Hillary Clinton spent the summer in the Hamptons. And, as the New York Times reports, she’s been asking friends about income inequality as she gets ready to run president of the United States.
“Mrs. Clinton spent August in the Hamptons, a working vacation that gave her plenty of time to interact with donors without the glare of the news media. Liz Robbins, a Washington lobbyist with a home in East Hampton; the investor Dan Neidich and his wife, Brooke Garber Neidich, an arts executive; the hedge fund manager Richard C. Perry and his wife, Lisa Perry, a fashion designer; and Susie Tompkins Buell, a San Francisco-based entrepreneur, are among the friends and donors who hosted events for the Clintons,” reports the Times.
She would pose political questions and field thoughts on policy, asking, for example, Wall Street executives and business leaders what they thought of Mr. Obama’s efforts to eliminate inversions.
She’s also been trying to develop a message. “Fledgling efforts to develop a message are quietly taking place, said the people close to Mrs. Clinton. Without discussing her 2016 plans, she has talked to friends and donors in business about how to tackle income inequality without alienating businesses or castigating the wealthy,” reads the report.
“That message would likely be less populist and more pro-growth, less about inversions and more about corporate tax reform, less about raising the minimum wage and more long-term job creation, said two people with firsthand knowledge of the discussions.”
Even a Washington Post reporter found the news ironic:
Hillary spent Hampton’s vaca asking rich people how to talk about inequality without alienating them, via @amychozick http://t.co/vq84TVdCxI
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) September 13, 2014
