Sohn: Let's ask Hillary and others the important questions

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton is surrounded by supporters and members of the press recently in New Hampshire.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton is surrounded by supporters and members of the press recently in New Hampshire.

Hillary Clinton apparently cannot speak loudly enough to out-sound reporters asking "when-did-you-stop-beating-your-wife" questions. Or more specifically, "why-won't-you-apologize" questions for using a private email account and server while secretary of state.

Since you won't see her complete answers in the sound-bite clips and quotes of most media reports, here are some highlights from her first interview Friday on this subject with NBC News reporter Andrea Mitchell:

Read more

* Clinton says private email was a mistake, says she's sorry* Cooper: Hillary Clinton's repeated email assertions don't make her seem very presidential

* "At the end of the day, I am sorry that this has been confusing to people and has raised a lot of questions. But there are answers to all these questions, and I will continue to provide those answers."

* "I certainly wish I had made a different choice, and I know why the American people have questions about it, but in retrospect it certainly would have been better. I take responsibility. I should have had two accounts, one for personal and one for work-related."

* "It wasn't the best choice. The people in the government knew that I was using a personal account. But it would have been better if I'd had two separate accounts to begin with. And certainly I'm doing all I can now to try to be as transparent about what I did have on my work-related emails."

* I had a personal email when I was in the Senate, as a vast majority of senators do. I'm so careful about classified information, and - as has been confirmed by the inspectors general over and over - I did not send or receive any material marked classified. We dealt with classified material on a totally different system. I dealt with it in person. I dealt with it on secure phone lines. I had the traveling team, the technical team that went me, and they set up tents so that anything when I was traveling anything that was classified would be protected from prying eyes. I take classified materials very, very seriously, and we followed all the rules on classified materials."

Is the word "apologize" in here? No. But there are plenty of I'm-sorries. And much more helpful information.

Perhaps the national press might begin asking some better and more enlightening questions, like what will you do about - pick one: climate change, enforcing the Iran nuclear deal, helping working-class families, improving public education in America.

It's time for reporters to move the presidential candidates - all of them - to real and important questions.

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