Hillary sat down with John Dickerson on Friday for a segment that aired on Face the Nation this morning.
Dickerson asked about her designation of Donald Trump as a “loose cannon,” Hillary offered as examples his suggestions to: allow other nations to acquire nuclear weapons and pull out of NATO. Some statements like going back to using torture, going after families of terrorists concern her.
She pointed to Republicans raising questions about their presumptive nominee. She very carefully differentiated “their nominee” from “Donald Trump.” She said she doesn’t think it is personal but rooted in respect for the office.
Dickerson asked Hillary what hard questions she would ask Trump. Her general response was to point to a basic vacuum for what he says,
Americans don’t need a raise – based on what? Evidence indicates that he does not understand what is happening in the economy to ordinary people. She pointed out that Trump does not have a plan, He has a slogan.
Climate change a Chinese hoax -based on what? Once again it is a slogan.
Punishing women who have abortions, rounding up immigrants for deportation – what do these statements mean and how would we go about that? She said maybe he doesn’t understand that running the gov not the same as making real estate deals. Putting the credit of the U.S. at risk would have a horrible outcome.
Hillary’s website explains all of her plans and how they are paid for so clearly there is a constituency for a candidate who puts specific plans out there, was She has confidence in common sense of American voter
Hillary is not going to run an ugly race. She is going to run a race based on issues. She doesn’t feel she is running against Donald Trump. She is running for the vision she has for America and to knock down the barriers that prevent Americans from getting ahead. She is going to stay focused on that,
Hillary will run an outreach campaign to voters across the political spectrum who want a candidate is running based on issues, has put out plans and will explain them, who has a track record. Hillary believes people who take their votes seriously will agree with her.
Was she trying to lead Bernie Sanders to the exit? She said her 2008 experience is a good reminder of how close she and Obama were then. She and Sanders have a lot of same goals. Will work together toward them and to make sure Donald Trump does not become president. They shares many goals and she hopes they can work together.
The emails came up again. She is looking forward to having that wrapped up. So far no one has reached out to her. She said it is a security inquiry, she has always taken security very seriously.
Is there a broader lesson? Hillary said if you don’t keep learning you will stagnate. Anyone who is running for POTUS should answer the same questions. Hillary, “I have 33 years of tax returns in the public domain.” and Donald Trump has none. “What’s there?”
She pointed to her record as secretary of state. Has a serous and focused approach to taking care of the nation’s business.
Hillary said she will stand for American values, interests, and security and that Trump has no coherent foreign policy and makes statements that are of concern. Why after 70 years trying to prevent proliferation would Trump be so cavalier in wanting other countries to get them?
The interview ended a bit abruptly on that last note. To Dickerson’s credit: some of the questions were refreshing and new, and some of the older issues were approached from a fresh perspective. He did not ask her any wasteful questions that would be better answered by the party or parties who lodge those questions which she always has to answer with “Well I think you would have to ask him/her/them….” It was one of the better recent interviews in that sense. Very efficient.
Still4Hill 