Top Clinton Aide Guards Chelsea From Press

Politico: Campaign Hand Philippe Reines Is Like A Secret Service Agent Shielding Former First Daughter From Reporters

(The Politico)  This story was written by Amie Parnes.

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He stands behind her, guarded and on the lookout. His head is turning left, then right, then left again, the way one watches a tennis match.

Philippe Reines could be mistaken for a Secret Service agent for Chelsea Clinton, the former first daughter who is anxious to regain that title. Now, as a crowd surrounds the youngest Clinton at a Marshall University campaign stop, Reines is on the lookout for hangers-on, swooning frat boys and, mostly, looming trouble in the form of microphones, cameras and notepads.

When sharp-elbowed television reporters manage to slip through the crowd and face Clinton, he reaches out his arm to shield the 28-year-old surrogate, points to the side of the room like a stone-faced traffic cop and tells the reporters, “I’ll talk to you over there.” Far from Chelsea.

Since Clinton doesn’t speak to reporters, Reines is her voice. When inquiring minds approach Clinton to say hello, she has been known to say, “Have you met Philippe?”

“If I wasn’t paid to talk to reporters, I wouldn’t, either,” said Reines, who has become the surrogate’s surrogate in the face of growing criticism that the campaign is protecting her like a child. “Chelsea smartly knows that if she gives an inch of her privacy, she loses a foot.”

Lately, college students in Chelsea’s audiences have been testing her limits with questions about her father, former President Bill Clinton, and his relationship with Monica Lewinsky. At first, Chelsea bristled at the comments. Now, she is prepared with a brief response.

Reines has been there for every awkward moment, helping keep the bubble surrounding Chelsea from popping. As Hillary Rodham Clinton’s longtime press-secretary-turned-senior-adviser, he is more than used to the tabloid headlines, the mobs of photographers who constantly chase the senator and the game of defense he must play to challenge the scrutiny.

“I think it’s like being a hockey goalie,” Reines said. “You’re deflecting the puck with your stick, your face mask, your knees - whatever works.

“When you have a sentence or less to address unflattering situations, you need to make those words count,” he added.

Lately, though, the 38-year-old spokesman has to make those words count for not one but two Clintons.

He is living a double life, carrying two sets of business cards and picking up paychecks from both the Senate and the campaign.

Reines may sport a sweater, jeans and a five o’clock shadow when he’s on the road with Chelsea, but he’s still juggling his Senate responsibilities along with Sarah Gegenheimer, Clinton’s communications director.

And whenever Hillary Clinton takes a break from the trail and returns to the Hill, Reines always follows. Last week, as the senator questioned Army Gen. David Petraeus at an Armed Services Committee hearing, Reines was seated directly behind her.

“It’s rock, paper, scissors,” Reines quips. “Hillary trumps Chelsea.”

Throughout the day, Reines stays in close touch with the travelling press aides to Hillary and Bill Clinton.

Although seemingly a natural fit, Reines wasn’t considered for either of those jobs when they were filled last year. He dismisses the notion that any of the well-chronicled rifts within Hillaryland played any part in those decisions, saying, “We’re all in the roles that Sen. Clinton feels suit us best, and I love mine.”

But campaign insiders say it’s no coincidence that Reines took on a more visible role on the Chelsea Clinton stump at about the same time Patti Solis Doyle was pushed aside as Clinton’s campaign manager. Aides say the two have had a very acrimonious relationship going back several years.

However he got there, Reines says time on the road with Chelsea offers a “refreshing change” from the life he has grown accustomed to in Washington. He now spends his days living out of a rolling bag (“with as many clothes as I can jam in”) and crisscrossing the country while visiting 33 states and more than 100 colleges. Together with Bari Lurie, a longtime Clinton aide who directs and manages the road show, Reines and Chelsea have logged more than 7,000 miles.

In the past two and a half months, he has been home 10 days.

Although Chelsea Clinton has become an indefatigable surrogate for her mother, engaging in lengthy question-and-answer sessions with students, she has been criticized for not speaking to the press. While Sen. Barack Obama’s daughters have been off-limits to the press, they’re just 6 and 9.

