Chelsea Clinton: I Don't Talk To The Press

Even Turns Down Request From Nine-Year-Old Reporter During Event In Iowa

(AP)  It's one thing for Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign to turn down interview requests for the candidate's daughter, Chelsea. But can't a 9-year old reporter catch a break?

Sydney Rieckhoff, a Cedar Rapids fourth grader and "kid reporter" for Scholastic News, has posed questions to seven Republican and Democratic presidential hopefuls as they've campaigned across Iowa this year. But when she approached the 27-year-old Chelsea after a campaign event Sunday, she got a different response.

"Do you think your dad would be a good 'first man' in the White House?" Sydney asked, but Chelsea brushed her question aside.

"I'm sorry, I don't talk to the press and that applies to you, unfortunately. Even though I think you're cute," Chelsea told the pint-sized journalist.

Such is the paradox of Chelsea as she campaigns across Iowa in the closing days before the state's caucuses Jan. 3.

Tall and attractive, Chelsea cuts an impressive figure on the campaign trail; she plunges enthusiastically into the crowd after her mother's speeches, shaking hands and posing for pictures while asking, "Are you going to caucus for my mom?"

But onstage, Chelsea never speaks; she stands next to her mother and applauds but utters not a single sentence and doesn't even say hello. And reporters covering the campaign have been put on notice that Chelsea is not available to speak to them. An aide follows the former first daughter as she works the crowd, shushing reporters who approach her and try to ask any questions.

Famously protective of their daughter's privacy, Bill and Hillary Clinton have taken pains to shield Chelsea from the harsh glare and rough edges of presidential politics. She stayed largely absent from her mother's campaign until December, when she made her first visit to Iowa.

For her part, Sydney looked a bit crestfallen after Chelsea turned her away. But luckily for Hillary Clinton, Sydney's mother has made up her mind to caucus for the former first lady.

"I like her position on family values and health care. And I think it's time we have a female president," Robyn Rieckhoff said.

[david1737]

This story is almost as pointless as FOX News story about Edwards haircuts, and Repubs. complain about Dems. whining. Ha!

[actornaught]

Posted by leftyintexas at 02:30 PM : Jan 01, 2008

I also noticed that g''ick slammed somebody for using the term "neocon", but she yipped about "liberals", using the limbaugh-style straw-man pejorative, when the proper definition can actually apply to almost 70% of Americans.

call her global_hypocrite...

Also, Chelsea''s not talking to the media shows she''s smarter than McCain''s, like, y''know, daughter...

[harrydoghiny]

And this is news because...? Do your jobs, CBS, Walter is shaking his head in disbelief.

[jedi08]

rowdytexas2 you make me LAUGH SO HARD. Don''t you know that CBS stands for Clinton Brodcast Station and that the Media minus fox news in totally biased towards the tree hugging left.

The point you and everyone should take from this story is that the Clintons are cold strategic people who will do anything to win. Chelsey is no different, she has no heart or soul just like her parents and their fake marriage and their fake promises. They just want to sit around with the Bush''s and smoke cigars one day and talk about how they rulled the country for almost 30 years.

Obama and McCain and Hucklebee are the only genuine people who aren''t corrupt in the political system left or right. So take you Bush hatting sun glasses off and realize that he is not running this time.

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by SamTheTVCat at 07:58 PM : Dec 31, 2007

I think you miss the point. This article was written by some numb nut raising and hue and cry about NOTHING! Which is very typical of Neocon republican media. Let''s not address a real problem, like the issues, or asking Mr. Bush to take responsibility for his incompetence.

Let''s just bash Chelsea!

[samthetvcat]

"Good night folks & a safe one -- Happy New Year"
Posted by j-whitman

Yes, you too

[j-whitman]

Good night folks & a safe one -- Happy New Year

[amorica79]

HoLy S*** How many concerned postings have there been for this "story"???? The Clintons will definately go down in history for the most butchered yet most successful folks of our lifetime. No wonder Hill has been voted most admired for 6 years an a row by that annual Gallup poll. I officially don''t believe they''re being trashed by "Haters" anymore, just the "Unfounded and Dumbfounded". THE OPPRESSED NEVER PROVE THINGS BEFORE THEY BELIEVE THINGS. I loooooove it. Proof of history-making at it''s very best.

[creeper00]

What is the outrage here? Chelsea "doesn''t talk to the press"?

That''s been her policy for months. Does this come as some sort of a surprise to the news media?

Why would nine-year-old girls, however cute, be an exception?

[idlepugilist]

Sam and alan, Chelsea avoided an interview because she didn''t want to let it be known she''s a drunk like Bush''s daughters. There, now you have some new fuel to roast Chelsea at the stake. Not that anyone cares.

[samthetvcat]

"The Queen of England couldn''''t have handled it better"
Posted by j-whitman

Ahhh, but Diana could have . . .

[j-whitman]

SamTheTVCat ---- The Queen of England couldn''t have handled it better

[samthetvcat]

Admit it chelsea could have handled it better. She didn''''t. It does speak to the attempt to control the media.
Posted by alanrobisch2

What would it have costed her to just say "my dad is great at everything he does" . . . the little reporter girl gets a huge scoop, kids identify with her, her parents look great, she looks great, and she looks like a supporter of kids and initiative.

Everybody''s entitled to their opinion, but I think people who already think of Billary as calculating and power-hungry get wigged out to see that kind of behavior in their kid too - like their need for control is all-encompassing and going to permeate their reign in the WH. Like I said you don''t have to agree and I appreciate that lots of people don''t. I''m just saying that it would appear many of us see things differently too . . .

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by leafsntrees at 07:35 PM : Dec 31, 2007

Ummm, do I need my tinfoil hat here?

[j-whitman]

She could have just flipped her the Middle Finger as Bush''s daughter did

[rowdytexan2]

Happy New Year j-whitman ****

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by alanrobisch2 at 07:46 PM : Dec 31, 2007

It would''ve been rude if she''d said, Get out of my face, I don''t talk to reporters, punk!

She said, I don''t talk to reporters, but you''re cute!

For petes sakes!

[idlepugilist]

Come on folks, Chelsea was encouraged to get out like a supportive family member to greet people (like a WalMart greeter), but instructed to not attempt to give interviews regarding her mother''s campaign. If you choose to see her brush off as rude, so be it. She was still following her mother''s directive. And talking to a 9-year old opens many doors to misunderstanding, don''t you think alan?
If you were campaigning for an important public office, would you want Anyone interviewing your offspring regarding your own decisions? Didn''t think so.

[alanrobisch]

The child approached her as a reporter, not a voter or a supporter. Chelsea made the statement that she does not talk to reporters. What is rude about that?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 07:38 PM : Dec 31, 2007
+ report abuse

It may not be rude but she''s a 9 yr old for heaven''s sake

[alanrobisch]

Right, Chelsea. A 9-year old should be playing with something else but the right of people to talk or to NOT talk. That''''s what we know as freedom of speech. It does not matter if asked by a serious journalist of by a playing kid.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by adiant at 07:24 PM : Dec 31, 2007
+ report abuse

This truly sounds like a clinton apologist answer. Admit it chelsea could have handled it better. She didn''t. It does speak to the attempt to control the media.