John Podesta Explained Clinton's AIDS Comments as 'Sheer Exhaustion'

Hillary Clinton’s shocking claim that Nancy Reagan was responsible for a “national conversation” on the AIDS crisis couldn’t be explained at the time even by her campaign chairman. John Podesta’s best guess for what led to the factually incorrect comments: “sheer exhaustion.”

Among emails posted online Monday by WikiLeaks is one Podesta wrote in response to HIV activist Keith Molter, who wrote an angry letter after watching Clinton’s inexplicable MSNBC interview March 11.

Clinton set off a firestorm in March after Reagan died. She said during a live interview that the former first lady was responsible for inspiring a "national conversation" about HIV, when in fact she and President Reagan are vilified among LGBT people for failing to discuss the crisis until after thousands had died.

Hillary Clinton: The Reagans, particularly Nancy, helped start "a national conversation" about HIV and AIDS. https://t.co/7sZp8X53fb — MSNBC (@MSNBC) March 11, 2016

Even the Human Rights Campaign, which had already endorsed Clinton, condemned the comments. HRC president Chad Griffin, an acolyte of the Clintons, said on Twitter that Reagan was "no hero in the fight against HIV/AIDS."

“I can't explain this other than sheer exhaustion,” Podesta wrote to Molter. “I know it was deeply hurtful and we are trying to make it right. I also know as First Lady, Senator and Secretary she has always tried to do everything she could to eradicate the disease for good. So I ask you to consider that and balance that in judging what was a terrible mistake.”

Less than two hours after Clinton’s comment on MSNBC, the campaign issued its first apology. It was 1:24 p.m. on a Friday. Clinton said she “misspoke” and “For that, I’m sorry.” The apology didn’t sit well with Molter and many others.

"Misspoke?!” a disgusted Molter wrote to Podesta early the next day. “Come on guys. What does THAT mean?!”

“If Hillary was truly ignorant, it is shameful,” he said. “If not and she said what she said regardless, WHY?!”

“I’m considering changing my vote,” Molter. added Clinton was still locked in a primary fight with Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator.

Later that night, ahead of the Sunday morning policy shows, Clinton published a blog post on Medium. “I made a mistake, plain and simple,” it began, before going on at considerable length. The blog correctly detailed the history of the AIDS crisis and credited LGBT people with raising the alarm, not the Reagans.

Molter, when contacted by The Advocate, said he had been amazed by the response. Molter said Clinton's original comments had spurred him to email as many people as he could, and he sent the message to Podesta without knowing him or expecting to hear back.

"You do not know how surprised I was that I actually got a response," he said. "In fact, I was so blown away I was brought to tears. Not only did I receive a response, I received an entire AIDS policy in response."

Molter praised the Medium blog post and the Clinton AIDS policy for being so robust, including discussion of health care, medication, stigma, and for addressing a passion of his: the policy needs of long-term survivors and those with post-traumatic stress disorder. The strategy addressed housing issues for seniors with HIV and how to find a cure. "I've never seen anything like it in my life," he said.

Nowhere in the blog post, though, did Clinton say she was “exhausted,” especially not with Donald Trump regularly attacking Jeb Bush for a supposed lack of stamina. Now in the general election, Trump has spread rumors about Clinton's health and attacked her as needing rest and lacking stamina — an accusation she dismissed heartily during the first debate.

She said, "Well, as soon as he travels to 112 countries and negotiates a peace deal, a cease-fire, a release of dissidents, an opening of new opportunities in nations around the world, or even spends 11 hours testifying in front of a congressional committee, he can talk to me about stamina."

Molter acknowledged the political conundrum Clinton’s comments on HIV had created in a response to Podesta’s email.

“I would really love to believe you,” he wrote. “We've (my long-term HIV friend and I) just been discussing it. The consensus was either one of two things: she's tired or she got caught pandering. I would like to believe the tired part, to be honest. It's a tough spot. You're not allowed to be tired or it shows weakness to some. That sucks. I don't envy you.”

Update 11:13 a.m. PT: Story is updated to include interview with Keith Molter.