Clinton Crashes Bubble-Bursting Press Trip to Mt Rushmore
done
Senator Clinton’s original South Dakota itinerary did not include a visit to the state’s most famous tourist destination – even though it was just a few miles away from her Rapid City hotel. But when told that members of the press corps were organizing an early morning trip to check out the monument – unsure that they’d ever be back in the Mt Rushmore state – Clinton decided to join the caravan.
For a traveling press corps that’s followed her every movement for months, the New York Senator’s itch to play tourist ended a rare and precious chance to escape the so-called campaign bubble; with the candidate on board, a leisurely sightseeing trip becomes work, as doing our job requires watching what she does and what she says in case she makes even the slightest bit of news.
But even though it was her unplanned presence at the monument that forced the press to be on the job, the New York Senator admonished the media for paying more attention to her than to the four presidents carved in stone behind her. She didn’t seem to want us there any more than we wanted her there.
“This is not an event. This is a tourist occasion,” she said to reporters and photographers training their lenses on her instead of the mountain. “Come on, we’ve got the head park service person up here, just come up and listen.”
Still, the network crews dutifully recorded her every move as she asked the tour guide all about the history of the park. Clinton, however, was not in candidate mode this morning.
Asked whether she could envision herself among that presidential pantheon, Clinton laughed, speechless, as though the question were ridiculous. As to whether her husband should be there? “Why don’t you learn something about the monument, guys,” she said, walking away.
And shaking hands with the non-senatorial tourists at the site, she refused an ABC producer’s request for a comment on former White House spokesman Scott McClellan’s new anti-administration book – acting as though she hadn’t heard the question.
Clinton hasn’t taken questions from the national press corps for nearly two weeks – and even then, also in Rapid City, she was forced to hold an unscheduled press availability on the airport tarmac to respond to the day’s political news.
Today, she continued that trend – keeping the press both at bay and at work, when all we wanted was to deflate the bubble and see the sights.
Tags: hillary clinton, mt rushmore, south dakota
Share
I don’t blame her for ignoring your questions. When she does answer you make fun of her or misquote her…and waa waa, do your job without whining why don’t you. You people lost all credibility when you wrote about her R F K slip…don’t expect any sympathy for “bursting the bubble.” Maybe she just wanted to take in the tour…but if I were her I would certainly make arrangements to go without you bozos.
So gracious! I wish I could have been there to meet her. She tried her best to keep the focus on the monument, as it should have been. I applaud her!
And as she gazed upon the great presidents representing our first 150 years, did she suffer from the delusion of someday occupying a spot next to Washington?
Hillary, the Queen of Spin and a Legend in Her Own Mind!
http://klintons.com
still closed?
What a baby! Just because she is there you didn’t get to be a tourist?
If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around; does it still make a sound?
What do you mean by “deflate the bubble” and enjoy the scene???? If this is any connotation of being mean spirited towards Senator Hillary Clinton … think again.
I have lost all respect for the US media. You are all biased/bought out!!” How very shameful of you!
Hillary Clinton will be our next President!!! Watch and see …
Go Hillary ‘08!
If the press wanted to take a break, they should have. The press MADE themselves work instead of enjoying the day. No boo-hoos from me.
Take a good look Hillary that is a close as you or Bill will ever get to Rushmore!!
What a non-news article. Aaron Brun’s is trying to make hay out of this? What a sorry excuse for a reporter! I love his comment that “even though it was her unplanned presence at the monument that forced the press to be on the job, the New York Senator admonished the media for paying more attention to her than to the four presidents carved in stone behind her.”
Somehow, in Bruns feeble mind, a candidate can’t visit a national monument without doing something offensive, I’m no Hillary fan (nor Obama or Mccain for that matter), but psuedo reporters like Bruns are what gives the media a bad name. They are also the reason that people turn to alternate sources.
Oh, poor you. You had to work. What a whiner.
I’m a non-partisan voter so I don’t adhere to a party. I’m free to select any candidate. Hilary looks great and has my VOTE! That includes primary and general, regardless of the nom. If need be I’m capable of writing in my choice.
Since I test at genius level I can’t expect all you people who love to throw dirty dishwater from doing so. I’ve also stopped expecting any of you from having any CLEAR understanding about what makes a person presidential. But this bland, stylish photo op is a start.
The peanut gallery is by nature an unruly bunch of rowdy dimwits and the rest of the media must cater to the high paying “client” Obama, but thanks for a look at a beautiful opportunity!
I’ve visited the site myself and like Hilary appears, I was awestruck and intrigued by the experience in ways I did not expect.