Sen. John McCain’s 23-year-old daughter, Meghan, has made herself available to reporters, as did Mitt Romney’s sons when their father was still in the race.

Chelsea Clinton, on the other hand, has erected a no-press wall so thick that in December she even refused to answer a question from a 9-year-old “kid reporter” from Scholastic News who asked whether she thought her father would be a good “first man.”

“I’m sorry,” she told the child. “I don’t talk to the press, and that applies to you, unfortunately - even though I think you’re cute.”

Reines’ explanation for the no-reporters rule: “Everyone has a right to define their privacy,” he said. “I agree with what she’s doing and how she’s doing it.” Then, pausing for a moment, he takes it a step further.

“Every one of these events is open to the media,” Reines added, his eyes spitting fire. “Every word this woman is saying is on camera. What else would anyone want to know?”

The situation blew up in February after MSNBC’s David Shuster said that Chelsea Clinton was being “pimped out” by her parents for the campaign.

The comment incensed Reines, who immediately fired off an angry e-mail to Shuster, and their back-and-forth-BlackBerrying nastiness soon found its way to the Web. Looking back, Reines said he went “from zero to 60” in the response because Shuster’s language “really grabbed me.”

“Sometimes you really need to make a big deal about something like that, because if you don’t, those moments keep happening,” he said. “We could either say, ‘Oh well, that’s the media,’ or we could say, ‘Enough is enough.’”

Shuster was suspended, and Reines said he has no regrets. “I would do it again,” he said.

Over the years, Reines’ grating nature has rubbed some reporters the wrong way.

“I haven’t exactly had the best experiences with Philippe,” said one network correspondent who has worked closely with all the campaigns. “He’s clearly power-hungry, a little too big for his britches, and he almost tries to browbeat you if he isn’t happy with a story.”

Another reporter who has dealt with Reines repeatedly said his “highly controlling” approach is probably what made Clinton choose him to be her daughter’s handler. “Some press secretaries try to get their bosses in the paper as much as possible,” the reporter said. “Philippe tries to limit access and keep reporters as far away as possible.”

The reporter said Reines is “a master at using his BlackBerry as a defensive shield: Ask him four questions on his voice mail and you’ll get a pithy 12-word response on e-mail.”

Reines’ roots are on New York’s Upper West Side, where he was raised by his mother and grandmother and had a particular love of dodgeball. The spokesman said he had no idea he wanted to go into politics, and he had a late start in getting there. He stumbled in high school (“I cut a lot of class”) and through college, transferring to three different schools. In between, he worked on the trading desks of banks in Boston and New York.

He finally landed at Columbia University and spent two semesters in Beijing while learning Mandarin.

On the day he received his political science degree in 2000 - at the age of 30 - Reines packed his bags and moved to Nashville, Tenn., to work as a researcher on Al Gore’s presidential campaign. When Gore lost, Reines returned to New York in a funk.

“I slept all day, I didn’t shave,” he said.

Then one day, someone suggested he apply to become Gore’s teaching assistant for his journalism class at Columbia. Reines got the job. Later, he worked on a mayoral campaign in New York. That led to a short-lived job working for Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) before Hillary Clinton came calling.

Reines was invited in for an interview, and Clinton hired him on the spot.

“I’ve been very lucky to have Philippe on my team on both defense and offense, through thick and through thin,” the senator said. “Philippe has been a pitch-perfect voice on my behalf and an increasingly close adviser whom I have grown to trust and depend on for the unvarnished truth - dispensed with his trademark humor every single day.”

Over the past six years, he has become a key adviser to her on Iraq issues and - because of his quick wit - for less weighty matters, like appearances on “Saturday Night Live.”

“He’s always the person you go to when you need a funny line,” said Howard Wolfson, the Clinton campaign’s communications director.

Wolfson said Reines was “the perfect choice” to join Chelsea Clinton on the campaign trail. “With Philippe’s help,” Wolfson said, “Chelsea’s appearances have been extremely positive for the campaign.”

Chelsea Clinton - through Reines, of course - declined to answer questions for this story.

