The Clintons have taken presidential campaigning to a whole new level by using an entire continent as a prop.
Iowa and New Hampshire are so yesterday.
After weeks of coming under fire for accepting foreign donations to the Clinton Foundation from woman-unfriendly countries like Saudi Arabia, Bill changed the storyline with one long-distance photo op.
The former president and his daughter Chelsea traveled to Africa with some top donors to give the media an inside look at who benefits from their foundation.
Bill inserted a hearing aid into a deaf child’s ear and was then surrounded by adoring African children. The backdrop could not have been more perfect for Clinton to answer questions, such as how can he rationalize getting paid $500,000 for a speech?
It’s hard to fault a philanthropic guy for wanting to make some cash on the side as he saves lives in these Third World countries.
As he told NBC: “I gotta pay our bills.”
And, he added, he gives 10 percent of his money to his charity — now cue the image of wide-eyed Kenyan children. Somehow his sky-high appearance fees seem paltry in the face of his family’s good deeds.
It is undeniable that some of the poorest people on the planet have benefitted from the Clinton Foundation, no matter if some of the cash is coming from questionable characters. A new book also claims Hillary took care of top donors while she was the nation’s top diplomat.
Bring in Bill. He vows there’s nothing “sinister” about the foundation’s work.
Unfortunately for the Clinton Foundation, Hillary is the one running for president and she simply doesn’t have Bill’s charisma to take on these tough questions with such ease.
Ultimately it will be Hillary’s job to convince a Republican-led Congressional committee — and the American public — that she didn’t use the foundation inappropriately while holding one of the most powerful positions as secretary of state.
Something tells me this isn’t Bill’s last trip to Africa before voters head to the polls. He’s Hillary’s best defense against the critics and nobody puts out fires faster than Bubba.
Jaclyn Cashman is co-host of the “Morning Meeting” show on Boston Herald Radio.
Copyright © 2024 Jaclyn Cashman.
