This might be the slightest bit awkward.
Hillary Clinton will have to bite her tongue and deliver a speech honoring political journalists later this month despite being the subject of many a critical article in the press for her recent controversies.
First, there’s Clinton’s equal pay hypocrisy. Then, there’s her foundation’s acceptance of millions of dollars in donations from foreign governments. And now, there’s her exclusive use of a private e-mail account while serving as secretary of State.
Unfortunately for Clinton, she will have to answer for all of these reports come March 23 — well, sort of.
The likely Democratic presidential candidate will deliver an address at the 2015 Toner Prize Celebration, which will take place at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.
The award is named after New York Times political correspondent Robin Toner, who died in 2008 at the age of 54.
According to the Center for Public Integrity, Toner’s husband and Bloomberg reporter Peter Gosselin said Clinton will deliver the speech “pro bono” instead of demanding the usual $200,000 or more for her remarks. A ticket to the dinner costs $250, but the event will be open to the press.
Unfortunately for the crowd of political reporters hoping to press Clinton on her nascent presidential campaign or her private e-mail account, she will not take questions after her speech.
“It’s going to stop being an awards ceremony if she makes any news — everyone will exit the room and start writing,” laughed Gosselin. “Journalists will be journalists.”
The celebration is sponsored by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Toner’s alma mater, Syracuse University.
Back in January, Newhouse School Dean Lorraine Branham enthusiastically announced Clinton as the keynote speaker of the event in a press release.
“It’s an extraordinary pleasure to have Secretary Clinton as our speaker at this important event,” declared Branham. “She is a vivid example — like Robin — of a pioneering woman at the top of her profession.”
Past recipients of the Toner Prize include The Arizona Republic’s Craig Harris, The New Yorker’s Jane Mayer, The Atlantic’s Molly Ball, and most recently The Washington Post’s Karen Tumulty.