[lordmi]

100 mothers out of 100
1000 mothers out of 1000
1 000 000 mothers out of 1 000 000
Will never send her daughter to promote the family with World-known Dirt.
So, student should feel shame about the question? That is right, many family have things they do not want to talk about. But all of them do NOT promote themselves using their childrens.
That is shame of Clintons: Bill,s in blue.. Hillaries in trading her Female prode for White House dirty beroom seuit.
That is Yours, Clintons, shame.
Saying on behalf of Clintons You just get that all Clintons should get.
If Chelsea is so scared - she should not take part in Clintons Circus. When she did - she just belongs to it. Completely. No more no less.
Do not blame The World for Your Own dirty spots.

[rowdytexan2]

Talk about being an elitist.Is she so above everyone that she can''''t speak to the lowly people who are voting for her mother,or the press.She''''s is how old again? This speaks to the way she was raised and she sounds a lot like her snooty mother,Hillary.If she''''s old enough to be speaking to an audience,she should be mature enough to answer a few questions that haven''''t been mapped out in advance.Typical Clinton.


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Posted by kim334 at 11:53 PM : Apr 16, 2008

Chelsea speaks to the ones that count, the voters!

Those are the people who need answers, not some reporter who would take something she said and turn it into his words.

Good for Chelsea! And good for Phillipe!

[kansas1946]

This Philippe guy sounds like someone I would really like. I am not nuts about Hillary, but having this guy around makes her sound at least human.

[kim334]

Talk about being an elitist.Is she so above everyone that she can''t speak to the lowly people who are voting for her mother,or the press.She''s is how old again? This speaks to the way she was raised and she sounds a lot like her snooty mother,Hillary.If she''s old enough to be speaking to an audience,she should be mature enough to answer a few questions that haven''t been mapped out in advance.Typical Clinton.

[libra127]

Can anyone name another single surrogate in the primaries who gets to dodge questions from the press?

Posted by MartyWill1 at 04:53 PM : Apr 16, 2008

Of course. No one has to talk to the press if they don''t want to. Chelsea is smart to speak directly to the voters instead of letting the press spin her answers. Go Chelsea!

[libra127]

This girl needs to wake up and understand that she''s not a kid anymore.

Posted by AR_Teacher at 12:26 PM : Apr 16, 2008

It has absolutely nothing to do with her age. Chelsea is very smart to insist that her message go direct to the voters, not filtered by the biased, spin-happy press.

[truth-hurts]

Smash17 is a filthy liar, don''t believe a word she says!!

[ramos937]

Reines and Chelsea are correct in how they handle the press. The press will take any unwise word (even wise), Chealsea might utter and turn it into a press frenzy. The tabloids would even do worse. If Chealsea was to comment favorably on a guy, the press would run stories on her being engated and the National Enquirer would have her pregnant by the boy. Nope, keep the reporters at bay.

[martywill1]

Hypocritical that the Clintons would try to impose a free pass from the press for Chelsea. Can anyone name another single surrogate in the primaries who gets to dodge questions from the press? No wonder the media are more attracted to Obama. AND -- questions about his sexual escapades and her handling of them are completely legit, in a campaign where character and past associates has become the only focus.

[martywill1]

Hypocritical that the Clintons would try to impose a free pass from the press for Chelsea. Can anyone name another single surrogate in the primaries who gets to dodge questions from the press? No wonder the media are more attracted to Obama. AND -- questions about his sexual escapades and her handling of them are completely legit, in a campaign where character and past associates has become the only focus.

[libh8er]

If you Clintons want to send her out there to carry your water, she should not receive any preferential treatment.

[questionnews]

For the life of me I can''t find any resemblance between Chelsea & Bill. They could get alot of publicity going on Marry Povich with the famouse DNA testing episodes.

[omaar-101]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gBO137t79k

Chelsea has a Great Inheritence coming from all that Clinton Arab Money accunulated over the years !!




H. Clinton, Titled Liar, Watch her Squirm when Tim Russert Bust Her A!! on Lie after Lie !!

Yeah...Inexperienced at Fleecing the U.S. People, while they get Rich and become Vacationing Family Friends with the Bush Family...Fact


Its Simple...Noone wants another Lying Clinton in the Oval Office and they know Clintons are Notorious LIARS !!

