—Oct. 9, 2015

Front-running Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is a dominant factor in the nation’s political news stream. And given that “news” can help make or break a candidate’s campaign, we decided to look at this month’s news feed to date in order to determine whether it was helping or hurting Hillary’s campaign.

Of course, news can be biased depending upon the source, with some news coming from the left in hopes of helping her campaign, and some from the right with an aim towards smearing the candidate. And yes, there is likely also some truly unbiased news in the mix. Thus, when considering the news and its impact on the candidate, one should also keep the source in mind and give weight to the bias that may be playing a role in how the news is being reported, and to what extent the truth of the story is accurately being portrayed.

For today’s exercise we want you to weigh each news item for level of truth, apparent slant, and, perhaps most importantly, relevance. Hash these stories out, internally and with others, to determine if each story gives you reason to vote for Hillary, or vote for another Democratic candidate. Tally up your responses to find out whether you would give your vote to Hillary if this was all you had with which to judge her candidacy.  Oh, and for those who already know they will not be voting Democrat no matter what, just try to pretend that the Democratic field represents your only option for president.

Hillary Clinton Comes Out Against Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Deal, The Wall Street Journal, Oct. 7– Hillary is possibly straining her relationship with the Obama administration, as her declared opposition to the Pacific trade deal undercuts President Obama’s efforts to win congressional approval for the pact.

A brave political gambit or is something else afoot?

Hillary Clinton Approaches Debate, and Bernie Sanders, With Caution, The New York Times, Oct. 6–This story details the dilemma Hillary faces in her Democratic Primary campaign against the current top rival Sen. Bernie Sanders. That is, how to successfully fight him without alienating the Democratic voters that support him.

“Damn the torpedoes” is apparently not her modus operandi….

Secret Service agents: Hillary is a nightmare to work with, New York Post, Oct. 2– This story claims that the recently released book–First Family Detail–“exposes Hillary as an epically abusive Arctic monster.” With direct quotes from the book, the story purports that Hillary is especially rude to members of her Secret Service detail and likes to use the F-word. The story claims that the book’s author writes “flatteringly and critically” about people from both political parties, but fails to highlight any examples beyond Hillary.

Guess you need to read the book….   

12 Quirky Emails on Hillary Clinton’s Server, CBS News, Oct. 8– Quirky yes, and while not necessarily newsworthy, perhaps enlightening. In a July 11, 2011, 2:24 a.m. one-line email response to an aide’s email notifying her of the Fukushima earthquake in Japan, Secretary of State Hillary asks, “Do you have my shawl?”

They (whoever “they” are) do say email messages can be taken out of context….

Don’t be fooled by the ‘new’ Hillary Clinton, Fox News, Oct. 8–This story warns potential voters not to fall by Hillary’s efforts to present herself as “warm, fuzzy and funny, characteristics heretofore unknown in the former first lady, comer New York Senator and former secretary of state.”

Actually, the article seems to be more about the bias of NBC’s coverage of Hillary, suggesting NBC stands for “Nothing But Clinton.” 

Hillary Clinton: I’m Not Interested in VP Job, NBC News, Oct. 5–“Hypothetically speaking, no,” Hillary has no interest in being the White House second fiddle.

Guess she’s hypothetically been there-done that, what with eight years as second in command at the White House in the 1990s.  

Hillary Clinton to push new gun controls after Oregon Shooting, Chicago Tribune, Oct. 4– Hillary has apparently made strict gun laws a “centerpiece of her presidential campaign.”

A brave move, given that gun control has always served as a political hot potato….

Hillary Clinton Wants to See Lenny Kravitz’s ‘Penisgate’ video and Megyn Kelly Doesn’t Like It, Inquisitr, Oct. 6– In an interview with Lena Dunham, Hillary expressed interest in seeing the infamous video of Lenny Kravitz’s wardrobe malfunction. This in turn spurred Fox News Host Megyn Kelly to call the interview not “fitting for a presidential candidate.”

 Surprised that Hillary even knows who Lenny Kravitz is, let alone wants to see his penis….

Hillary Clinton Got Fired from a Job in Her 20s–You’ll Never Believe What it Was, People Magazine, Oct. 5– Canned from an Alaskan salmon packing cannery for being too slow and complaining that the fish smelled bad.

Hillary suggests that she was fired because she raised concerns about the cleanliness of the operation; however, because she also claims the entire operation “was gone” the next day, we find this story a little fishy…. 

OK, kids, based on the news items above, would Hillary get your vote for the Democratic nomination–Hash It Out!

—Originally published Oct. 9, 2015 by Hash It Out!