer Palmieri, Clinton’s communications director, interjected and ferried the candidate to the front of the plane with a promise to return later.
For those who care, consensus in press corp is that 25 minute Q&A on plane is a “press conference.” (How about another one tomorrow!)
— Laura Meckler (@laurameckler) September 5, 2016
But some journalists agreed the gaggle should allow Clinton to reset the clock on her lack of news conferences.
Even Clinton’s Democratic allies had begun to clamor for a conference in the wake of renewed scrutiny over the Clinton Foundation’s contact with the State Department while Clinton served as the nation’s chief diplomat.
.@NABJ/@NAHJ president describes today’s event with Clinton as a large press conference.
It is not.
— Dan Merica (@danmericaCNN) August 5, 2016
Her campaign’s last attempt to quiet criticism of Clinton’s inaccessibility came on Aug. 5, when the Democratic nominee took pre-screened questions at a townhall event with minority journalists.
Pretty sure she is standing at a podium taking questions on a broad range of topics from national print and TV reporters
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) August 5, 2016
The event did not persuade reporters to end their calls for a press conference, and the campaign seemingly abandoned the argument that it was one after Clinton generated negative headlines for claiming she “short-circuited” in response to questions about her email server.
Clinton has avoided inquiries about her family’s foundation as a series of document productions from the State Department deepened suspicions last month that the charity could create conflicts of interest in a potential Clinton administration.
Her husband’s pledge to curb foreign and corporate donations and to remove himself from the foundation’s board should Clinton win the White House did little to quell criticisms of the philanthropy.
During her second “press conference” Tuesday, Clinton said foundation issues — such as whether her daughter would continue to work with the charity — would be decided after the election.
But because Clinton conducted most of the question-and-answer session while her campaign jet was en route to Florida, networks were unable to carry the entire event live.
The Democratic nominee took the opportunity to slam Trump over his refusal to release his tax returns and answered questions about the tightening polls and the upcoming presidential debate.