Bill Clintons Saudi Arabian & United Arab Emirates (Dubai Ports Dealing)

Bills Many Communist Chinese Ties (Norman Hsu & other Communist China Deals)

The (Elitist) Offshore Cayman Island Account.

The (500 Million Dollar Arab Chaired, Financed & Supported) Bill Clinton Library !!

Bill & Hillary (109 Million Dollar Bank Roll) Elitist Money.

Bill Clintons: Dubai (United Arab Emirates) Business Partnership, that Bills says he will End or Dissolve ONLY(IF) Hillary Wins the Presidency...

Only then, will Bill Dissolve this Dubai (United Arab Emirates Partnership)



Note Saudi Arabia & United Arab Emirates Countrymen Piloted the (911 Attacks) on American soil...

If Barack Obama had such Business Dealings with such people, the Mass Media & The Whites Only in the White House Racist, would be having a Field Day !!

But Bill & Hillary are White & Christian, they can F--K You and this Great Country, their White !!

[omaar-101]

If Youre not Bitter, then Get on your Hands & Knees and give Thanks To the Bush (Sr. & Jr.) & the Clinton Administrations for what theyve done for You and this Great Country.. then Vote for Hillary Or McCain, for More of the Same !!

1. 4009 Killed in Action US Men & Women

2. Thousands of US Soldiers that have legs and arms Dis-Membered or Amputated in the Iraq War !!

3. The over 100,000 innocent Iraqi Citizens killed under False Pretenses (WOMD)

4. Over 12 Billion Dollars per month to fund this Occupation !!

5. The Very Devalued Dollar Bill !!

6. The High Unemployment Rate.

7. All Time High Il-Legal Immigration !

8. All Time High Forecloures !!

9. High A!! Gas Prices !!

10. Canada, and Still Communist China & Viet Nam , Socialist India and Mexico getting Americans jobs.

Obama is Lying Huh

Then Dont Complain Then...

Dont Worry be Happy !!

PS: Get on your knees and thank George (NAFTA/NAU) Bush & Bill (NAFTA/COMM.CHINESE CONNECTION) Clinton, for all the Good Times, Both Presidents have Brought America.

Reference Bill & Hillarys Norman Hsu China Connection.

[minnick8-2009]

It seems to me like the Clintons have a belief that we, the people, do not remember their White House years. We don''t remember the scandals, Whitewater, or Monica Lewinsky. I''m glad the questions are being asked. Between Obama''s skeletons that have emerged from his closet and the Clintons, tell me the Democrats can''t find someone to run who loves America, is honest, is proud of America and proud to be an American and isn''t riddled with a scandalous past. Someone tell me the name of a democrat who fits that description.

[texanforlogi]

If you can''t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.

[hambonehd]

Posted by JACK3213 at 12:53 PM : Apr 16, 2008

AMEN!

[mark46n]

You know what I say screw the press because no matter what you say they''re going to spin it to their advantage. I think she is a very smart woman and staying away from them is the right thing to do.

[jack3213]

THE CLINTONS IS MORE THAN DISHONEST, ''''THEY'''' ARE CORRUPT'' AND MANIPULATIVE, SCAMMING THE PUBLIC DAILY, AND SHOWING SUCH DISREGARD FOR THE RESPECT OF AMERICANS WITH THEIR LIES AND BLANTANT HYPOCRISY. OBAMA IS NO BETTER.

I think it''s sad that someone who''s just barely older than I am cares so little and thinks that she''s still a little girl. I''ve earned a BA, a MSE and my National Board Certification and opted for a semi-private life. But because I''m a school teacher, there are certain aspects of my life that whether I like it or not, are public domain. This girl needs to wake up and understand that she''s not a kid anymore. If she''s going to put herself out there (pushed by mommie and daddy or not) as a political figure in the way that she is, she''s going to have to become transparent. I understand and agreed with the press blackout when the Clinton''s were in the White House, but now... she''s an adult and needs to act as such.