Clinton Dodges Details Of Speeches That Earned Her Millions
MANCHESTER, N.H. (CBSNewYork/AP)-- Hillary Clinton told voters in the latest Democratic debate there's "hardly anything you don't know about me."
Just minutes later, she got tangled in a question about a part of her resume that is an enduring mystery.
In the 18 months before launching her second presidential bid, Clinton gave nearly 100 paid speeches at banks, trade associations, charitable groups and private corporations. The appearances netted her $21.7 million — and voters very little information about what she was telling top corporations as she prepared for her 2016 campaign.
What she said — or didn't say — to Wall Street banks in particular has become a significant problem for her presidential campaign, as she tries to counter the unexpected rise of Democratic rival Bernie Sanders. He's put her in awkward position of squaring her financial windfall with a frustrated electorate.
She motivated dozens of volunteers who were going door-to-door in a snowstorm to try to convince people to choose the former secretary of state.
"As we say in the campaign... I am fighting for us and I am not going to stop fighting for New Hampshire," Clinton said at the campaign rally, as reported by 1010 WINS' Steve Kastenbaum.
She said she has nothing but respect for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) and that he's fighting for the right things, but she still believes she's the best candidate for the White House.
"There's only one candidate who is prepared to do all aspects of the job on day one," Clinton said.
Asked in the debate — and not for the first time — about releasing transcripts of those speeches, she said: "I will look into it. I don't know the status, but I will certainly look into it." She added: "My view on this is, look at my record."
Clinton addressed a broad swath of industries, speaking to supermarket companies in Colorado, clinical pathologists in Illinois and travel agents in California, to name several. Many of the companies and trade organizations that she addressed are lobbying Congress over a variety of interests.
She typically delivered an address, then answered questions from a pre-vetted interviewer. Her standard fee was $225,000, though occasionally it could range up to $400,000.
"That's what they offered," said Clinton, when asked this week whether her fees were too high.
At the Friday's event, Clinton was joined by several female senators and the female governor of New Hampshire who said it's time to elect the first female president.
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