Poor little Aaron - “all we wanted was to play tourist” and that darn hilary had to tag along… your article clearly shows that *she* set the tone to pay attention to the monument, if your job is so hard for you get out of the kitchen! I read your article to say that it was the press corps that “had to” pay attention to her just in case she made “news”. Gad. You sound like a baby.
She *IS* news… Get over it.
It sounds like you were whining…Maybe reporters should have let it happen naturally, talk to her about her reaction to the monument, get some personality out there, rather than asking dumb questions–”Do you think your face will ever be up there?” Oh come on. Something like that doesn’t deserve a serious answer. You all had the opportunity to show another side of the candidate, and blew it. On the other hand, she might have been wiser to go on her own, in a black wig and a fat suit.
My comment to the press? Waaaaaaa! Crybabies!
Since you didn’t want the trip to Mt Rushmore to be a news event, and she tried to help you not have one, why not give up on the expressed resentment that she did not give you one?
Or maybe some of her more strenuous advocates are right. Anything she does is an excuse to accuse her of doing something inflamatory.
Chill. Enjoy the sights. Take up soap carving.
Cheap photo op or was Clinton picking out a space for her face on the mountain? Did she unwrap herself from the flag before she spoke? At least Hillary didn’t get out of the car commando to get attention.
So you didn’t want to have to report on your trip, Hillary went along and behaved accordingly by not giving quotes or responding to questions, and now you are resentful that she didn’t give you anything juicy to report. No problem: just report how intrusive and insensitive she was crashing your excursion.
Chill. Enjoy the sights. Take up soap carving.
Wow, FOX has done it again. Talk about bias. This reads like an op-ed instead of a news article. I’m by no means a Clinton supporter, but this is just disgusting. Thanks for once again contributing to what’s wrong with the media today.
Who cares what the whiney looser has to say. Waaaah! She thinks everyone should bow to her. I don’t think so.
This is a very mean spirited article.
Wow, this passes as news? Talk about a slow day….
This is a very mean spirited article!
What are you complaining about? You media guys follow people around, never leaving them with a break to compose themselves… in this instance she went on the offensive..paid you guys back a favor..took away your day off. Apparently in your attempt at getting even with her through this article proves how witty she really is.
Boo. Waste of internets.
You have got to be kidding me… Mr. Bruns, you’re retarded (sorry to be politically insensitive). It is not Senator Clinton’s fault that the system you so arduously defend forces you to play to her every move. If you’d like to stop paying attention to her, and start paying attention to the monument, I’m sure most of the nation would be more than content to let you do that. You sound like a spoiled brat who never considered that getting what you want is any different from getting what you need. This generation of elderly toddlers is embarassing and pathetic. I’m so sick of the rich somehow thinking they’re oppressed, and the stupid being convinced they’re the brightest stars out there. This system we have created is hideously illogical and satisfyingly self-defeating. It will be a depressing, but appropriate realization on that morning when we all wake up and realize that America is the land of yesterday.
She would be a good cast member of the New York Wives as seen bickering on Bravo Station. Just in case she feels too uncomfortable returning to the Senate after all those New York Wives get themselves invited whether wanted there or not and she has plenty of experience bickering like the uncoronated Queen she it.
Aaron Bruns.. I have a feeling that the rest of the press corps were already bummed out, having you along on the trip.
How often do you get to play tourist with a presidential candidate…???? Gee, enjoy the chance next time, a story to tell your kids…..and a private personal one….not recorded….just a few sneak pics for yourself……
test
testing
Aaron Bruns should be fired for being a lazy bum
I’ve read all the posted comments and you dumb people just don’t get it! This was the media’s time off and the they chose to make the best of and opportunity and visit the monument - never knowing when they would get the opportunity and Clinton got wind of this and decided to join along - this is like deliberately swimming with the sharks - if you don’t go in they won’t bother you but if you do why wouldn’t they take a nibble or two? COME ON people stop with the partisan politics and get your heads out of the sand and look at what is being reported.
What is the problem folks?
They asked her a question about her possibly being carved with the others, God forbid.
To me a simple answer would be to acknowledge what the carvings stand for and why it would not be appropriate for her to be included or anyone else for that matter.
The same could be said if she was enjoying the Statue of Liberty and asked a similar question.
And you know good and well she will talk to them if she has words from Obama to TWIST.
Her response is not a sign of strength or leadership.
It is a sign of the same old washington politics. Self serving.
Do anyone of the people complaining about the writer know what its like to be on the road, staying in bad motels, eating whatever you can grab all because somebody with no chance of winning might say something worth reporting? I’m tired of this drawn out process and I’m in my living room.
