Hillary Clinton defended her personal wealth and how it might impact a potential presidential run in 2016, after coming under fire for comments she made during her “Hard Choices” book tour.
The Guardian’s Ed Pilkington asked Clinton how her financial status could impact her ability to discuss income inequality.
“But they don’t see me as part of the problem,” she responded in the interview published Sunday, “because we pay ordinary income tax, unlike a lot of people who are truly well off, not to name names; and we’ve done it through dint of hard work.”
Clinton was criticized for comments she made earlier in June during an interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer.
“We came out of the White House not only dead broke, but in debt,” Clinton said about her and Bill Clinton’s financial situation. “We had no money when we got there and we struggled to, you know, piece together the resources for mortgages, for houses, for Chelsea’s education. You know, it was not easy.”
She later said that her remark wasn’t “artful.”
“That was then, this is now. Obviously, we are very fortunate. We’ve been given great opportunities,” she said during an event with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Conservatives again jumped on Hillary Clinton’s comments in the interview published Sunday.
“If Hillary is going to run for President she might be advised to take a lengthy sabbatical from her $200k per pop speaking tour and private shopping sprees at Bergdorfs to try and reconnect with what’s happening back here on Earth,” Tim Miller, executive director of America Rising, a Republican super PAC told reporters, according to the Washington Post.
I don’t have a problem with a person being rich…as long as that wealth was gained honestly and ethically.
The salary of the POTUS is $400,000 a year and Hillary says
“We came out of the White House not only dead broke, but in debt,” Clinton said about her and Bill Clinton’s financial situation. “We had no money when we got there and we struggled to, you know, piece together the resources for mortgages, for houses, for Chelsea’s education. You know, it was not easy."
$400,000 should have been enough to manage I would think … unless they were mismanaging that income.
8 millions advanced payment on a book full of BS at the time of leaving the White House is not well off? The Clintons were broke? Hard work? Man this woman has a HUGE disconnect with reality…and there are people out there who want her for president. Unfreaking unbelievable!!!
She isn’t handling answering this well, which is the problem. It should be a pretty softball question to answer, too.
“Well, we have been very fortunate in our lives. But not everyone is given the opportunities that we have. Thats why I want to work to increase economic mobility for people in this country. So there are more opportunities available to more Americans.”
$400.000 doesnt go far to paying off $10,000,000 in legal bills caused by fake GOP scandals