Justmy.02, if she was focused on the moment she wouldn’t be using Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt and Jefferson as a backgound. Secret service could have closed the park for her but nope, Hillary mugging for the cameras is a sad news worthy story about someone that could have exited with some grace [..and over $20,000,000 in debt the DNC may have to help pay.]
She said it was not an event….why ask any questions then?…..reporters….grow up…..you all made the stress for yourselves….
If the press had done their job Mr. Obama would have been gone along time ago. So why all the complaining now. So she dicided to take in the sights. She’s earned a few moments of down time.
Rose:
I hate to point this out to a ‘genius’ who can’t bother to expect me to understand much, but you spelled Hillary wrong. There are two L’s.
Now go on to your sermon to us mere mortals…
The long campaign knocked some sense into her but its too late dearie…. you shoul dhave tried, natural, humble and nice earlier……much earlier.
its just another side of Hillary…. nothing new here. she has maybe 25 faces, she decided to wear this one today…. calm down hillary freaks, shes not God.
i th ink your warning should include the statement….anyone with half a brain dont bother posting no one will here you but you know thats the american way no need in posting this its ment for YOU
Narcissim never gets tired of its own company. Tra-la
it is unbelievable….well, perhaps not. but it IS nauseating that the angle and central point of this so-called “story” is….the reporters. we readers could care less whether crawling after a candidate inconvenienced the news media. and angling this story so it becomes “about” senator clinton spoiling funtime for the kiddiwinks in the press corps makes one feel that the dire straits of the news media these days are fully deserved. what incompetent, cheap clowns.
As an Obama supporter, extremely frustrated w/the way Senator Clinton ran her campaign, I have to say this piece leaves a very bad taste in my mouth.
The question, as her campaign winds down, itself is in extremely poor taste. How could she possibly answer that question at this point and keep their dignity? Senator Clinton doesn’t need my pity and wouldn’t get it if she did, but geesh have a heart!
And then to twist the knife and ask her to visualize her husband be honored as such? Really tasteless, is all I can say. Yes I do know what it’s like to live motel to motel trying to get the story. It’s a job; and when you’re on the road at your employers expense you’re on the job period. So you don’t complain when the candidate makes an unexpected appearance. You go w/the flow and have a measure of respect regardless of your personal position/needs.
Great reporting..about themselves…hoping for another “manufactured outrage event” there Bruns?
Aaron…awwe too made your not covering Nobama…seeing dead people…but you are not the story..or not supposed to be.
Wow slow news day
“…a leisurely sightseeing trip becomes work, as doing our job requires watching what she does and what she says in case she makes even the slightest bit of news.”
She was just going to visit the monument. It is the press corps who is making news of this. If she scheduled a press conferece, that would be her making news. You people were probably just hoping she’d say something inflammatory towards Obama and sensatonalize it but no, she was just being herself–which you have blogged about as if it were a burden.
the reason i will not vote for ob is his supporters if that is the way they are mean and hatefull i wouldnt want a president who represent them and the media too. i dont see any of hillary supporters being so mean and hatefull as for mand flordia if the shoe was on the other foot he be doing the same thing you know it and so does the media all of your hate has overcome good sense
She could always drop out of the race… then the media would stop following her…
Mt. Rushmore is a truly awesome sight to see.
I’m glad for you that you got to see it.
I enjoyed it thoroughly when I was there.
She deserved the day off as much as you wanted it for yourself Aaron.
It’s too bad that you couldn’t just go with it like she asked you to do.
She has allot to think about and you may have been able to help her deal with her imminent loss in the week to come.
Hey Memo,…Ha-Ha,…good catch from one mere mortal to another!
Heh-Heh!
The press destroyed this election and the public has become very savvy to the slick marketing campaign by the Obama campaign and the media.
The media has no credibility and have become nothing more than pompous butt heads.
Hillay should be the nominee. If not her then McCain. At least he doesn’t hate America and white people like Obama does.
coment to MemoToRose
Get a “L” ife
Remember folks - this trip was NOT IN HER PLANS - “until” she heard that some in the press were going!! At that point - gate crasher Hillary elbowed her way into their plans and in effect ruined a day off for them!! She HAS to be in front of the cameras! If she isn’t — the way things are going in a week or so people will be referring to her as “old what’s her name”!
Sad to see!
She could drop out… that would stop the media from following her.
shab
I will always admire her & her accomplishments. What Obama supporters seem to not understand is that she will go down in history, as will their favorite candidate, regardless of the outcome. She will be remembered as the one who lost the nom. because the DNC acted foolishly and Obama will be remembered as the one who lost the general election for the same reason. I think Hillary would eventually fare extremely well as President & would deserve a monument of some sort, but thanks to the DNC and biased media, we’ll probably never see it.
This article must be a joke, right? Someone needs to change the author’s diaper